X, formerly known as Twitter, and Threads by Meta are two different social media platforms vying for users’ attention.
X is more traditional, focusing on public sharing and discovery.
Threads is a more personal and intimate platform for sharing with close friends and family.
Whether you’re looking for a platform to share professional updates or narrate a personal story, understanding the key differences between Threads and X will help you engage more effectively with your audience.
X (Formerly Twitter) – the OG giant
X (formerly Twitter) is a social networking service that allows users to post & interact with short messages, now called ‘Posts’ (earlier tweets).
Posts in X can be up to 280 characters long and can contain text, photos, videos, and links. X allows the Blue subscribers to post up to 25,000 characters.
The users can follow other users to see the Posts in their feed and reply to them, repost them, and like them.
X has become a popular platform for news, current events, and entertainment.
Businesses also use X to connect with customers & promote their products or services. Some businesses are heavily reliant on Twitter as a distribution channel for their marketing efforts.
Twitter was never perfect, even before Elon took over. It has been regularly criticized for becoming a political discourse and activism platform in recent years.
But after the rebranding of X from Twitter, the platform had a whole slew of new problems. Some people have expressed confusion and frustration, while others have seen it as a positive step forward.
It is too early to say how these changes are going to affect Twitter’s business.
However, this move from Elon Musk has been met with a great deal of controversy. Only time can tell whether it will be a success or a failure.
What we like about using X
- X is a good source for current events and news. You can follow organizations, journalists, and other people who are pro in your field to get all sorts of latest information.
- X connects you with people from all over the world. X helps you come across different cultures and perspectives.
- You can share your ideas & thoughts with the entire world through the X platform. You can use X to initiate debate issues and conversations and connect with like-minded people.
- X is an excellent platform for businesses to connect with customers, promote their services and products, and get customer feedback through polls.
Limitations when using X
- X has a 280-character limit, so sharing complex thoughts or ideas is difficult. Long posts often end up becoming threads (ironical, we know), which wear users off eventually.
- X can be a breeding ground for abuse and trolls. So you should be aware of this and take steps to protect yourself by reporting or blocking abusive users.
- Like other social platforms, X can be addictive, too. So, you should take limits to the usage of the platform. It also doesn’t have a built-in digital wind down that Meta has been testing for a while.
- X can also be a target for fake news. So, be cautious about all the information you get on the platform.
Subscription for X
X is free to use for both personal and business purposes.
But Elon Musk also offers X premium version that elevates quality conversation on the platform.
X premium adds a blue checkmark to your X account, giving you early access to select features. It is priced at $8/month or $84/year in available countries.
Overall, we can say that X is a social media platform that can be used for good and bad. Using X responsibly can be a good way to stay up-to-date on the latest happenings, connect with people globally, and share your ideas and thoughts.
So, it is essential to be aware of the benefits and drawbacks of the platform before you use it.
Threads – a worthy, new competitor
Threads is a social media app from Meta that is a more private and intimate alternative to X. It focuses on sharing your thoughts with your closest circle of friends.
Threads seems like it is exclusively designed for people who wish to connect with their closest friends and family.
Threads allows you to create a profile if you are under 16, but your account will be private by default. You can choose between a private or public profile, even if you have a public Instagram account.
This is in high contrast compared to other social media platforms like ‘X,’ which focuses on broadcasting to a wider audience. According to Mark Zuckerberg, Threads is the fastest social media platform to reach 100 million active users.
Threads is a very simple but unique platform that users find easy to use.
You can like, comment, repost, and share the posts with just a few taps.
Threads allows you to share up to ten posts like Instagram, whereas X lets you add four items to your post.
It is integrated with Instagram. If you already use Instagram, you can easily connect your Threads account to your Instagram account. This means you can share your Threads posts to your Instagram feed and vice versa.
Overall, Threads is a promising new social media platform that has the potential to be a great way to connect with your closest friends and family.
What we like about using Threads
- Threads is a more private and intimate platform than X.
- Threads are only meant for your closest friends so that you can share more personal content without worrying about it being revealed to the public.
- It is easy to share images & videos on Threads with your friends, with a focus on high-quality content.
- Threads is an intuitive and free-to-use platform.
Limitations when using Threads
- Threads does not have all the features you get on posts on X.
- Not many people use Threads. So, you will have fewer friends on Threads than X.
- Threads can also be addictive. So, you should use it in moderation.
Overall, Threads is a great option for users who are looking for a more private social media experience.
It is easy & free to use and focused on sharing photos & videos with your closest friends.
Threads is a good collaboration platform that helps people share, discuss, and make better decisions.
Threads is entirely free. You need to have an Instagram account to join Threads.
X and Threads – head-to-head comparison
1) Post Length and Structure
The length and structure are the most apparent differences between X and Threads.
On X, you have a maximum character limit of 280 characters, whereas Meta confirmed 500 character limit for Threads.
Threads are a series of connected ‘Tweets’, now ‘Posts,’ that allow users to share more comprehensive and longer stories or thoughts.
X is meant for short-term, real-time content circulation. Each post is a piece of independent information that is chronologically presented on a user’s timeline.
On the other hand, the users can Thread multiple related Posts together. You can add up to 25 Posts in a single Thread.
2) Audience Engagement
People can repost, comment, and like in X, whereas Threads allow you to like, repost, comment, and share them on other social media platforms like Instagram, X, post to feed, add to story, or you can share them.
X encourages quick and short interactions, but Threads lead to more in-depth discussions and sharing.
Threads foster sharing everyday experiences, supporting each other, and creating a sense of community.
Threads is designed for a more intimate audience than X. User’s followers can only see the Threads, but X is by default Public.
So, Threads is a unique platform for sharing personal stories or updates you do not want to disclose to the world.
3) Features
Threads and X have different features that appeal to a wide variety of users.
- Post Lengths: Threads focuses on sharing long forms of content with a maximum of 5 minutes compared to X’s 2 minutes and 20 seconds.
This can be helpful for users who want to share longer videos, such as vlogs or music videos.
They can add music to Threads and schedule their Threads in advance.
- Hashtags: Threads does not support hashtags, which are a popular feature on X.
Hashtags appear as standard text in the Threads feed. These Hashtags allow users to categorize their posts on X and make them easier to find for other users.
However, Threads supports mentions, allowing users to tag others in their posts.
- Direct messages: Threads does not support direct messages, which is a private messaging feature on X.
So, the users are not allowed to message privately through Threads.
However, the posts in Threads can be shared with other users on X, which can be another way of starting a conversation.
- Availability: Threads is only available as a mobile app for Android and Apple users, while X is available as both web and mobile apps. This means that users can access X from their desktop PCs.
- Integration with Instagram: Threads is integrated with Instagram, so users need to have an Instagram account for Threads.
They can share their Threads posts to their Instagram Stories with a single click. This way, the posts can reach a wider audience with the Threads posts.
Besides, unlike X, Threads does not have a separate tab to view likes on other users’ profiles.
Threads are built on a social networking protocol named ActivityPub that allows the users.
4) Moderation
Both Threads and X have different moderation policies. Threads has a zero-level tolerance policy for hate speech or trolling.
Any hate speech is removed from Threads immediately. X is more lenient when it comes to hate speech or trolling.
The contents that are considered to be hate speech or trolling can be removed, but not immediately.
Threads is strict about nudity and violence.
Threads vs. X – Key Differences
Threads and X are social media platforms with different strengths and weaknesses.
Threads can be a good choice for users who want to share longer, more detailed posts, while X can be a good platform for sharing shorter, more concise posts.
Here is a table showing the key differences between Threads and X:
Platform | Features | Character Limit | Visibility | Moderation |
Availability |
Threads |
Does not support hashtags or direct messages |
500 | Visible to the followers only | More strict. Content is continuously moderated. |
Only available for mobile. You must have an Instagram account to join Threads. |
X |
Hashtags and direct messages are popular on X. |
280 | Visible to the public by default | It is a bit lenient compared to Threads. | Â Both mobile and web versions are available. Multiple login methods are available. |
Threads Or X – Which Social Media App is Better?
Twitter and Threads are great platforms for sharing messages with friends and followers.
However, the best platform for you will depend on your individual needs and preferences.
X can be a good option if you want to share quick updates with a larger audience.
Threads offer a better way of sharing longer-form content with a close audience, restoring your privacy.
Wrapping Up
Based on your personal choice and preferences, you should decide which social media platform you are comfortable with – X or Threads.
If you have further doubts or queries, feel free to ask us in the replay section below, and we shall come up with all possible answers.