(NewsNation) — Meta has launched Threads, a new app hoping to scoop up users who are leaving Twitter after CEO Elon Musk’s takeover fundamentally changed the way Twitter works.
Over the holiday weekend, Musk announced limits on how many tweets users could view, with those paying $8 a month for Twitter Blue given a higher limit. It’s a move that could hurt the company’s efforts to lure back advertisers who have shied away after some of Musk’s controversial decisions.
Twitter-like services have appeared in the wake of the takeover, including Mastodon and Twitter cofounder-backed Bluesky, but none have gained significant traction. Threads is the first offering from a major social media company but it differs from Twitter in significant ways.
So what’s the difference between the two apps?
Instagram Integration
Threads users have the option to automatically follow their Instagram connections, since Meta owns both apps. Twitter users have expressed frustration at having to rebuild networks on new social media sites, so the ability to easily import Instagram users they follow could appeal to some.
Instagram Required
To register for Threads, users must have an Instagram account and they are required to use the same username. For those seeking to establish a consistent online identity, that could be a plus, but for those who don’t want to use Instagram or who want to keep social media profiles separate and unconnected, it could be a minus.
Algorithm-Only Feed Option
At launch, Threads only offers an algorithmically-curated feed of posts. There is no option to select a follows-only feed or a chronological timeline. Twitter was one of the last remaining social networks to offer a chronological feed only made up of people you follow prior to Musk’s takeover. Threads’ reliance on using an algorithm to surface content could deter users hoping to replicate the Twitter experience.
Expanded Character Counts
Threads offers a 500-character limit for posts, as opposed to the 280-character count that non-paid Twitter users get. Twitter Blue users, on the other hand, have a maximum of 25,000 characters.
No Paid Tier
Unlike Twitter, Threads has no paid option. Once used to verify public figures and brands, Musk made Twitter’s blue check available to anyone who could pay, resulting in a surge of parody accounts and misinformation.
Threads does offer verification and those already verified on Instagram will automatically be verified on Threads. There is also an option for users in some regions to use Meta’s verification process which, like Twitter Blue, charges a fee, but unlike Twitter Blue, requires users submit proof of their identity.
No Desktop Access
Threads accounts can be viewed on desktop but the only way to post is through the app. That may not matter to average users, but could be a point of pain for brands or influencers.
No Search
Threads users can search for accounts but not posts, making it difficult to discover content that isn’t boosted by the algorithm or from accounts a user already follows. It could also make it more difficult for those who are used to using Twitter as a source of news and may be seeking out information on a specific event or topic.
Threads also doesn’t support hashtags, which are often used to explore similar content.
No Direct Messages
Threads doesn’t allow direct messages between users, instead directing people back to Instagram. While this could theoretically cut down on spam and abuse, both long-standing problems at Twitter, it could be a downside for those who may want to connect with people on one of Meta’s apps but not the other.