What is Twitter Blue? How to sign up to the relaunched subscription service

Prices for the premium version of Twitter start from £9.60 per month
Saqib Shah19 January 2023

Twitter restored its Blue subscription service late last year after a troubled launch plagued by fake accounts and impersonations.

As a result, anyone can pay to be verified, a privilege previously limited to users the social network deemed as notable, including celebs, politicians, and journalists. In addition, Twitter Blue customers also get a host of extra perks including enhanced visibility for their tweets and early access to new functions, though some benefits are currently unavailable.

All of this comes at a cost, and there are different types of verified accounts. Here’s what you need to know about the revamped Twitter Blue service.

What is Twitter Blue?

In its current guise, Twitter Blue is a premium service that charges users a monthly fee for verification, which is signified by a blue checkmark next to your username, and access to special features. Originally launched last year, the paid-for version of Twitter has been overhauled under the stewardship of owner Elon Musk, who acquired the social network for $44 billion (£38 billion) in October.

Currently, a subscription buys you a mixture of new and old perks from the first iteration. Most of the exciting new stuff is still in the pipeline, including amplified tweets that appear higher in replies, mentions and searches, and half the amount of ads and the ability to share longer videos. That leaves features like undo (or unsend) tweets, bookmark folders, a shortcut to view the top articles in your feed, a reading view for longer tweet threads, and new themes for the app.

How much does Twitter Blue cost?

The cheapest way to get Twitter Blue is on the Twitter website, where you can purchase either a recurring monthly or annual subscription.

If you don’t want a long-term commitment, you can pay £9.60 per month (£8 plus VAT) for the service and cancel whenever you want. The annual subscription is currently the cheapest option at £100.80 including VAT for the entire year, which works out to £8.40 per month (or £7 plus VAT).

On iOS and Android, Twitter Blue costs £11 per month. Still, you can avoid the premium by simply signing up through the web.

Twitter states that the current prices are limited-time offers, which may indicate that price hikes could follow, as is the norm for subscription services ranging from Amazon Prime to Netflix.

How do you sign up for Twitter Blue?

You can sign up by selecting the Twitter Blue button in the sidebar and hitting subscribe, after which you will be redirected to the payments page.

Those who signed up during the previous relaunch will have to upgrade to the new price plans.

As part of the review process, Twitter Blue subscribers will have to confirm their phone number when signing up. Twitter also warns that you’ll lose the blue checkmark if you change your profile photo, display name, or username until it reviews the alterations.

Twitter verification: What types of badges are there?

There are currently three types of verified accounts: Twitter blue badges for subscribers, Twitter Gold for businesses, and Twitter grey for others, such as authorities.

Oddly, the Twitter Blue “about” page currently states that new subscribers “will not get a blue checkmark” and nor will their “tweets be prioritised” in the verifications section of the notifications tab.

Musk has also said that Blue Tick accounts that were certified under the old regime will lose their verification status. The billionare criticised the previous policy as “corrupt” and “nonsensical”.

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