Last week, X abruptly removed access to X Pro management platform formerly known as TweetDeck.
X Pro replaced TweetDeck in August 2023 as a post management system specifically for X. It enables users to create lists of profiles and topics to monitor and also allowed users to engage with content directly from the app.
The tool was widely used by social media managers when it was called TweetDeck, but the switch to X Pro turned it into a paywalled product, with only X Premium users able to access it. Based on an analysis conducted by TechCrunch, that meant only around 1% of X users could actually use the tool after the name change. However, for those who could still access it, X Pro remained a valuable tool for content management and oversight.
Until last week.
On Thursday, X Premium users were also locked out of X Pro, with a message that said that it would now only be available to users on the more expensive Premium+ tier.
So why the change?
X’s Head of Product Nikita Bier said in a March 26 post that X Pro would soon be replaced by a “much more powerful” tool for the same functionality. Bier added that X is only keeping X Pro active “for people that absolutely need it for hyper-specific business workflows.”
So X Pro is changing, with X set to announce a new post management option soon. Whether that will be more widely accessible is not clear, but for users who relied on X Pro for posting, and who have been locked out, there should soon be another option, according to Bier.
And it could be worth investigating. Third-party tools have built platforms devoted to helping users post on X, with Meta forcing more creators to post through its own management tools over time.
Most third-party tools incorporate posting to multiple platforms, beyond just X, but even so, the customization options built into an app’s native tools are often much better, and can include more accurate post previews, post linking and mentions.
X’s changes to its API have made it more difficult to post from third-party tools, which means that X Pro, or its alternative, could be worth considering.
As such, depending on accessibility, the coming update could be worth noting.
