X API pricing in 2026: pay-per-use rates and a working cost calculator
X API v2 read rates, the monthly Post-read cap and what a search workload actually costs. Dated official rates with a client-side calculator.
Short answer
X charges for API reads through prepaid pay-per-use credits, with no required subscription. Costs depend on the resources read and the applicable rate, while self-serve Post reads also have a monthly cap.
Rates and dates checked 2026-11-12 against the sources below. How the comparison works.Facts that decide the bill
| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Pricing model | Prepaid pay-per-use credits; no required subscription |
| Pay-per-use launch | February 6, 2026 |
| Post read | $0.005 per Post resource |
| User read | $0.010 per User resource |
| Owned read | $0.001 per resource on qualifying own-account endpoints |
| Self-serve monthly cap | 3 million Post reads per billing cycle |
| Legacy Pro migration | Pro subscribers moved to pay-per-use after September 1, 2026 |
| Deduplication | The same Post (or user) requested more than once in a 24-hour UTC day is charged once; the window resets at midnight UTC, and X calls it a soft guarantee |
X API cost calculator
Estimate the published resource cost for a read workload. This uses standard pay-per-use rates and does not include taxes, Enterprise terms or failed requests. It runs in your browser; nothing is uploaded.
What this means in practice
Estimate resources, not just requests
The listed read charges apply per resource. Keep Post and User read estimates separate so that each uses its applicable rate, then use the calculator to estimate the workload cost.
Check eligibility for owned reads
The owned-read rate applies to qualifying own-account endpoints. Confirm that an endpoint qualifies before applying this rate to your estimate; ownership alone is not the stated eligibility rule.
Treat spending and capacity separately
Prepaid credits cover usage charges, while the monthly Post-read cap limits self-serve volume. Check the projected cost and the cap separately when deciding whether a workload fits.
Official vs hosted, per 1,000 posts
| Route | Per 1,000 posts | 200,000 posts |
|---|---|---|
| X API v2 (Post read) | $5.00 | $1,000 |
| X (Twitter) Profile & Post Engagement Extractor | $0.99 | $198 + start events |
| X/Twitter Keyword & Hashtag Tweet Search | $0.99 | $198 + start events |
Hosted rates are the Store's published Free-plan result price; runs also pay a small start event per run and platform compute where the Actor charges it. The official rate is the dated figure in the facts table above. The two routes return different records and terms, so compare the fields on the X (Twitter) page as well as the price.
Routes that work for X (Twitter) data
The official route first, then the catalogue Actors that fit this problem (posts and profiles), by their published fields. Store figures are the publisher's public numbers.
| Route | Core fields | Price / 1K | Success, 30 days | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public APIX API v2 | not compared | below | Official docs | |
| X (Twitter) Profile & Post Engagement Extractor | 3/7 | $0.99 | 100% of 24 runs | Open in Apify Store |
| X/Twitter Keyword & Hashtag Tweet Search | 3/7 | $0.99 | 6 runs, too few to rate | Open in Apify Store |
| X Keyword Search with Mention & Reply Operators | 3/7 | $0.99 | 7 runs, too few to rate | Open in Apify Store |
Official price: Charged per resource returned: $0.005 per Post, $0.010 per User. Owned Reads on qualifying own-account endpoints are $0.001 per resource. A 3 million Post-read monthly cap applies to self-serve pay-per-use. Compare all 20 X (Twitter) routes.
Questions people ask
Does X require a monthly API subscription?
The listed pricing model uses prepaid pay-per-use credits with no required subscription. Build your estimate around resource usage rather than a recurring subscription fee.
Can I estimate read costs from request count alone?
The listed rates charge per resource, so request count alone is insufficient. Estimate the Post and User resources those requests will return.
When can I use the owned-read rate?
The owned-read rate applies on qualifying own-account endpoints. Check endpoint eligibility before including that rate in a budget.
Does buying more credit remove the Post-read cap?
The listed self-serve Post-read cap is a separate constraint from usage charges. Do not assume that a larger prepaid balance increases the permitted monthly volume.
Sources
Every dated claim on this page comes from the public sources below. Check the source before you make a business decision on it.
- X API pay-per-use pricing — checked 2026-11-12
- X API changelog — checked 2026-11-09
- X API usage and billing — checked 2026-11-09
- X Developer Agreement — checked 2026-11-09
Need the data without the official API?
Twitter (X) Media Downloader returns 3 of 7 core X (Twitter) fields at $0.99 per 1,000 results. Compare all 20 X (Twitter) routes.