Twitter is set to charge businesses $1,000 a month for brand verification — continuing to look to earn revenue on formally free services under new owner Elon Musk.
The steep proposed price for gold verification badges — introduced by Musk late last year — was first reported by social media consultant Matt Navarra, who viewed internal company documents, The Information reported Saturday.
Affiliated business accounts would be charged an additional $50 a month, according to the reports; the pricing structure hasn’t yet been finalized.
Also read: Elon Musk says Twitter is headed for ‘breakeven’ after he saved it
Brands that refused to fork over the four-figure monthly fee would reportedly have their gold badges removed, the outlet reported.
Twitter has launched an $8-a-month verification program for non-notable users who want a blue checkmark on the platform — a status symbol previously only available to celebrities, politicians and journalists.
Under the new paradigm, government officials are verified by grey checkmarks, which are free of charge.
The cash grabs come as the site’s advertising revenue plunged by 35% in the fourth quarter of 2022 as advertisers fled in the wake of Musk’s $44 billion acquisition.
This report originally appeared on NYPost.com.
