Threads Challenges X by Offering Free Support for Up to 10K Characters, Plus Prominent Links
Meta’s Threads is taking direct aim at X by giving creators a new way to share longer posts and drive engagement. Threads challenges X by offering free support for up to 10K characters, plus prominent links, positioning itself as a more creator-friendly platform without the paywalls X has placed on long-form content.
Image Credits:Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto/ Getty Images
Threads Expands Beyond Short Posts
Before this update, Threads only supported up to 500 characters, already surpassing X’s 280-character limit for unverified users. Now, with 10,000 characters available, creators can share in-depth thoughts, stories, and ideas while linking directly to their blogs, newsletters, podcasts, or other platforms.
X, in contrast, reserves long-form posting (up to 25,000 characters) for paying subscribers, limiting free users to shorter posts. Threads is flipping this approach by making extended posting a free feature.
A Creator-Centric Move
Meta designed the feature with creators in mind. Writers, podcasters, and journalists often had to post screenshots of longer texts to bypass character limits. With this rollout, Threads not only solves that problem but also enables clickable links that send traffic to original content.
Imagine an author sharing a chapter preview with a preorder link, or a journalist linking readers to a full feature. Threads makes this seamless—something X’s screenshot workaround or “threaded posts” format never fully achieved.
Why Meta Made the Change
Ahead of the launch, Meta observed that users were increasingly sharing screenshots of articles, transcripts, and book excerpts. By introducing extended posts, the platform reduces friction and keeps conversations native to Threads, while still giving users the freedom to direct audiences to external content.
This approach contrasts with X, which encourages creators to publish directly within its ecosystem. Threads is instead offering flexibility—letting creators control where their content lives.
The Bigger Battle with X
The feature isn’t just about character count—it’s about platform strategy. X has leaned into subscriptions and exclusive perks for paid users, while Threads is betting on openness and accessibility. By offering free support for up to 10K characters plus prominent links, Meta is signaling that it values reach and creator empowerment over gated features.
This could reshape how writers, influencers, and publishers choose between the two platforms. For creators looking to grow audiences without paywalls, Threads may quickly become the preferred option.
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