Twitter has made it very clear that it is no longer keen on providing free-of-cost API access to its app developers. We’ve seen the announcement come through a while back and that really served as a major disappointing ordeal for its third-party app ecosystem.
Developers felt the time had come to punish Twitter by deactivating fun bots produced in their free time. But then we saw the platform roll out greater pricing plans for the API tiers in the previous week as developers threatened to close down apps intended for Twitter.
Clearly, it was a distressing situation and so many developers created services worth hundreds of thousands of dollars each month. This came as Twitter mentioned how its latest API subscription tiers on the app would price those out.
Today, we’re seeing Elon Musk issue directives for the removal of the API access to some of the app’s biggest developers, not to mention those willing to pay the huge new fee outlined at the start of this month- $42,000.
During the early hours of Tuesday morning, a few tech founders and platforms revealed how their apps got suspended from getting access to Twitter’s API. The firm mentioned in the past that it would deprecate all the access available currently to older Twitter APIs in the next month. But the move to suspend such API access has taken a lot of people by surprise.
And as expected, the most surprised are those willing to pay thousands every month.
Moreover, other reports spoke about how the popular microblogging site is not even generating responses to applications sent out by the developers that were cut off as this move breaks the app as a whole.
Some started to tag the company’s management for failing to explain removing their access and now, they’re acting completely dumb and still regarding the situation. Despite the one-month notice and application time outlined by Twitter, many enraged developers feel this behavior is just not okay for several reasons.
Both Publer and Tweet Hunter claim to have applied to the API plan by the Enterprise after it announced this news but like the rest, they are yet to be given any form of a response since then.
It’s so crucial to understanding what such apps end up doing. They don’t replicate the platform but what they end up doing is helping with the entire content creation process to encourage greater users to get active on the app.
But by damaging the whole third-party app ecosystem, Twitter may be shooting its chances of success with this behavior.
Meanwhile, there is still some hope being generated by these leading app developers that tech billionaire Elon Musk just might cave in and hear their desperate pleas before rolling out cost-effective API plans.
This would be in stark contrast to the current $42k up for grabs at this moment in time with Enterprise tiers in place. And in case that does not happen, well, the future for third-party apps on this platform is not bright.
On the other hand Twitter's own web platform seems be be broken from the past few days, as new users can't sign up on the platform, plus old users, who have not sign up in a while can't login on the platform, while logged in users can't add an existing to account to manage multiple brand profiles from a same account. In all of these cases Twitter is redirecting users to this web page, https://twitter.com/i/flow/login. We reached out Twitter for a comment on this issue and got a poomoji in response.
Read next: Twitter And Elon Musk Mocked For Finding It Hard To Remove Users’ Legacy Blue Checkmarks
Developers felt the time had come to punish Twitter by deactivating fun bots produced in their free time. But then we saw the platform roll out greater pricing plans for the API tiers in the previous week as developers threatened to close down apps intended for Twitter.
Clearly, it was a distressing situation and so many developers created services worth hundreds of thousands of dollars each month. This came as Twitter mentioned how its latest API subscription tiers on the app would price those out.
Tweet Hunter has been banned from Twitter.
— Tibo (@tibo_maker) April 4, 2023
5,426 Twitter power users are affected.
No warning, no email, nada.
We have no idea why.
From the very beginning, we have worked with the Twitter team to make sure Tweet Hunter is compliant with all Twitter rules.
To comply, we…
Today, we’re seeing Elon Musk issue directives for the removal of the API access to some of the app’s biggest developers, not to mention those willing to pay the huge new fee outlined at the start of this month- $42,000.
During the early hours of Tuesday morning, a few tech founders and platforms revealed how their apps got suspended from getting access to Twitter’s API. The firm mentioned in the past that it would deprecate all the access available currently to older Twitter APIs in the next month. But the move to suspend such API access has taken a lot of people by surprise.
Followerwonk is currently down. It appears Twitter has suspended our application. A banner on the developer portal page indicates an email was sent with details. We have received no such email.
— Followerwonk (@followerwonk) March 30, 2023
We have opened a support ticket with Twitter and await a response.
And as expected, the most surprised are those willing to pay thousands every month.
Moreover, other reports spoke about how the popular microblogging site is not even generating responses to applications sent out by the developers that were cut off as this move breaks the app as a whole.
Some started to tag the company’s management for failing to explain removing their access and now, they’re acting completely dumb and still regarding the situation. Despite the one-month notice and application time outlined by Twitter, many enraged developers feel this behavior is just not okay for several reasons.
@TwitterDev is this the new developer ecosystem that you're excited about?
— Ervin Kalemi (@ErvinKalemi) April 4, 2023
- You basically ask developers to apply for Enterprise tier (rumors: $42K/month)
- Despite the 30 days notice and the Enterprise application wait time, you force us to switch today@elonmusk #TwitterAPI pic.twitter.com/NhXlQ5oFtL
Both Publer and Tweet Hunter claim to have applied to the API plan by the Enterprise after it announced this news but like the rest, they are yet to be given any form of a response since then.
It’s so crucial to understanding what such apps end up doing. They don’t replicate the platform but what they end up doing is helping with the entire content creation process to encourage greater users to get active on the app.
But by damaging the whole third-party app ecosystem, Twitter may be shooting its chances of success with this behavior.
Meanwhile, there is still some hope being generated by these leading app developers that tech billionaire Elon Musk just might cave in and hear their desperate pleas before rolling out cost-effective API plans.
This would be in stark contrast to the current $42k up for grabs at this moment in time with Enterprise tiers in place. And in case that does not happen, well, the future for third-party apps on this platform is not bright.
On the other hand Twitter's own web platform seems be be broken from the past few days, as new users can't sign up on the platform, plus old users, who have not sign up in a while can't login on the platform, while logged in users can't add an existing to account to manage multiple brand profiles from a same account. In all of these cases Twitter is redirecting users to this web page, https://twitter.com/i/flow/login. We reached out Twitter for a comment on this issue and got a poomoji in response.
Read next: Twitter And Elon Musk Mocked For Finding It Hard To Remove Users’ Legacy Blue Checkmarks
