Between streaming, retail and other platforms, how many services have you subscribed to? They don’t make much of a difference on their own, but together they could put a significant dent in your bank account each month. Here’s the easiest way to get rid of subscriptions that you rarely use.
Many social media sites accept subscriptions to services you’re used to getting for free, but there’s a trick to saving. Some websites offer cheaper plans if you opt for the web version rather than the app. That’s how it works.
Twitter Blue
After acquiring Elon Musk, Twitter announced changes to its Blue subscription plan that made verified checks available to everyone. There is also a golden tick for business accounts. Did you know about this?
The verification badge was a fiasco as people posed as well-known brands and celebrities, including Musk. Here’s more about what happened. If you sign up for Twitter Blue today, you won’t get your blue tick right away. Your profile must first meet certain admission requirements.
So what else comes with a Twitter subscription? Here are some highlights:
Edit Tweets: You have 30 minutes to make limited edits to your published Tweets. Custom App Icons: You have the option to change your Twitter icon on your phone. Theme: Choose from a list of themes for your Twitter app. Top Articles: A shortcut to the most shared articles in your network. Reader: It makes longer tweets easier to read and you can change the font size. Undo Tweet: Allows you to retract a tweet after you’ve sent it, but before it’s visible to others on Twitter. Longer video uploads: Twitter Blue subscribers can upload videos up to 60 minutes long (web only). Longer tweets: Your character limit increases from 280 to 4,000. SMS two-factor authentication: Add another layer of protection to your account by accessing two-factor authentication via SMS. We are all for more security. Here’s what you need to know about 2FA.
The big ones here are the ability to edit and undo tweets and 2FA. A higher character limit is also nice. But the cosmetic stuff isn’t really going to spoil your experience in the long run.
Now here’s the trick. You pay more if you use the app. The web version is cheaper:
Twitter Blue for iOS and Android costs $11 per month or $114.99 per year. Twitter Blue for the web costs $8 per month or $84 per year. Meta Verified
Last month, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced Meta Verified, a subscription bundle for Facebook and Instagram users. Like Twitter, this plan comes with a blue badge that requires government ID for verification.
Here are other perks that come with Meta Verified:
Stickers and Stars: You get special stickers to throw around, along with 100 stars a month on Facebook to send to your favorite content creators. Increased visibility: More people will see your posts and comments. Account protection: Meta promises that “proactive account monitoring” protects you from identity theft. We’ll believe it when we see it. Adding a requirement for two-factor authentication will definitely help secure your account. Direct Account Support: This is a big one. Difficult to contact Meta with issues like hacked account. Hopefully this solves the problem. And if you’ve ever been banned and don’t know why Meta is finally letting you know!
Really, does anyone care about stickers and stars? Meta threw that in to add some value perception. The big change comes via 2FA and better customer support.
Meta Verified is currently available in Australia and New Zealand and will be rolled out to other countries soon. It costs $14.99 per month for the app on iOS and Android and $11.99 per month for the web (Facebook only).
Tired of overpaying Adobe? This free program works just as well!
Reddit Premium
The Front Page of the Internet offers a subscription plan that gives you the following benefits:
Ad-free surfing: Reddit to your heart’s content without ads. Exclusive Avatars: More gear and accessories for your avatar. 700 Monthly Coins: Use these coins to reward your favorite posts and comments. Members Lounge: You get access to the “exclusive” R/Lounge. Custom App Icons: Change your icon to one that suits you better.
The coins and cosmetic changes don’t matter much, but an ad-free experience is nice if you’re a big Redditor. As for the Reddit Lounge, the consensus is that it’s nothing special.
Reddit Premium costs $5.99 per month or $49.99 per year. There is no web discount.
RELATED: Reddit 101: 12 Handy Subreddits for Travel Tips, Learning, Motivation, and More.
Snapchat+
Snapchat+ launched last year and has grown with many features. Here are some highlights:
BFF: Pin your favorite person as Best Friend Forever and only you can see this pin. Story Rewatch Indicator: See if someone has rewatched your stories (if you care about that sort of thing). Custom App Icons: Choose a unique look and feel for your Snapchat app icon. Badge: Adds a black star badge to your profile. Priority Story Replies: Your community story replies are more likely to be seen and responded to. Exclusive Bitmoji Wallpapers: Beautify your Bitmoji a little. Custom Notification Sounds: Set custom notification sounds for specific friends or groups. Story Boost: Boost your private Snapchat story for 24 hours and get more views from friends. Chatbot: My AI is an experimental chatbot that you can ask about anything from how to gift a friend on Snapchat to dinner suggestions.
There’s really nothing here worth subscribing to unless you’re desperate for social media validation. You can also change up your Snapchat aesthetic, but really, how long will this thrill last?
The My AI chatbot seems interesting, but you’ll probably have a better experience with ChatGPT. Here’s our introduction to the Microsoft-powered AI chatbot.
Snapchat+ costs $3.99 per month.
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This is a barebones (and welcome) subscription plan: for $4.99 a month or $39.99 a year, you can enjoy Tumblr ad-free.
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