Bluesky explores subscription model to rival X

Bluesky, a social networking startup positioned as a competitor to X (formerly Twitter), is working on a subscription-based revenue model. The initiative follows the company’s $15 million Series A funding round announced in October, where it outlined plans to develop premium offerings.

Mockups of the subscription service, tentatively named Bluesky+, were published on the platform’s GitHub, revealing a list of potential paid features. However, Bluesky clarified that these mockups are preliminary, and the final features may differ.

The platform previously indicated that premium features could include higher-quality video uploads and customisation options, such as colour themes and avatar frames. Both features appear in the mockups, along with placeholders for other potential offerings. These include custom app icons, profile badges, inline post translations, post analytics, and bookmark folders, a set of tools that could compete with similar services offered by X.

The subscription mockup lists a proposed price of $8 per month or $72 annually for Bluesky+, though the company has stated these figures are not final.

The platforms' software engineer Dan Abramov cautioned users not to consider the mockups as definitive. “Some of these are likely to make it, but please don’t take this as an actual list of planned features,” he wrote in a post on the platform. Abramov further clarified that the “coming soon” label used in the mockups is merely a placeholder to test user interface designs.

The platforms' CEO Jay Graber has previously noted that the platform is exploring multiple revenue streams. These include selling domain names, creating a marketplace for algorithms, and potentially introducing advertisements.

Bluesky, which now boasts a user base of 24.7 million, has attracted significant attention since its launch, with users engaging in active discussions around the potential subscription model.  The platforms' approach to monetisation, including its take on verification and the open nature of its network, signals a competitive stance in the social media landscape.