To cancel your Twitter API subscription, the exact steps depend on which billing model your account uses. On the newer pay-per-use system, there’s no monthly subscription to end; you stop future charges by disabling auto-recharge in the Developer Console. On a legacy Basic ($200/month) or Pro ($5,000/month) plan, you cancel by downgrading to the Free tier through the developer portal before your next billing date.
Check Which Billing Model You’re On
X runs two billing models side by side, and the cancellation path is different for each.
Pay-per-use is the only option for developers who signed up after the subscription tiers closed to new accounts. You buy credits upfront and get charged per API request, with no monthly fee unless you’ve turned on auto-recharge.1X. X API Pricing
The legacy tiers — Free at $0, Basic at $200 per month, and Pro at $5,000 per month — are closed to new developers but may still be active on older accounts.2X Developers. Announcing the X API Pay-Per-Use Pricing Pilot Remaining Basic subscribers are expected to be migrated to pay-per-use by mid-2026. To see which model applies to you, sign in at console.x.com and open your billing or subscription settings.3X. Getting Access
Stop Charges on a Pay-Per-Use Account
On pay-per-use, the recurring charge to worry about is auto-recharge. When it’s on, X automatically buys new credits with your saved payment method whenever your balance falls below a threshold. Turning it off is the single most important step.
Sign in to the Developer Console at console.x.com, go to your billing settings, and disable auto-recharge.4X Developers. Update to Auto-Recharge Behavior for Free Credits X has told developers to check this setting carefully, because auto-recharge can trigger unexpected charges once promotional or free credits run out. Your remaining balance will still work until it’s used up, but no new charges will hit your card.
Once auto-recharge is off, consider removing your saved payment method as well. The developer forum routes payment-method questions to the general X Help Center, so you may need to manage card details through your main X account settings rather than the API console.
If you want to be certain nothing runs, you can also downgrade the app itself to the Free tier. Open developer.x.com, pick your project under Projects & Apps, choose your app, open the Subscriptions tab, select Free, and confirm.5X Developers. How Do I Downgrade to Free Plan From PPU Beta Plan
Cancel a Legacy Basic or Pro Plan
If your account is still on the $200/month Basic or $5,000/month Pro plan, cancel through the developer portal before your next billing cycle. These plans charge a flat monthly fee regardless of usage, so every day you wait brings you closer to another charge.2X Developers. Announcing the X API Pay-Per-Use Pricing Pilot
Go to developer.x.com, open Projects & Apps, select your app, and use the Subscriptions tab (or the Products section) to switch your plan to Free.6X Developers. X Basic API Cancellation and Refund The flow may include a short survey and checkboxes confirming that your paid endpoint access will end. Wait for a confirmation screen before closing the page. An email receipt should follow.
The Free tier costs nothing and keeps basic functions like posting and Login with X working, though under tight limits: roughly 1,500 posts per month and minimal read access.
If Your Account Is Suspended
A suspended X account locks you out of the developer portal, but the billing system can keep charging your card. X’s developer forum staff have said suspended-account billing issues have to be handled through support rather than the developer platform.7X Developers. Inability to Cancel API Subscription Due to Account Suspension
Submit a request at help.x.com/en/forms/x-refund-request explaining that you cannot access the portal to cancel. For the suspension itself, X directs users to the Help Center’s suspended accounts page. Have your App ID ready; you can often find it in old confirmation emails or setup documentation you saved.
If support is slow, ask your bank or card issuer to dispute the charges or block future ones. That won’t formally close your API access, but it stops the charges while you work through X’s support process.
Ask for a Refund
X handles API refund requests through a dedicated form at help.x.com/en/forms/x-refund-request. Requests are evaluated case by case and are subject to the X Developer Agreement and Policies.6X Developers. X Basic API Cancellation and Refund There’s no guarantee of a refund, particularly for legacy subscription charges covering a period when you had access.
The strongest cases involve charges that hit after you tried to cancel but the system didn’t process it, or charges during a suspension that blocked you from the cancellation controls. Submit promptly and attach any screenshots or confirmation numbers you have.
What Happens After You Cancel
Legacy subscribers keep paid-tier access through the end of the current billing period, then drop to Free-tier access. On pay-per-use, access winds down naturally as your credit balance depletes; once it hits zero with auto-recharge off, you’re effectively on the Free tier.
Watch your credit balance. Reports from developers indicate pay-per-use credits can expire without advance notification, and expired credits are not refunded. If you think you might come back to the API later, check the expiration terms in the Developer Console before you walk away.
Also plan for what breaks. The Free tier allows around 1,500 posts per month and basic user lookups; search and higher-volume reads are not available. Anything in your application that depends on paid endpoints will stop working once the downgrade takes effect.
One boundary worth noting: X’s Terms of Service let you terminate at any time by stopping use of the services and deactivating your account, but any data you already pulled through the API is still governed by the Developer Agreement’s rules on storage, display, and use.8X. X Terms of Service Canceling API access doesn’t give you new rights over data you collected while it was active.