When Will Twitter Blue Be Available in the U.S.?
A new paid version of Twitter is up and at 'em. When will Americans have access to Twitter Blue? What does the new version offer?
Jun. 4 2021, Published 11:39 a.m. ET
On June 3, Twitter announced a brand-new subscription service that will change the face of the platform forever. It's called Twitter Blue, and it holds an air of exclusivity. After all, Americans haven't gained access to the upgrade yet.
What is Twitter Blue and when will it be available to U.S. users? Here's everything we know right now.
What is Twitter Blue?
Twitter Blue is a new paid plan from the eponymous social media platform that uses a subscription model. The program, which is available in Australia and Canada, includes certain features. The most notable of these perks are:
- A 30-second grace period that allows you to undo or edit your tweets before they are live
The option to create bookmark folders for more organized saved content
You get sent to the top of the customer support pile when you run into issues
Access Reader Mode to read through conversations and threads easier
Customize your Twitter app color scheme
People have been practically begging Twitter for an edit feature for years. The company isn'tt exactly giving it all away here, but it's a step forward.
Twitter Blue's fee structure looks straightforward.
At about $3 per month ($3.49 CAD or $4.49 AUD), Twitter Blue maintains a simple fee structure. For creators who profit off of Twitter engagement in some way or another, that might be enough to lure them in.
Users who are looking for something more special might be relieved to know that Twitter plans to add features for subscribers over time. The platform used feedback within the Twitter community itself to develop Twitter Blue's initial features, so the company will likely do the same moving forward.
In the future, Twitter Blue users might have access to stories (what Twitter refers to as "fleets") as well as Spaces (which is akin to Clubhouse). This new monetization tool definitely has some growing up to do.
Other sites using subscription services
Creator communities like Patreon are rooted in the subscription-based model. Snapchat also has options for subscriptions, but it's different from Twitter. On Snapchat, you can subscribe to stories from specific users or subscribe to content creators themselves.
Time will tell if Twitter's attempt to catch up with competitors will appease shareholders and boost the bottom line.
Americans wonder when Twitter Blue will head their way
Since Twitter Blue is currently only available to Australian and Canadian users, Americans want to know when they'll get access. While Twitter hasn't made an announcement about when U.S. users can expect Twitter Blue, it might want to work out some kinks and adjust features before launching Twitter Blue in the U.S. The U.S. has the most Twitter users out of any country, trailed by Japan and India.
How Twitter stock is responding following the subscription service announcement
Following the announcement for Twitter Blue, shares for Twitter Inc. (NYSE:TWTR) stock are up 3.14 percent as of mid-day on June 4. This brings the YTD returns to 7.8 percent, with the past 12 months raking in nearly 74.5 percent.
