X is testing a feature that lets creators lock the final posts in a thread behind a paywall. It’s called Threads+, and it’s exactly what it sounds like: write a thread, hook readers with the first few posts, then charge them to see the rest. The feature is currently available to select Premium+ subscribers who are part of X’s creator monetization program.
The mechanic is simple. A creator publishes a thread as usual, but at a certain point, the remaining posts become visible only to paying subscribers. Non-paying users see a prompt to subscribe. It’s the classic freemium content model — give away the appetizer, charge for the main course — now applied to the tweet thread format that helped define the platform in the first place.
Engadget reported on the feature’s rollout, noting that it appears designed to give creators another revenue stream directly on X. The timing isn’t accidental. X has been aggressively pushing its subscription and creator payment infrastructure over the past year, trying to convince high-value posters that they can actually make money on the platform rather than just building audiences to monetize elsewhere.
But here’s the tension. X’s user base has historically resisted paywalled content on the platform. Twitter was built on openness — the viral spread of ideas, screenshots, quote tweets, the whole information-wants-to-be-free ethos. Locking threads behind a paywall runs directly counter to that culture. And it raises an obvious question: will anyone actually pay?
The feature does have some logic to it. Long-form threads have become a genuine content format on X, with some creators producing detailed analyses, tutorials, and investigative breakdowns that rival blog posts in depth. Newsletters on Substack and similar platforms already charge for this kind of content. So there’s precedent for the model, even if the execution on X feels awkward.
Creators who’ve built large followings through threads — finance analysts, tech commentators, political writers — are the obvious target demographic. For them, Threads+ could function as a lightweight alternative to running a paid newsletter. No separate platform, no email list management, no migration of audience. Just post where you already post, and flip a switch to monetize.
That’s the pitch, anyway.
The reality is messier. X’s ad revenue sharing program, which pays creators based on engagement from verified users, has already drawn criticism for inconsistent payouts and opaque metrics. Adding another monetization layer doesn’t automatically fix the trust problem. Creators need to believe the platform will stick around, that the rules won’t change overnight, and that the payment infrastructure actually works. Elon Musk’s track record of abrupt policy changes doesn’t help here.
There’s also the competition angle. Meta’s Threads app — yes, the naming collision is confusing — continues to grow as an X alternative. Instagram’s subscription features already let creators charge followers for exclusive content. YouTube has memberships. Patreon exists. The market for creator monetization tools is crowded, and X is late to most of it.
Still, the thread format is something X genuinely owns. Nobody does threads the way X does. That’s not nothing. If the platform can make paywalled threads feel natural rather than annoying, there’s a real opportunity. A big if.
One practical concern: discoverability. Paywalled content doesn’t get shared the same way free content does. Screenshots will circulate, sure. But the viral mechanics that make X powerful depend on open access. Every paywall is a friction point, and friction kills virality. Creators will have to weigh the direct revenue from subscriptions against the indirect value of reach and influence that comes from keeping things open.
The feature is still in its early stages, and X hasn’t published detailed documentation on how revenue splits will work for Threads+ specifically. The company’s broader creator program takes a cut of subscription revenue, so expect something similar here. Details matter, and they’re thin on the ground right now.
For industry professionals watching X’s evolution, this is another data point in a clear pattern. The platform is trying to become a creator economy hub — part social network, part publishing platform, part payment processor. Whether that ambition matches the execution remains an open question. The tools keep shipping. The trust keeps lagging behind.
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