Starting April 1, Twitter will begin removing the legacy blue verification checkmarks. Users who want to preserve their blue badge will need to subscribe to Twitter Blue, the platform’s paid subscription service. This shift marks a move away from a free verification model toward a paid option that grants ongoing status and other benefits to subscribers in select markets, including the United States and Canada.
Before Elon Musk’s acquisition, Twitter operated a verification system that conferred blue ticks on accounts belonging to notable individuals, brands, and institutions. In practice, these checks were sometimes granted without charge to certain accounts and were intended to signal authenticity and public interest. With the arrival of the new ownership, the verification framework was adjusted to introduce color-coded distinctions among different types of accounts, making it easier for users to distinguish at a glance who or what is behind an account. Under the revised system, traditional categories included gold marks for brands, gray marks for government accounts, and blue marks for general users who met the updated eligibility criteria or held a pre-approved status under the new colors policy.
As the platform continued to evolve, blue-badge accounts began to include those with an active Twitter Blue subscription, meeting the current eligibility requirements, as well as those accounts that had been pre-approved under the new color scheme and were subject to its validation standards at the time. In short, the blue checkmark was no longer a blanket signal of verification but instead a badge tied to subscription status or specific prior approvals under the color system.
The company has now announced the removal of the old blue verification badge from existing accounts that do not subscribe to Twitter Blue. To retain the blue badge, users must subscribe to the service. This change aligns with the broader strategy of monetizing certain platform features while continuing to offer value through a paid tier that includes benefits designed to justify the cost for engaged users.
Twitter Blue is already available in various markets, including Spain, where it offers a monthly plan. The price points differ by platform and region: on desktop, the monthly rate is typically lower when paid annually, while the mobile app may carry a higher monthly price in some configurations. For example, in one current configuration, the desktop version might offer a reduced monthly rate with annual billing, whereas the mobile version carries a separate monthly fee. Pricing details are subject to regional tax considerations and platform-specific terms of service, and users should review the terms at the time of signup.
For readers in the United States and Canada, the transition also raises practical questions about how the verification status translates to trust signals, visibility, and engagement on the platform. Businesses, creators, and public figures may weigh the costs and benefits of subscribing to Twitter Blue, balancing the value of the blue badge with other channel strategies. Observers watching platform governance and policy changes note that color-coded verification systems can influence how audiences perceive authenticity, authority, and reach in social networks that continually experiment with monetization and feature sets. While the specifics of eligibility can shift over time, the underlying aim remains to clarify identity and improve user experience by reducing impersonation and increasing transparency for high-profile accounts. Citations to official policy updates and industry analysis are available from platform communications and independent tech journalism sources [attribution: industry reporting on platform changes].