X
Breaking news and hot takes often land here first—if you chase the moment, you probably already have it open. The global social platform formerly known as Twitter, for posts, chats, and live spaces, with Grok built in; free at the core, Premium for extras.
Site Info
- Official domain
- x.com
- Operator
- X Corp.
- Launch date
- July 2006
- Pricing
- Partially free
- Languages
- English, Simplified Chinese, and 32 more
- Last updated
- August 28, 2026
Site Introduction
A global real-time information feed, formerly Twitter, renamed X in 2023, now operated by X Corp.
Browse trending topics, read posts from major influencers, follow live event commentary — short posts + algorithmic recommendations make scrolling fast, and the built-in Grok AI assistant can search the web, draft posts, and generate images/videos (advanced features require payment).
Core Features
1. Posting and interaction
Post text, images, and videos, with a full set of reply, repost, like, and bookmark functions. Premium users can post longer posts (up to about 25,000 characters), upload longer videos, and edit published content (free users have a shorter edit window or none at all).
2. Feed and topic discovery
Two main feeds: For You (recommended) and Following. Premium users can also use Custom Timelines, where Grok semantically tags posts and lets you pin up to 10 topic feeds (tech, sports, crypto, etc. among 75+ topics).
3. Grok AI and creation tools
Grok is an AI assistant made by xAI, embedded in X: it can search the web and X content in real time, provide AI conversation, and generate images/videos. Premium / Premium+ users have higher Grok quotas; some features like Ask Grok and Custom Timelines require a subscription.
4. Creators and commerce
Premium tiers can enable creator subscriptions, earn ad revenue sharing, and use Media Studio and analytics. X Ads serves advertisers, and in 2026 Grok-assisted ad recommendations are still being tested.
Pricing Model
Basic use: free. Register an account to post, follow, and browse — no payment required.
Paid subscription: X Premium, in three tiers (US reference prices):
| Tier | Monthly (Web) | Annual (Web) |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | $3/month | $32/year |
| Premium | $8/month | $84/year |
| Premium+ | $40/month | $395/year |
Differences among tiers roughly include: blue check verification, edit window length, long post/long video limits, ad frequency, Grok quota, reply ranking boost, and creator monetization eligibility. Premium+ has the fewest ads and the highest Grok access.
There is also Verified Organizations for businesses, priced much higher than individual tiers (monthly starting around $1,000).
Pricing may change; refer to the website: https://x.com/ (sidebar "Premium" or X Premium help page)
Comparison with Similar Platforms
Unique advantages
- Real-time capability remains top-tier — major news, sports events, and political/economic developments often appear on X faster than traditional media.
- Deep Grok integration — not just an add-on chat box; Custom Timelines, content classification, and ad assistance are all driven by Grok.
- Mature creator ecosystem — monetization paths like subscriptions, ad revenue sharing, and long-form Articles are relatively complete for individual bloggers.
Practical highlights
- Custom Timelines use AI semantic understanding to categorize by topic, without relying on hashtag stuffing; Premium users can more precisely browse niche content.
- Subscribing to Premium on the web is cheaper than in-app purchase, and annual billing saves about another 12%.
Objective limitations
- Free user experience is tightening — reading limits and some features are capped, and ads are more frequent than for Premium.
- Frequent interface and rule changes — Communities is being phased out, and some longtime users need to readapt to the new feed structure.
- Access instability in some regions — experience varies greatly depending on network environment.
Similar tool comparison
| Comparison item | X (x.com) | Threads | Bluesky |
|---|---|---|---|
| Positioning | Global real-time short posts + AI social | Meta's lightweight visual social | Decentralized microblogging |
| Free? | Basic features free | Free | Free |
| AI capability | Deep Grok integration | Meta AI assistance | Weaker, more native experience |
| Content tone | News, tech, politics/economy, crypto active | Lifestyle, entertainment, Instagram users | Tech circles, early Twitter refugees |
| Algorithm feed | For You strong push, Premium customizable topic feeds | Recommendations + Following dual-track | Optional algorithm or chronological |
| Monetization tools | Subscriptions, ad revenue sharing, Ads platform | Few | Basically none |
| Main weakness | Many ads, rules keep changing | Less topic depth than X | Small user base, features still growing |
FAQ
Q1: What is the relationship between X and Twitter?
The same product. In 2023 the brand changed from Twitter to X, the domain switched from twitter.com to x.com, and old accounts and data were retained. Usage is basically the same.
Q2: Can I use it without paying?
Yes. After registering, posting, following, and browsing For You are all free. But there are more ads, and some features (long post edit window, full Grok functionality, Custom Timelines) require Premium.
Q3: Which X Premium tier is worth buying?
Occasional posting: Free or Basic ($3/month) is enough. Want blue check, creator monetization, and a noticeable reply boost: Premium ($8/month) is the mainstream choice. Heavy Grok user, want almost no ads and maximum exposure: Premium+ ($40/month).
Q4: Why is it more expensive to buy in the app than on the web?
Apple / Google take a cut, so iOS and Android in-app prices are usually higher than x.com web subscription. If you want to save money, buy in a browser.
Q5: Does Grok require a separate payment?
X includes basic Grok, and Premium and above have higher quotas. For full Grok 4.x, video generation, and Agent capabilities, you may also need xAI's SuperGrok subscription, which is a separate billing system from X Premium.
Q6: What are Custom Timelines?
A Premium feature: Grok reads the content of each post and automatically categorizes it into 75+ topics (AI, F1, crypto, etc.), and you can pin up to 10 topic tabs on your homepage. It is not hashtag search; it is AI semantic classification.
Q7: How can a new user get started most quickly?
Follow a few accounts you read often, and For You will become more accurate over time. If you want to follow a vertical field (like AI conversation or open-source large models), Premium users can directly pin the corresponding Custom Timeline, which is more efficient than searching blindly.
