The best API to post to X, priced by what you actually post
The best API to post to X depends on links. For posts with links, OpenTweet costs least above about 145 a month, at a flat $29. For a few plain posts, the X API or Zernio costs least, at $0.015 a post.
Updated October 31, 2026. We make OpenTweet. Competitor prices come from their own pages.
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The short answer
The best API to post to X depends on links. For posts with links, OpenTweet costs least above about 145 a month, at a flat $29. For a few plain posts, the X API or Zernio costs least, at $0.015 a post.
X charges $0.20 for a post with a URL and $0.015 for one without, so links decide the bill. Pick the X API if you want to run your own scheduler and token refresh. Pick Zernio or Upload-Post if you also post to TikTok or Instagram. We make OpenTweet, so check the sources linked below.
What each API costs per month
One X account for 30 days, on monthly billing. We worked these out from published prices read October 31, 2026. The lowest price in each column can change as vendors reprice, so check the sources below.
| Option | 300 plain posts | 300 link posts | 1,500 plain posts | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| X API directly | $4.50 | $60 | $22.50 | Plus your own scheduler, OAuth and hosting |
| OpenTweet | $19.99 | $29 | $29 | Flat. Daily limits apply: 100 posts and 10 links on Advanced |
| Zernio | $4.50 | $60 | $22.50 | First 2 accounts free, card needed to connect X |
| Upload-Post | $24 | $43, only 50 keep their link | $24 | $19 add-on for 50 links; yearly Basic is $16/mo |
| Post Bridge | $39 | $49, add-on covers 40 links | $39 | Docs do not state a larger link add-on |
| Postiz Cloud | $29 | $29 | $29 | We could not confirm how Cloud treats X link fees. Self-hosted: X fees plus a server |
| Ayrshare | $153.50 | $209 | $171.50 | $149 plan plus X fees on your own X developer account |
Sources: X API pricing, Zernio, Upload-Post X Links, Post Bridge MCP docs. Post Bridge and Postiz were read on October 26 and 30, Ayrshare on October 30. OpenTweet Pro covers 20 posts a day with 1 link. Agency covers 300 posts and 20 links a day at $49.
Why links decide the bill
X charges about 13 times more for a post with a URL: $0.20 against $0.015. Tools respond in one of three ways: pass the fee to you, remove the link unless you pay for an add-on, or include a set number in the plan. Ask which one a tool does before you compare headline prices.Which one to pick
| If you need | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Many posts with links, one predictable bill | OpenTweet | X's link fee is included up to your plan's daily number |
| Under 100 posts a month, few links | Zernio or the X API | You pay cents, not a plan |
| Full control and your own code | X API | No middleman, but you build the queue and token refresh |
| TikTok, Instagram and YouTube as well | Upload-Post or Zernio | 22 and 16 networks |
| Self-hosted and open source | Postiz | Free software, your own server and X app |
| An AI agent that writes and posts | OpenTweet | Hosted MCP with 43 tools and no per-call X fee |
The four main options compared
| Feature | X API | OpenTweet | Zernio | Upload-Post |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| X developer account needed | Yes | No | No | No |
| Pays X fees | You | Included | You, passed through | Included, links removed unless add-on |
| Scheduling | Build it yourself | Yes, batch of 50 | Yes | Yes |
| Threads | Chain the replies yourself | One API call | Not stated on the pages we read | Not found in what we read |
| MCP server | XMCP, from X | Yes, hosted, 43 tools | Yes, hosted | Yes, hosted, nearly 60 tools per its docs |
| Networks | X | X, Bluesky, LinkedIn | 16 | 22 |
| AI writer | No | Yes | Not stated on the pages we read | For short video only, as far as we found |
Read October 31, 2026. "Not stated" and "not found" mean we could not find it on those pages, not that it does not exist.
Post to X with one request
Create a key at opentweet.io/developer during your trial. No X developer account.
curl -X POST https://opentweet.io/api/v1/posts \
-H "Authorization: Bearer ot_your_key" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"text": "Hello from the API", "publish_now": true}'Replace publish_now with a scheduled_date to schedule it. Every field is in the API reference.
When OpenTweet is the wrong choice
- You post a few times a week without links. The X API or Zernio will cost you cents.
- You need TikTok, Instagram, YouTube or Facebook. OpenTweet only covers X, Bluesky and LinkedIn.
- You run more than 10 X accounts. That is the Agency limit (Pro has 1, Advanced 3).
- You post more than 20 links every day. Above that you buy link credits, so compare with the X API's $0.20.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best API to post to X?
For posts with links above about 145 a month, OpenTweet: Advanced is $29 a month with 10 link posts a day, and X's fees are included. For low-volume plain posts, the X API or Zernio at $0.015 a post. For many networks, Zernio or Upload-Post. We make OpenTweet, so the tables show the prices behind each result.
What is the cheapest way to post to X by API?
For plain posts, the X API at $0.015 each: 300 posts cost $4.50. Zernio costs the same on its 2 free accounts and adds the scheduling layer. For 300 link posts, X charges $60 and OpenTweet Advanced costs $29.
Do I need an X developer account to post by API?
Only for the X API, self-hosted Postiz and Ayrshare. Ayrshare has required your own X keys since March 31, 2026. OpenTweet, Zernio, Upload-Post and Post Bridge hold the X connection, so you sign in with a normal login.
Which X posting API works with AI agents?
OpenTweet, Zernio, Upload-Post, Post Bridge and Postiz all offer an MCP server, and X has its own XMCP. On pay-per-call options, a looping agent raises your bill. On a flat plan it hits a daily post limit instead.
Can I use a free unofficial X API or cookie login?
We do not recommend it. Tools that post through browser cookies or a logged-in session can get the account suspended, and X's terms effective October 9, 2026 hold you responsible for automated actions on your account. Use the official API or a tool built on it.
Does the X API have a free tier for posting in 2026?
New apps are on pay-per-use, with no free posting tier. X offers one-time credits: since October 13, 2026 the $20 credit needs a saved card and a first credit purchase. Check docs.x.com for the current terms.
Which posting APIs remove links from X posts?
Upload-Post removes them unless you buy its $19 add-on for 50 a month. Post Bridge's docs say the same, with a $10 add-on for 40. The X API, Zernio and OpenTweet keep them: the first two charge $0.20 each, and OpenTweet includes a daily number per plan.
More on posting to X by API
Costs, alternatives and agent setup.
X API pricing
Every pay-per-use X API price in one table.
Cheapest way to post by code
Flat fee vs pay-per-use, step by step.
Zernio alternative
Zernio pricing and its X fees per post.
Upload-Post alternative
Upload-Post pricing and its $19 X link add-on.
Ayrshare alternative
What $149 a month gets you on X.
Best MCP servers for social media
For agents rather than scripts.
OpenTweet API docs
Endpoints, fields and examples.
Post to X without an X developer account
One key, one request, and X's fees included. From $19.99/mo.
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