The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →X introduced the Basic and Premium+ subscription tiers on October 27, 2023, placing the existing Premium plan between them. Basic offered editing, longer posts and customization at a lower price; Premium+ targeted heavy users with stronger reply prioritization and fewer ads. The lineup has since changed: X’s current U.S. web pricing is $3 per month for Basic, $8 for Premium and $40 for Premium+, with Premium+ now costing substantially more than at launch.
What X announced on October 27, 2023
The announcement expanded X Premium from one main consumer subscription into three tiers. X presented Basic as a lower-cost way to obtain selected conveniences, while Premium+ was the high-end option for users who valued maximum visibility and a less interrupted feed. Free access to X was not discontinued.
Launch coverage from 9to5Mac reported these U.S. web prices:
| Tier | Launch monthly price | Launch annual price | Positioning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | $3 | Approximately $32 | Selected Premium conveniences |
| Premium | $8 | Not stated in the launch report | Existing middle tier with verification, reduced ads and creator benefits |
| Premium+ | $16 | $168 | Fewest ads and strongest reply boost |
Annual prices were cheaper than paying the monthly rate for twelve months. App prices could be higher, particularly on iOS, because of Apple’s commission.
#1 Best Overall
- Universal unlocked. Compatible with all major U.S. carriers, including Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile and other prepaid carriers.
- Super-bright, super-smooth 6.7" display. See your screen clearly even outdoors in sunlight, and enjoy seamless views with a fast-refreshing 120Hz display.*
- AI-powered camera system. Take stunning photos in any light with the 50MP camera**, look your best with a 32MP selfie cam*****, and capture extreme close-ups.
- Superfast 5G performance. Unleash your entertainment at 5G speed*** with the MediaTek Dimensity 6300 chipset and up to 12GB of RAM with RAM Boost****.
- Long-lasting battery + TurboPower charging. Power through day after day with a 5200mAh battery, then get hours of power in just minutes.****
Basic: the low-cost convenience tier
At launch, Basic was aimed at people who wanted practical posting and customization tools without paying for a checkmark or creator-program access.
Included at launch
- Edit posts after publishing
- Longer posts and longer video uploads
- Themes and custom app icons
- Bookmark folders
- Text formatting
- A small reply-prioritization boost
- Other account-customization features
Excluded at launch
- Blue verification checkmark
- Creator Revenue Sharing eligibility
- Creator Subscriptions
- X Pro access
- The strongest reply prioritization
- Reduced advertising
X’s current documentation still describes Basic as the essential-feature plan, including editing, longer posts and videos, reply prioritization, formatting, bookmark folders and custom icons. Feature availability can vary by location and platform.
Premium: the middle tier that remains important
Premium was not replaced by the new plans. It remains the general-purpose option for users who want more than editing tools but do not need Premium+’s broadest package.
Rank #2
- YOUR CONTENT, SUPER SMOOTH: The ultra-clear 6.7" FHD+ Super AMOLED display of Galaxy A17 5G helps bring your content to life, whether you're scrolling through recipes or video chatting with loved ones.¹
- LIVE FAST. CHARGE FASTER: Focus more on the moment and less on your battery percentage with Galaxy A17 5G. Super Fast Charging powers up your battery so you can get back to life sooner.²
- MEMORIES MADE PICTURE PERFECT: Capture every angle in stunning clarity, from wide family photos to close-ups of friends, with the triple-lens camera on Galaxy A17 5G.
- NEED MORE STORAGE? WE HAVE YOU COVERED: With an improved 2TB of expandable storage, Galaxy A17 5G makes it easy to keep cherished photos, videos and important files readily accessible whenever you need them.³
- BUILT TO LAST: With an improved IP54 rating, Galaxy A17 5G is even more durable than before.⁴ It’s built to resist splashes and dust and comes with a stronger yet slimmer Gorilla Glass Victus front and Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer back.
- A blue checkmark after X’s eligibility review
- Reduced ads in selected timelines
- Eligibility to apply for Creator Revenue Sharing and Creator Subscriptions, subject to separate requirements
- ID verification, Media Studio and higher Grok usage limits under current documentation
- The Basic feature set, including longer posts and videos
Payment alone does not guarantee a checkmark, monetization approval, income or audience growth.
Premium+: what changed from launch
At launch, Premium+ included the Premium feature set, the largest reply boost and no ads in the For You and Following feeds. That wording did not promise that every surface of X would be free of advertising.
X later expanded the positioning. Its current help documentation lists higher Grok limits, the largest reply prioritization, Radar Search, Articles and X Pro, along with an experience that is ad-free across most areas. Occasional sponsored content may still appear.
The price also changed materially. X’s price-update notice says the Premium+ adjustment took effect February 18, 2025, citing expanded Grok access, a completely ad-free experience and support for its creator-revenue program.
Rank #3
- Charger NOT Included, 6.7" Super AMOLED FHD+, 90Hz Refresh Rate, 385 ppi, 800 nits (HBM), 1080x2340px, 5000mAh Battery
- 128GB, 4GB RAM, microSDXC, Exynos 1330 (5nm), Octa-Core, Mali-G68 MP2 or Mali-G57 MC2 GPU
- Rear Camera: 50MP, f/1.8 (wide) + 5MP, f/2.2 (ultrawide) + 2MP, f/2.4 (macro), LED flash, panorama, HDR; Front Camera: 13MP, f/2.0, Android 14, up to 6 major Android upgrades, One UI 6.1
- 3G: HSDPA 850/900/1700(AWS)/1900/2100; 4G LTE: 1/2/3/4/5/7/12/13/14/20/25/26/28/29/30/38/39/40/41/48/66/71, 5G: 2/5/25/41/66/71/77/78 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - Nano-SIM + eSIM
- US Model – Global Connectivity – Compatible with Most GSM Carriers like T-Mobile, AT&T, MetroPCS, etc. Will Also work with CDMA Carriers Such as Verizon, Straight Talk.
| Tier | Current U.S. web price | Current annual price |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | $3 per month | $32 per year |
| Premium | $8 per month | $84 per year |
| Premium+ | $40 per month | $395 per year |
These are the official U.S. web prices listed by X as of August 16, 2026. Country, taxes, platform and payment method can change the amount.
Launch-era feature comparison
| Feature | Basic | Premium | Premium+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edit posts | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Longer posts and videos | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Blue checkmark | No | Yes, after eligibility review | Yes, after eligibility review |
| Reply prioritization | Small boost | Larger boost | Largest boost |
| Creator monetization applications | No | Subject to requirements | Subject to requirements |
| Reduced advertising | No | Selected timelines | For You and Following feeds at launch |
| X Pro | No at launch | Not included in the initial comparison | Current documentation lists it as Premium+ only |
The X Pro allocation in the final row reflects the difference between launch reporting and current documentation; X has changed feature assignments over time.
What each tier is best for
Choose Basic for posting convenience
Basic is the sensible fit if your priorities are correcting posts, writing longer updates, uploading longer videos, organizing bookmarks or changing the app’s appearance. It is the lowest-cost paid option and does not include a checkmark or ad reduction.
Rank #4
- YOUR CONTENT, SUPER SMOOTH: The ultra-clear 6.7" FHD+ Super AMOLED display of Galaxy A17 5G helps bring your content to life, whether you're scrolling through recipes or video chatting with loved ones.¹
- LIVE FAST. CHARGE FASTER: Focus more on the moment and less on your battery percentage with Galaxy A17 5G. Super Fast Charging powers up your battery so you can get back to life sooner.²
- MEMORIES MADE PICTURE PERFECT: Capture every angle in stunning clarity, from wide family photos to close-ups of friends, with the triple-lens camera on Galaxy A17 5G.
- NEED MORE STORAGE? WE HAVE YOU COVERED: With an improved 2TB of expandable storage, Galaxy A17 5G makes it easy to keep cherished photos, videos and important files readily accessible whenever you need them.³
- BUILT TO LAST: With an improved IP54 rating, Galaxy A17 5G is even more durable than before.⁴ It’s built to resist splashes and dust and comes with a stronger yet slimmer Gorilla Glass Victus front and Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer back.
Choose Premium for creator and visibility tools
Premium is the broadest value proposition for frequent posters who want checkmark eligibility, selected-timeline ad reduction, Media Studio, higher Grok limits or the ability to apply for creator programs. Those programs retain their own eligibility gates.
Choose Premium+ only for intensive use
Premium+ is most defensible as a professional or heavy-use expense. Its strongest reasons are ad reduction across most of X, the largest reply-prioritization boost, higher Grok limits, Radar Search, Articles and X Pro. The current $40 monthly price is difficult to justify for someone who rarely posts or visits the service.
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- A reply boost is a ranking preference, not a guaranteed number of impressions, followers or dollars.
- Basic does not reduce ads.
- Premium’s ad reduction applies to selected timelines rather than every promoted surface.
- Premium+ is described as ad-free across most areas, but sponsored content can still appear.
- Premium and Premium+ checkmarks require review and eligibility.
- Creator Revenue Sharing and Creator Subscriptions are not automatic benefits of payment.
- X can change prices, limits, features and eligibility rules.
- Longer posts can reach 25,000 characters under current documentation. Longer video uploads can reach about three hours and 8 GB at 1080p on supported web and iOS services, subject to X’s restrictions.
Where and how to subscribe
At launch, the tiers first appeared on the X website, with mobile availability rolling out separately. X now says users can subscribe from the side navigation on the web or from the profile menu and Premium section in the iOS and Android apps. Compare the final purchase screen because currency conversion, taxes and platform fees vary.
Best Value
- Carrier: This phone is locked to Tracfone, which means this device can only be used on the Tracfone wireless network. Tracfone plan required, activating is easy, just 3 steps.
- DISPLAY: Immersive viewing on a 6.7-inch super-bright 120Hz display with powerful stereo speakers and Bass Boost for cinematic entertainment.
- CAMERA SYSTEM: Advanced 50MP Quad Pixel camera captures sharp, detailed photos and videos in any lighting condition
- PERFORMANCE: Lightning-fast 5G connectivity paired with a powerful processor and RAM Boost for smooth multitasking.
- BATTERY LIFE: Long-lasting 5000mAh battery with TurboPower charging technology delivers hours of power in minutes.
Current instructions for managing a subscription are documented at X’s Premium help page. X supports switching tiers on iOS and the web. An iOS upgrade may produce a partial prorated refund for the remaining period; a downgrade generally takes effect at the end of the billing cycle. Cancellation normally ends features when the paid period closes rather than creating an automatic refund.
Why the tier expansion mattered
The structure separated convenience features from creator and visibility benefits. It gave casual posters a cheaper entry point, kept Premium as the general creator package and reserved maximum ad reduction and ranking priority for Premium+. X described the expansion as part of its effort to develop subscription revenue alongside advertising, but the launch materials do not establish whether that strategy succeeded financially.
Consumer subscriptions are separate from Premium Organizations, which serves businesses, nonprofits, governments and other organizations.
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Basic is primarily a convenience subscription. Premium is the balanced choice for creators and frequent posters who want eligibility-based verification and professional tools. Premium+ is a specialist purchase: its current price makes sense mainly for heavy users who value broad ad reduction, the strongest reply prioritization and its additional research, publishing and X Pro features.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
