As the year comes to a close, it’s time for companies to start adjusting their subscription prices. YouTube recently made the move, and now Elon Musk’s Platform X is jumping on the bandwagon.

X is increasing the cost of its Premium+ subscription by a whopping 37.5%, the steepest increase since Elon Musk took over the platform in 2022. For US users, the monthly price increases from $16 to $22, while the annual subscription increases from $168 to $229.

X defends its Premium+ price increase with three key points. Firstly, the subscription now offers a completely ad-free experience, allowing users to browse without interruptions.

Second, Premium+ subscribers gain access to additional perks including priority support from @Premium, a new radar tool for tracking keywords and trends, and increased limits on Grok AI models. Finally, X emphasizes that subscription fees help fund its Creator Program, which rewards users for producing engaging and high-quality content.

– X, December 2024

New Premium Plus subscribers will be charged the updated rates immediately, while existing subscribers will see the price increase take effect on January 20, 2025, or their first billing cycle after that date. The changes are not limited to the USA. In the EU, the monthly fee increases from €16 to €21, and in Canada the cost increases from $20 to $29. It’s completely free to use (at least for now). As subscription fees for Musk’s app continue to rise, I think there’s a good chance more users will try these alternatives.