Updated October 2026
Why are links removed from my scheduled X posts?
Because X now charges the app $0.20 for each post that contains a link, and $0.015 for one without, so some schedulers strip the link, some charge you for it and some absorb the cost. OpenTweet Pro includes 0 link posts, so links are removed unless you buy link credits, while Advanced includes 10 link posts a day and Agency 20.
Below: what changed at X, which tools strip links and which charge for them, whether X still holds links back in reach, and how to keep your link.
What changed
On April 16, 2026, X's developer account announced new API rates, and the price of posting a link went from $0.01 to $0.20, as TechCrunch reported. X's current pricing page lists a plain post at $0.015 per request and a post with a URL at $0.200 per request, about thirteen times more.
The fee is charged to the app that publishes, not to you directly. Every scheduler that posts to X through the API pays it on every link post, so each one has had to decide who carries that cost. A reply goes through the same post endpoint, so moving the link into the first reply does not avoid it.
The developer side, including how the fee lands on your own API bill, is in the X API link post fee and X API pay-per-use explained.
Which schedulers strip links and which charge
Only tools whose link handling we could confirm on their own pricing page or repository are listed. Checked October 10, 2026.
| Tool | What happens to a link | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| OpenTweet Pro | Removed. The text still posts, without the URL, unless you have link credits. | $11.99/mo. Link credits: 30 for $10, 100 for $25, 200 for $50. |
| OpenTweet Advanced | Kept, up to 10 link posts a day. Past that, credits or the URL is removed. | $29/mo, links included. |
| OpenTweet Agency | Kept, up to 20 link posts a day. Past that, credits or the URL is removed. | $49/mo, links included. |
| Postiz (hosted) | Removed. Every full URL and bare domain is stripped from X posts, with no opt-out. | Not offered. The request to make it optional was closed as not planned on September 30, 2026. GitHub issue #1939 |
| RecurPost | Kept, paid by you. X's $0.20 is passed through. | You fund an X Wallet with pay-as-you-go credits, from $10.80. RecurPost pricing |
How OpenTweet decides
A link post first uses your plan's daily allowance, which resets at midnight UTC. Past that, it uses link credits if you have them. With neither, the URL is removed and the rest of the text still posts. In a thread, each tweet with a link counts once. On the Advanced and Agency trials you get 5 link posts in total (15 if you signed up for agent or automation use). The Pro trial includes none.Does X still penalize links in reach?
X says no. On July 28, 2026 Nikita Bier posted "you do not need to put the links in replies anymore", and Elon Musk, asked whether X still penalizes links, replied "We haven't for over a year." Independent analysis disagrees: PPC Land's own analysis found that posts with links got about 94% fewer views than comparable posts without them. So there is no official penalty, but link posts still tend to get less reach. The cost penalty is certain: $0.20 per link post through the API.
Source for both: PPC Land, July 30, 2026.
How to keep your link
- Put the link in your bio or a pinned post and point to it in the text. Nothing in the scheduled post needs a URL.
- Buy link credits on Pro for the few posts that need one. 30 credits are $10 and each covers one link post.
- Use Advanced if you post links daily, for example an RSS or news account. 10 link posts a day are included for $29 a month, 20 on Agency.
- Post the link yourself from the X app. The $0.20 is an API fee, so a post you publish by hand is not billed per link.
Full plan details are on the pricing page. If you run your own X developer app instead, see migrating from X API Basic to pay-per-use.
7-day free trial. Cancel anytime.
Frequently asked questions
Why are links removed from my scheduled X posts?
Because X now charges the app $0.20 for each post that contains a link, and $0.015 for one without, so some schedulers strip the link, some charge you for it and some absorb the cost. OpenTweet Pro includes 0 link posts, so links are removed unless you buy link credits, while Advanced includes 10 link posts a day and Agency 20.
Does OpenTweet Pro post links?
No. Pro includes 0 link posts, in the trial and after. A post with a link is published without the link unless you have link credits.
Is a link in the first reply free?
No. A reply is created through the same X API post endpoint, so a reply with a link is billed as a post with a URL, $0.20.
Does X penalize links in 2026?
X says no: Elon Musk wrote on July 29, 2026 that X has not penalized links "for over a year". PPC Land's own analysis found that posts with links still got about 94% fewer views than comparable posts without them. There is no official penalty, but link posts still tend to get less reach.
How much are OpenTweet link credits?
Three packs: $10 for 30 link posts, $25 for 100 and $50 for 200. Credits are used only for link posts beyond your plan's daily allowance.
Keep exploring
The X API link post fee
What the $0.20 link price means for your own developer app.
X API pay-per-use explained
Every per-call price, and what a normal bot pays a month.
Is the X API free in 2026?
No. What closed, what is still free and what it costs now.
OpenTweet pricing
Plans, link posts per day and link credit packs.
Know what happens to your links before you schedule.
10 link posts a day on Advanced for $29, 20 on Agency for $49. Pro at $11.99 posts plain text, with link credits when you need them.
7-day free trial. Cancel anytime.