Twitter has substantially increased the price of its top-tier user subscription, Premium Plus, in multiple regions to bolster creator payouts and provide an ad-free browsing experience. The price hike, which came into effect on December 21st, raises the monthly subscription cost in the US from $16 to $22, and the annual subscription from $168 to $229.

The pricing changes are not limited to the US, as many European countries, including France, Germany, and Spain, will also see their monthly prices increase from €16 to €21. Additionally, monthly subscribers in Canada, Australia, and the UK will see their prices rise to $26, $35, and £17, respectively. Existing users will be grandfathered into their current rates until January 20th, while new subscribers will be immediately affected by the price increase.

The significant price hike is the highest introduced since Elon Musk purchased the social media platform in 2022. Twitter has cited several reasons to justify the increase, including the fact that Premium Plus is now completely ad-free, which the company describes as a "significant enhancement" to the current user experience.

In October, Twitter made changes to its revenue-sharing program, which now rewards content quality and engagement rather than ad views alone. As a result, Premium Plus subscribers will receive priority user support, access to additional features like Twitter's Radar trend monitoring tool, and higher limits on the platform's Grok AI models. The increased revenue from the price hike will be used to support these features and provide better payouts to creators.

The move is seen as a strategic effort by Twitter to increase its revenue and provide a more premium experience to its users. By offering an ad-free browsing experience and better features, Twitter aims to attract more users to its Premium Plus tier and increase its revenue streams. The impact of this price hike on user adoption and retention remains to be seen, but it is clear that Twitter is committed to providing a better experience for its premium users.

As the social media landscape continues to evolve, Twitter's decision to increase its Premium Plus prices will be closely watched by industry observers. The success of this move will depend on Twitter's ability to provide a compelling value proposition to its users and justify the increased cost. Only time will tell if Twitter's bet on premium features and ad-free browsing will pay off.

For now, users in the affected regions will need to weigh the benefits of Twitter's Premium Plus tier against the increased cost. As the social media platform continues to navigate the changing landscape of online advertising and user experience, one thing is clear: Twitter is committed to providing a premium experience to its users, even if it means increasing prices.