Elon Musk’s X has rolled out a new pay-per-use self-service model for third-party developers, replacing the previous flat-fee subscription option. However, it seems to come at a higher cost compared to the former model. On Monday, X’s Developers account announced the beta launch of this pay-per-use API system.

“We are broadening a closed beta to both new and experienced users who aim to create outstanding apps on X,” states the series of posts from @XDevelopers. “Our primary focus is to empower builders by making our developer platform accessible.”

Since Elon Musk’s acquisition of X, the platform once known as Twitter has seen a decline in its third-party app ecosystem. Twitter was recognized for its strong third-party ecosystem, but Musk’s choice to transform the platform’s free API into a compulsory subscription service led to the dismantling of that ecosystem.

X later launched lower-priced tiers at $200 and $5,000 per month, yet several third-party app developers deemed these prices inadequate for applications with an expanding user base.

The new pay-per-use model intends to lure developers back, but it appears to be pricier. Previously, at the Basic API level, a third-party app could read 15,000 posts and publish 50,000 posts monthly for $200. With the pay-per-use model, reading a single post costs $0.005 and publishing one costs $0.01, resulting in the same usage now costing $575 per month.

X API users on the Pro plan will also encounter increased costs under this new model. Previously, an application could read 1,000,000 posts and publish 300,000 posts each month for $5,000. Under the new pay-per-use plan, that usage rises to $8,000 per month.

According to one employee at X, the new pay-per-use model does not influence the Enterprise plans. An X Enterprise API client revealed that the pay-per-use self-service model is limited to the thresholds outlined in the Pro plan, and apps needing more resources must enroll at $42,000 per month for the base Enterprise API plan.

Depending on their usage, some developers may find the new pay-per-use model more cost-effective for their particular needs. It can bridge the gap between X’s previous $200 Basic and $5,000 Pro tiers. Nonetheless, others may end up spending more.

Before Musk’s acquisition, Twitter was accessible via numerous app clients, providing customized experiences for users. The platform was crucial for social media posting apps, placing Twitter alongside larger platforms such as Instagram and YouTube. Twitter was also incorporated into every major gaming console.

Since Musk’s takeover, most of those integrations, including with Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft, have ceased, likely due to the API pricing.

For developers wary of a pay-per-use approach, this is merely a beta and may be subject to additional modifications.