Twitter’s recent decision to shut off its free API access has resulted in widespread app and website breakdowns, leaving many developers scrambling to find solutions. The move was initially announced in early February, but Twitter later delayed the cutoff without providing a revised timeline. However, after unveiling its new paid API tiers last week, the company seems to have started cutting off access for developers relying on its free developer tools.
Over the past few days, numerous app makers and services have reported that the Twitter API is no longer functioning. Although the shutoff appears to have started on Tuesday morning, many developers are still trying to understand the situation, as Twitter has not communicated with most of them about the changes.
The termination of Twitter’s free API comes after the company abruptly banned third-party Twitter clients as part of a larger overhaul of its developer strategy. However, third-party clients were just a small portion of the developers, researchers, bot makers, and others who depended on Twitter’s APIs.
Twitter, once a public square for ideas, is shutting off its API and closing its gates to other platforms, including Flipboard. Your Twitter feeds on Flipboard will be broken. You can look for replacement topic feeds by using search on Flipboard. 1/2
— Flipboard Support (@FlipboardCS) April 4, 2023
For instance, apps and websites that utilized Twitter’s API for content sharing are now experiencing functionality breakdowns. WordPress reported on Tuesday that it was unable to access the API, rendering its websites incapable of automatically sharing posts to Twitter (though the issue has since been resolved). Similarly, Echobox, a service that enables publishers to share content on Twitter, stated on Wednesday that it was also disconnected from the Twitter API “without warning.” The company found a workaround, but has not received any communication from Twitter. News reading app Flipboard, which recently shifted its focus to Mastodon, warned that the feature allowing users to view Twitter feeds on Flipboard would soon be disabled.
Numerous developers of Twitter bots are also affected. The developer of “Cheap Bots Done Quick,” a platform that allows users to create bots for Twitter, reported receiving a notice that they were cut off from the API. While Twitter has claimed that its new “basic” tier is meant to provide a pathway for bots to continue operating, many developers have expressed concerns about the monthly limit of 1,500 tweets being too restrictive.
In addition, newsletter platform Substack has encountered issues with embedded tweets, though it is unclear if this is related to the API shutdown or Substack’s recent announcement of a potential Twitter competitor. (Embeds appear to be functioning normally on other websites.)
Compounding these issues is the fact that Twitter has communicated very little with its developers about these changes or their implications. Most of the employees who worked in developer relations were laid off during the company’s mass layoffs, and the company’s developer forums are filled with posts from confused developers seeking answers. Furthermore, Twitter no longer has a communications team, and its press email auto-responds with a poop emoji.
I am sad to announce that as of today, Social Bearing is no longer operational as our access to Twitter's free API has been revoked
The new free and basic API plans are far too limiting, and at ~$40k/month, the enterprise tier is far too expensive to keep running pic.twitter.com/wpGTTC8Lkp
— Social Bearing (@socialbearing) April 4, 2023
As highlighted by Mashable, the API shutoff has even affected developers who are willing to pay for Twitter’s API access, despite the pricing for higher-level enterprise tiers still being unclear. Some developers have expressed frustration with the lack of response from Twitter’s enterprise sales team and the sudden cutoff of their API access.
It remains uncertain how many developers will be able to continue using Twitter’s API in some form. The free and $100/month “basic” tier offer limited capabilities compared to the previously available free access. Moreover, while Twitter has not revealed the exact cost of the “enterprise” level, there are speculations that it could be prohibitively expensive, with rumors suggesting a monthly cost of $40,000 or more.
As a result, some developers are not waiting to find out the pricing details and are already exploring alternative options. For instance, the developer of Social Bearing, an analytics service used by researchers, stated that there was no way the service could continue to operate and wished the remaining developers at Twitter the best of luck. The situation continues to evolve, and many developers are closely monitoring Twitter’s next steps