Twitter’s recent API changes have caused turbulence for developers who rely on the company’s data. In January, the company effectively eliminated most third-party clients, quietly updating its terms to reflect the change. In February, it announced the end of free API access but faced backlash from users, leading to a delay in implementing the change and the promise of a new read-only version of the free tier for “testing” purposes. While the old version of the free API was completely discontinued in April, Twitter reinstated it for emergency services in May. The platform introduced the initial three tiers (free, basic, and enterprise) of the new API in March before adding the recently announced $5,000 Pro tier. However, as Twitter has already alienated many developers who previously relied on its platform, it remains to be seen how successful the company will be in attracting new customers, particularly smaller operations, to the expensive Pro plan.
