> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.thepublive.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Changes to X (Twitter) distribution

> X ended free API access for publishing, so automated Distribute to X no longer works. What we recommend doing instead.

If you've used Distribute to push articles to X (formerly Twitter) from your Publive dashboard, that flow has stopped working. X discontinued free API access for publishing posts, and the change took effect for everyone on 11 September 2026.

Nothing is broken on the Publive side, and the rest of your Distribute workflow is unaffected. This applies only to X.

## What changed

X has narrowed free API access for publishers over several years and has now removed it completely.

| Period | Free publishing allowance |
| - | - |
| Before 2023 | Unlimited |
| March 2023 to October 2024 | Up to 1,500 posts |
| October 2024 to February 2026 (in practice, until September 2026) | Up to 500 posts |
| September 2026 onwards | None. \$0.20 per post |

Every post published to X through the API now costs \$0.20, billed by X.

## What we recommend: manual sharing

For most publishers, the simplest answer is to post to X yourself, through the X app or website, with your article link and a short caption.

At the volumes we see most teams publishing at, this takes a few minutes a day and it keeps you out of X's pricing entirely. It's the guidance we're giving every publisher on the platform.

<Note>
  Sharing manually doesn't change how your links look on X. Posts still carry their `twitter_title`, `twitter_description`, and `twitter_image` fields, so preview cards render exactly as before.
</Note>

## If your volume makes manual sharing impractical

Some teams post to X often enough that doing it by hand adds real work. For them we're building a Bring Your Own Key (BYOK) option.

With BYOK you connect your own X API key to Publive, and automated Distribute to X works as it did before. X bills you directly at \$0.20 per post. That cost sits between you and X, and doesn't pass through Publive.

<Info>
  BYOK is still in development and we haven't set a general availability date. If it matters to your team, tell your CSM. We can prioritise the build for your account and share timelines.
</Info>

## Questions, or not sure which route fits?

Talk to your Customer Success Manager. If you're weighing manual sharing against BYOK, your CSM can pull your recent X posting volume from your account and walk through the trade-off with you.

For anything else, [raise a support ticket](mailto:support@thepublive.com).


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