Twitter has unveiled its new Twitter API Pro, allowing developers to fetch up to 1 million tweets per month and post 300,000 tweets per month, as well as access the coveted Twitter archive. This pricing tier was announced earlier this year at the urging of Twitter owner Elon Musk. The company initially made headlines when it discontinued access to the free API tier, but later offered content provider bots free access to 1,500 tweets per month.
The Pro API tier lies between the basic level, priced at $100 per month, and the enterprise level, which costs $42,000 per month. It is designed to meet the specific needs of startups that are about to grow. However, the $60,000 per year price tag may be too expensive for startups with a tight budget.
While the Pro tier limit may be sufficient for certain bot-driven services, developers may find it difficult to access sustainable funding to sustain their offerings over the long term. Twitter has yet to provide a viable solution for researchers and academics seeking access to the platform, though the company has expressed its intention to explore alternative avenues to support these communities.
At a recent event, Elon Musk stated that Twitter is entering a “comeback arc” after a series of cost-cutting measures. The company recently named Linda Yaccarino as CEO, who was previously connected to NBCUniversal, and will now run Twitter and its ambitious “everything app X.” With its entry into Twitter API Pro, Twitter aims to respond to the needs of startups, while also addressing concerns about accessibility and financial viability for developers and researchers.
