What Is Twitter Blue? How It Became X Premium and What the Checkmark Means Now
Twitter Blue is now X Premium. A short history of the subscription, the tiers that include the blue checkmark, and what that checkmark does and does not mean today.
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What is Twitter Blue? It was Twitter’s paid subscription, and it no longer exists under that name. After Twitter rebranded as X, Twitter Blue became X Premium, which is now sold in tiers. The blue checkmark comes with the Premium and Premium+ tiers after X reviews the account, and it signals a Premium subscription rather than confirmed identity. This guide explains how Twitter Blue turned into X Premium, what the tiers mean and whether you need one to be verified.
Twitter Blue vs X Premium: a short history
Twitter Blue, the original version
Twitter launched Twitter Blue in 2021 as an optional subscription for heavy users. It added conveniences such as Bookmark Folders, Undo Tweet, a reader mode and custom app icons, and later the ability to edit a tweet. It had nothing to do with verification. At that time, the blue checkmark was free and given to accounts Twitter judged to be active, notable and authentic.
The checkmark becomes part of the subscription
In late 2022, after the company changed ownership, Twitter relaunched Blue with the blue checkmark included for paying subscribers. Impersonation followed quickly, as paid accounts posed as brands and public figures, and the launch was paused. When it returned, subscribed accounts had to pass a review before the checkmark appeared.
The following spring, Twitter began removing legacy checkmarks from accounts verified under the old program unless they subscribed. From then on, for individuals, the blue checkmark meant a Premium subscription.
The rename to X Premium
When Twitter rebranded as X, Twitter Blue was renamed X Premium. X later split it into tiers, so people who wanted some subscriber features could pay less without getting the checkmark.
X Premium tiers today
X sells three individual tiers. The names have been stable, but the features and prices change, so check X’s Premium page in the app or on the web before you subscribe.
| Tier | Blue checkmark | In broad terms |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | No | The entry tier, with a smaller set of subscriber features, such as editing posts |
| Premium | Yes, after review | The main tier, with the checkmark and most subscriber features |
| Premium+ | Yes, after review | Everything in Premium, with the most features and the fewest ads |
The comparison that matters for most people is the checkmark: if you want it, Basic is not enough.
X has also tied its creator monetization programs, such as creator subscriptions and payouts, to a Premium subscription plus eligibility thresholds that it changes from time to time. If earning on X is your goal, read X’s current creator terms before you choose a tier.
What the checkmark means now
According to X’s help page on verified accounts, the blue checkmark means an account has an active X Premium subscription and meets X’s eligibility requirements. X states that it does not mean the account has been ID verified.
What the checkmark does today:
- Shows the account pays for Premium or Premium+ and passed X’s review.
- Comes bundled with the other features of that tier.
What it does not do:
- Prove who is behind the account.
- Guarantee reach, followers or replies.
- Stop impersonators on its own, since anyone can subscribe.
There are also two other colors. A gold checkmark with a square avatar marks businesses and nonprofits on X’s organization subscription, and a grey checkmark marks governments and multilateral organizations. Neither comes from Premium.
Do you need X Premium to get verified?
If by “verified” you mean the blue checkmark on a personal account, yes. There is no free application anymore, and press coverage or fame alone does not qualify you. X has at times given complimentary Premium to accounts with a large following among other subscribers, but that is still a Premium subscription, granted at X’s discretion, not a way to apply. X lists requirements that include an active subscription, a display name and profile photo, recent activity, a confirmed phone number and no recent profile changes or signs of deception.
If you post for a company, the gold checkmark from X’s organization subscription is the one that signals an official business account.
Should you pay for it?
It is more likely to be worth it if X is a main channel for you, you post there most days and the features of your tier are ones you will use. If X is one of several networks you post to now and then, the subscription may be harder to justify. Either way, decide on what the tier does for your work, not on the checkmark’s old meaning.
Prove your accounts are yours, with or without a checkmark
Because the blue checkmark no longer confirms identity, give people another way to check which accounts are really yours:
- Use the same handle and profile photo on every network.
- Link your official accounts from your website.
- Keep one page that lists every official account, and put it in every bio.
A Linkme page does that last job at one address you control: your X profile, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and anything else you run, plus the things you sell or promote. Creators and athletes use it as a home base for every channel, as the creators and athletes page shows, and the Pages & QR tools add a QR code that opens the same page.
If you post to X alongside other networks, Post to All sends one post to X, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, YouTube, Threads and LinkedIn at once or on a schedule, and checks each caption against the network’s limit as you type, including 280 characters on X.
Frequently asked questions
Is Twitter Blue the same as X Premium?
Yes. Twitter Blue was renamed X Premium after Twitter rebranded as X. X Premium has since been split into tiers, and the blue checkmark comes with Premium and Premium+.
Does Twitter Blue still exist?
Not by that name. Anyone still referring to Twitter Blue means X Premium. Old Twitter Blue subscriptions continued as X Premium.
Can you still get verified on Twitter for free?
Not by applying. The free, notability-based verification program ended, and the blue checkmark now requires an active Premium or Premium+ subscription and X’s review. Organizations can get a gold checkmark through X’s paid organization subscription.
Does the blue checkmark mean an account is real?
No. X says the blue checkmark means an active Premium subscription that meets its eligibility requirements, not ID verification. To check an account, look at its history, its linked website and the official accounts listed on the person’s or brand’s own page.
