X is expanding a closed beta of a pay-per-use API plan aimed at giving more developers flexible, usage-based access to the platform.
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What X announced
The company’s Developers account said it is widening a closed beta for a new pay-per-use API model and is accepting applications from both new and power users. Selected participants will receive a $500 voucher to build with the X API. The announcement includes a public pricing table that breaks costs down by request type — reading posts, creating posts, DMs, trends, bookmarks — and a calculator to help developers estimate expenses.
How the plan differs and why X says it matters
Unlike X’s post-2023 tiered subscriptions, which charged flat monthly fees for bundles of requests, the pay-per-use model bills by action. X positions the change as a way to lower the barrier for smaller apps and to bring back developers who left after earlier price hikes. The new developer console and self-serve tools aim to make costs more transparent, though X has not said whether it will retire the older tiered plans.
Background and next steps for developers
The move follows major API overhauls in 2023 that moved many clients off free access and introduced expensive enterprise tiers. X rolled out top-up packs last year for apps that hit tier limits. With the beta expansion X is inviting more teams to test the usage model; the company has not published a full timetable for a general launch.
