Twitter to Charge $11 Per Month for Twitter Blue on iPhone, $7 on Website

[Jezzrichjames]

Twitter plans to charge $11 per month for a Twitter Blue subscription on the iPhone in order to account for the 30 percent cut that Apple takes from in-app purchases, reports The Information. On the web, Twitter Blue will be priced at $7 per month.

Prior to when Twitter Blue was paused, Twitter was charging $7.99 for a subscription, but the pricing will change before it relaunches. According to The Information, some employees have been briefed on the new pricing, but Twitter CEO Elon Musk is known for making snap decisions, so it is still not yet clear if plans could change.

The higher price point on the iPhone will allow Twitter to provide Apple with its 30 percent cut of in-app purchase proceeds without significantly cutting in to Twitter's bottom line. The pricing difference will likely encourage most customers to subscribe on the web, allowing Twitter to avoid in-app purchase fees.

Other companies like Spotify have in the past charged higher prices on the iPhone than on the web, but this often leads to confusion for consumers who do not understand why the prices are different on a device to device basis. Apple does not have an issue with companies charging more for subscriptions in apps than on the web.

The Twitter Blue pricing changes come after a short dispute between Twitter and Apple. Musk last week criticized Apple's App Store fees and claimed that Apple had "threatened to withhold Twitter from its App Store," but he later walked that statement back following a meeting with Apple CEO Tim Cook.

Musk and Cook met at Apple Park, and afterward, Musk said they had a "good conversation" and that there had been a "misunderstanding" over Twitter being potentially removed from the App Store.

Twitter is planning to relaunch Twitter Blue on Friday. Twitter Blue subscriptions were paused after Musk included a verification checkmark with Twitter Blue, allowing companies, celebrities, and other high-profile individuals to be impersonated by anyone with $8 to spend. Twitter Blue has not been available since November 11.

With the relaunch, Twitter Blue is expected to include different badge colors for corporations, government accounts, and individuals, as well as restrictions on changing usernames and limits on signups for newer accounts.

Article Link: Twitter to Charge $11 Per Month for Twitter Blue on iPhone, $7 on Website

Even at $7 a month, I wish there were more features.

 

[docbop]

Twitter plans to charge $11 per month for a Twitter Blue subscription on the iPhone in order to account for the 30 percent cut that Apple takes from in-app purchases, reports The Information. On the web, Twitter Blue will be priced at $7 per month.

Prior to when Twitter Blue was paused, Twitter was charging $7.99 for a subscription, but the pricing will change before it relaunches. According to The Information, some employees have been briefed on the new pricing, but Twitter CEO Elon Musk is known for making snap decisions, so it is still not yet clear if plans could change.

The higher price point on the iPhone will allow Twitter to provide Apple with its 30 percent cut of in-app purchase proceeds without significantly cutting in to Twitter's bottom line. The pricing difference will likely encourage most customers to subscribe on the web, allowing Twitter to avoid in-app purchase fees.

Other companies like Spotify have in the past charged higher prices on the iPhone than on the web, but this often leads to confusion for consumers who do not understand why the prices are different on a device to device basis. Apple does not have an issue with companies charging more for subscriptions in apps than on the web.

The Twitter Blue pricing changes come after a short dispute between Twitter and Apple. Musk last week criticized Apple's App Store fees and claimed that Apple had "threatened to withhold Twitter from its App Store," but he later walked that statement back following a meeting with Apple CEO Tim Cook.

Musk and Cook met at Apple Park, and afterward, Musk said they had a "good conversation" and that there had been a "misunderstanding" over Twitter being potentially removed from the App Store.

Twitter is planning to relaunch Twitter Blue on Friday. Twitter Blue subscriptions were paused after Musk included a verification checkmark with Twitter Blue, allowing companies, celebrities, and other high-profile individuals to be impersonated by anyone with $8 to spend. Twitter Blue has not been available since November 11.

With the relaunch, Twitter Blue is expected to include different badge colors for corporations, government accounts, and individuals, as well as restrictions on changing usernames and limits on signups for newer accounts.

Article Link: Twitter to Charge $11 Per Month for Twitter Blue on iPhone, $7 on Website

When E bought Twitter I killed my account and you know I don't miss it all all. The people I followed are on other sites. E won't get to play with my wallet or control what I read.

 

[omihek]

Why would...anyone pay for this? What's the benefit again?

You get to be like, "I'm for sure me, but maybe not, but I for sure want you to think I am." Who wouldn't want that?

 

[chips99]

Yeah, no thanks. I'm not paying a billionaire money to inflate his ego and "e-penis" all for the "privilege" of being able to have a blue check mark next to my name. Seems that the blue checkmark will just be the "mark of the gullible."

 

[uptownnyc]

Why would...anyone pay for this? What's the benefit again?

You get a checkmark! That is blue! It's a blue checkmark! Near your name! That's yours!

 

[haplain]

Even at 7.99 30% would be 10.38 which is .60 cheaper than what they want to charge… so where’s the extra markup coming from.

 

[macdee1900]

$11 - 30% = $7.70

What's the extra $0.70 for?

That'll help to fix panel gaps on Teslas. Maybe. Someday.

 

[erikkfi]

So the whole reason Tim invited Phony Stark to Apple HQ was to tell him he has to comply with the 30% commission, and that Apple won’t delist the app over lack of content moderation. Something for something, I guess.

 

[fatdickie]

A dumb blue star and a dumb verification system. Makes no sense because Twitter is flooded with bots and multiple accounts. Even after paying the subscription fee, you are still going to be dealing with the annoying bots 🤖

Your tweets will be more visible in the community with blue. If that feels important/useful to you, the price is an absolute steal as long as a relatively low number of people pay. You also have options to filter out low-grade free tier users completely as a blue subscriber.

 

[Abazigal]

Subscriptions fall to 15% after the first year. Is it really worth it once you factor in transaction costs? Since the majority of Twitter users use mobile, isn’t this just going to turn off people from subscribing in the first place?

The counter argument is that it is also easier to terminate your subscription from within the App Store app. Maybe that’s what Elon is banking on. He earns less from users subscribing directly from the twitter website, but it also more cumbersome for them to unsubscribe, so retention might be better.

 

[Danfango]

Waltz in to the chess game, smash all the pieces off the table, find out that’s not how you win chess, desperately stick all the pieces pack on the board, move them around cluelessly and tell everyone you’re winning.

The man has the business acumen of an anal wart.

 

[Kierkegaarden]

The headache comes from Apple's draconian rules about what apps can and can't do on the AppStore. Many of the rules are straight up bad UX.

Draconian? Do you even know what the word means? Just because this word is tossed around by fools in the media doesn’t mean you should use it to describe any rule you don’t agree with.

And if there is any “bad UX”, it is on the developer of the app.

 

[ipedro]

Option B) means giving Twitter your credit card directly. A company that has fired entire departments responsible for security.
Option A) is protected by Apple’s In App purchase infrastructure. Credit card details stay with Apple
I’ll buy neither. Good luck to the Option B folks.

 

[ThunderSkunk]

Nice, that’s not too far off what I’d pay, which is zero.

 

[iZac]

Don't worry Elon, 30% of nothing is nothing

 

[MacLC]

I've always been critical of Musk and his bs companies and I've never used Twitter because it's always been toxic, but I find it hilarious that people who loved Musk and Twitter are suddenly now opposed to both. MacRumors used to be a Tesla love fest. Yes $8 or $11 is too much to pay as is $1. In fact, Twitter should be paying users. Having said that, it's also ironic how people who pay Apple $1000's a year on idevices complain about $8/11 a month for Twitter.

I don't live in the US or even an English-speaking country and I'm not hip to American politics, but as an outsider it seems to me that people's sudden self-imposed Uno reverse card of antipathy against Musk has nothing to do with Trump and everything to do with being whipped up by the same type of propaganda-induced frenzy that they are claiming Twitter under Musk will now push.

Congratulations all on the self own.

Perfect! I'll sign up right after I recreate my Twitter account.

In other words, effin' never, Elon. Buhbye.

Smart move, but why did you ever use Twitter in the first place?

When E bought Twitter I killed my account and you know I don't miss it all all. The people I followed are on other sites. E won't get to play with my wallet or control what I read.

You realize that's what every news aggregator from ABC to Facebook already does and Twitter's been doing already?

Yeah, no thanks. I'm not paying a billionaire money to inflate his ego and "e-penis" all for the "privilege" of being able to have a blue check mark next to my name. Seems that the blue checkmark will just be the "mark of the gullible."

Same with Product RED but w/out rose colored glasses.

 

[johannnn]

Why should I pay $7 or $11 for a blue button?

 

[zilchfox]

$7.99 isn’t $7, MacRumors.

 

[mrochester]

It’s priced that way to get everyone to circumvent App Store gouging

It's certainly evidence that Apple can point to to prove the app store is not a monopoly. Not only can you purchase your subscription from somewhere else, you can do so for less money!

 

[Westside guy]

WINNING! When does Twitter Blue Pro launch?

Twitter Blue Pro Max Plus!

 

[videosoul]

So, say I pay $7 for Twitter Blue on the website. I get my Blue Tick (and other features). Cool. Does that then disappear if I log in to the app on my phone but haven’t paid the $4 uplift?!

How does that work?!

 

[alexhardaker]

You cannot subscribe to Spotify through the app, just like with Netflix. You have to pay on their website and then use the app to consume the content.

You can actually still sign up to Netflix via the App Store. They offer an in-app purchase on the Netflix games that are in the App Store.

 

[mrochester]

So, say I pay $7 for Twitter Blue on the website. I get my Blue Tick (and other features). Cool. Does that then disappear if I log in to the app on my phone but haven’t paid the $4 uplift?!

How does that work?!

No, the blue tick doesn't disappear when you use the app.

 

[RickDEGH]

I got really angry over the weekend, that the 39.99€ LinkedIn Premium subscription I paid for for the last couple of months was actually 29.99€ on the LinkedIn website. How did I realised? I had cancelled the subscription and they (LinkedIn) wrote to offer me 50% off. I checked and theirs is 29.99€, so I’m paying about 15€ a month now. Stop defending Apple sometimes, Apple is really stubborn and arrogant with some of their practices.

 

[mrochester]

I got really angry over the weekend, that the 39.99€ LinkedIn Premium subscription I paid for for the last couple of months was actually 29.99€ on the LinkedIn website. How did I realised? I had cancelled the subscription and they (LinkedIn) wrote to offer me 50% off. I checked and theirs is 29.99€, so I’m paying about 15€ a month now. Stop defending Apple sometimes, Apple is really stubborn and arrogant with some of their practices.

It’s not about defending Apple but understanding how business and customer acquisition works.