X users will soon choose between two new premium tiers according to X head Elon Musk who confirmed the news on Friday morning.
A new X Premium will include a more expensive ad-free version.
No ad to show here.
“Two new tiers of X Premium subscriptions launching soon,” said Musk in a post on X.
The one is a lower cost with most features but no reduction in ads and the other is a more expensive option with no adverts.
There was an expectation of three tiers yet, Musk has only confirmed two price tiers for users.
One tier will cost lower than the current $8 per month plan, but won’t reduce ads. The other tier will be a more expensive one, which will remove all ads.
The reasons
This is all in an attempt to reduce bots while increasing X’s revenue.
The catch
There is a catch to subscription tiers, even though the X boss maintains the shift is not profit-driven.
Cost
The is a long term cost implication when subscribed. Over time the cumulative cost of subscriptions can put strain on the users’ budget and users will most likely have no say to future price increases over time.
There will be some penalties for breaching or canceling the subscription period.
There may be in-app purchases as time goes on which could be frustrating to the users who have developed a following over a set platform.
There is little to no ownership of content through a subscription. When the subscription ends the content will most likely be unavailable.
The pros
There will be advantages such as increased security and little to no adverts with a myriad of other features tailored for the paying subscriber. Subscribers concerned about their data will have better security and privacy features, consistent user support, and most likely priority treatment.
Another aspect will be access to more premium or exclusive content that is not available to non-subscribers.
Some pivotal updates to keep subscribers ahead will most likely be rolled out to ensure subscribers receive the latest version of the service.
Meta to follow
Meta has also considered charging users in Europe $14 a month to access an ad-free version of Facebook and Instagram.
Also read: Why Amazon in South Africa made the news, the end of Small Street?
