TweetDeck is no longer free: What is going on with X Pro rebrand, are there TweetDeck alternatives?

Those attempting to use TweetDeck are now being redirected to sign up for X's Blue subscription service.

X, formerly Twitter, has now locked down TweetDeck for subscribers only.

After announcing that the service would be available to Blue subscribers last month, X now appears to have locked down TweetDeck.

The tool, which allows users to manage multiple feeds and searches, being placed behind the paywall is likely to cause upset for many who use the application professionally.

What happened to TweetDeck?

As of August 15, it appears that X have followed through with their plans to lock TweetDeck behind their paywall.

Users attempting to access the application are now being redirected to the social media platform’s Blue subscription service which offers features such as verification, post editing and more.

On July 3, the X Support account announced that in 30 days only Verified users would be able to access TweetDeck – a change which now appears to have happened, even if not by the expected deadline.

It is also technically now named X Pro.

Why does it matter?

Beyond causing upset for standard X users, TweetDeck is a popular tool used by professionals such as researchers, journalists and social media consultants who not only will have to pay £100 per year to continue accessing the resource, but are unlikely to be interested in the majority of other services offered by Blue such as NFT profile pictures.

An X sign is seen on the roof of the headquarters of the social media platform previously known as Twitter in San Francisco. Image: Getty

TweetDeck itself, while useful, has not been a priority in a few years and was originally a third party service which was bought by the firm. However X have recently rolled out new versions of the application to a somewhat mixed response.

Essentially by making TweetDeck (or X Pro), an incredibly useful tool for many, accessible only to paid users X are hoping to boost Blue subscriptions.

Are there TweetDeck alternatives?

The short answer is yes, there are some alternatives. While none are exactly like TweetDeck, there are some services - mostly social media management tools - which can offer similar features.

Hootsuite is one possible alternative, though it is also primarily a paid-for service. Offering much more than X Pro, it functions across platforms with the ability to plan, schedule and post content to multiple platforms and accounts. In addition, you can create custom streams to monitor trends which is likely among the closest rivals to TweetDeck’s functionality.

Users must pay to access X Pro - formerly TweetDeck.

SproutSocial doesn’t necessarily offer the same type of stream, but it has Listening tools to monitor trends as they appear on social media alongside publishing, analytics and other engagement tools.

There are a host of other social media management platforms such as Willow, Buffer or Agorapulse which could help fill the void left by TweetDeck, but it really depends on what needs a user has. As it stands at the moment there doesn't appear to be a free equivalent of TweetDeck, but the options which are there could help some.