Bluesky+ Unveiled: What’s Inside the Optional Subscription Plan?

Bluesky is beginning to outline its optional subscription model, leaning more toward a community-centric approach like Discord, rather than following X's controversial path.

A First Glimpse at Bluesky+ Features

In October, Bluesky announced its plans to introduce an optional paid subscription system. While the platform remains free and open-source for now, it aims to generate revenue by enhancing the experience for its most active users. Unlike X, Bluesky appears intent on avoiding the pitfalls of prioritizing paying subscribers over others.

A recent mockup shared on Bluesky’s GitHub page gives insight into what Bluesky+ might look like.

Indicative Mockup Details

Bluesky emphasizes that the features shown in the mockup are placeholders, meant to demonstrate the subscription page’s layout. While nothing is official yet, some of these features are likely to make it into the final version.

Potential Perks for Subscribers:

Higher-quality video uploads: Subscribers may be able to share larger and better-quality videos.
Profile customization: Options to tweak profile colors and frames could be included.
Profile badges: A distinctive badge to signify subscription status.
App icon customization: The ability to change the Bluesky app icon.
Direct post translation: A feature similar to what is offered by tools like deck.blue.
Post analytics: Detailed performance insights for posts.
Organized favorites: Folders to categorize and save favorite posts.

These features could attract professionals and heavy users looking to maximize their platform experience.

The Controversial Profile Badge

Bluesky has recently announced plans to simplify identity verification on its platform. Currently, users verify themselves by linking their profile to their own domain. However, the mockup raises questions about whether the badge and identity verification might become exclusive to Bluesky+ subscribers. If so, this could spark criticism from users who value equal access to such features.

No Preferential Treatment for Subscribers

Unlike X, Bluesky has no intention of giving priority to posts from paid subscribers. Even if the subscription is priced similarly to X (around $8 per month or $72 annually), the platform seems committed to maintaining fairness in content visibility.

When Will Bluesky+ Launch?

While there’s no official release date yet, Bluesky will likely aim to roll out Bluesky+ soon to capitalize on its recent surge in activity. With record-breaking user growth in November and December, the platform needs to keep its momentum going.

Bluesky+ represents an exciting evolution for the platform, but how it balances monetization with user satisfaction will determine its success.