Twitter replaces its free API with a 'paid basic tier'

Photo: Jorge Urosa

If you've loved Twitter accounts that made fun tools and useful bots, those may have to charge you, or they'll go away forever. Twitter is getting rid of its free access to the Twitter API starting February 9 to try and make more money. In its place, Twitter will provide a "paid basic tier," which we don't have information on yet. The Twitter API (Application Programming Interface) allows third parties to retrieve and analyze public Twitter data to create programmable bots and separate apps that connect to the platform. 

Twitter provides limited free access but also offers premium, scalable tiers for developers who need additional enterprise features and lifted restrictions on accessing endpoints. This move follows the company's last decision to ban third-party clients, which forced Twitter apps like Twitterrifc and Tweetbot to abandon the platform. 

If you're thinking of another area this move will restrict, The Verge pointed out that students and scientists who use the platform to study online behaviour won't be able to gather information for research papers. I guess unless they pay for it.

Twitter CEO Elon Musk claimed the free API was "being abused badly" by "bot scammers" and "opinion manipulators." So, he believes charging "just ~$100/month for API access with ID verification will clean things up greatly." We'll definitely have to see if that works out.