Twitter vs Threads Key Differences on Two Microblogging Platforms

Twitter vs Threads: Meta has officially released Threads, its much-anticipated microblogging platform. Instagram users have enthusiastically embraced the new app. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that Threads surpassed 10 million sign-ups within 7 hours of launch. Available for both iOS and Android, the application is poised to compete directly with Elon Musk’s Twitter platform.

While some reports note similarities between Threads and Twitter, there are important distinctions that can help users decide which site better suits their needs. Key differences between Threads and Twitter include:

Character Limit – 280 or Unlimited?

The character limit is an important distinguishing feature between Threads and Twitter.

Twitter restricts tweets to 280 characters, forcing users to be concise and impactful with their writing. If a tweet exceeds 280 characters, a user must either continue in the same thread or start a new one. However, verified users have a higher limit of 25,000 characters per tweet.

In contrast, Threads allows up to 500 characters per post, giving users more room for self-expression. Though higher, the limit is still short enough to encourage succinct writing.

The difference in character limits reflects the two platform’s divergent philosophies:

• Twitter emerged as a pure microblogging service where brevity was prioritized. The 140-character limit when it launched in 2006 highlighted this ethos. The increase to 280 characters in 2017 only marginally expanded self-expression.
• Threads, on the other hand, started with a higher limit aimed at facilitating slightly longer form posts. Though still focused on quick commenting, the limit of 500 characters gives users more leeway for detailed writing.

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#Hashtags: The Social Glue That Binds Users Together

Threads currently does not support the use of hashtags on its platform. Hashtags can only be used on Twitter and Instagram, not Threads. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has acknowledged that Threads is still in an early stage of development. However, the lack of hashtags makes the platform irrelevant for both brands and regular users who are accustomed to using hashtags on social media.

Hashtags are an essential feature for many users and businesses to organize posts, reach wider audiences and join relevant conversations on social media.

Account Creation – Sign Up or Log In?

Threads requires users to have an existing Instagram account in order to create a Threads account. When setting up a Threads account, users must select their Instagram account, linking the two platforms.

This prerequisite of having an Instagram account may be both advantageous and disadvantageous for Threads:

Advantage:

It gives Threads instant access to Instagram’s large existing user base, providing an initial influx of users for the new platform.

Disadvantage:

It restricts Threads’ potential audience to only those who already have Instagram accounts. People without Instagram cannot sign up for Threads.

In contrast, Twitter allows users to sign up directly through its own standalone platform. It does not require an account on another Meta-owned app like Instagram. This makes Twitter potentially more accessible to a wider range of users.

What’s Trending – What’s Hot vs What’s Next

Twitter has a dedicated “Trending” tab that shows users the hashtags and topics that are currently trending and going viral on the platform. This gives users a real-time pulse on what’s happening in the world and what people are talking about. The trending topics feature is arguably one of Twitter’s most used and well-known components.

In contrast, Threads does not currently have an equivalent feature that surfaces trending hashtags and topics for users. The only way for users to discover what’s popular and generating buzz on Threads is by scrolling through their feed of accounts they follow, similar to how feeds work on Instagram. There is no centralized place on Threads to see what’s trending.

Following List – Curating Your Circle

On Threads, there is no dedicated “Following” list or tab that shows all the accounts a user follows. The only way to view your following list on Threads is to first tap the “Followers” tab and then view the “Following” section within that.

Threads also has a “Pending” section where users can see accounts they have requested to follow but that have not yet accepted.

In contrast, Twitter has separate “Followers” and “Following” tabs that clearly show the accounts that follow a user and the accounts a user follows, respectively.

User Experience – Tweet Life vs Thread Life

On Threads, users simply tap the “New Thread” button and then start writing their text. They also have the option to add attachments and set privacy preferences for that specific thread. The process is straightforward and simple.

On Twitter, users tap the “+” icon and then begin writing their tweet. The process is virtually identical to how Threads works.

Account Deletion – Delete or Deactivate?

On Threads, deleting your account is actually not possible without also deleting your linked Instagram account. This means that signing up for Threads essentially means signing an “all-in deal” with no option to leave the platform without also leaving Instagram.

Many people may find this requirement frustrating or restrictive since it effectively traps them on Threads if they want to keep their Instagram account. The passage states this aspect of Threads has “ruffled feathers” and caused dissatisfaction for some users.

In contrast, Twitter makes it very simple to deactivate or delete your account. You can temporarily deactivate your account and if you don’t reactivate it within 30 days, it will be permanently deleted. There is a clear option to leave the platform without impacting any other accounts.

Retweets and Reposts – Sharing the Social Love

On Twitter, you can “retweet” a post either as it is or with your own comment added. This essentially shares the tweet with your followers.

On Threads, the equivalent feature is called “repost”, but it works the same way. You can repost a thread either as it is or with a quote of your own. This shares the thread with your followers.

Username Rights – @username Battles

On Threads, your username is directly linked to your Instagram account. This means you cannot change your Threads username independently – you can only change it if you also change your Instagram username. Your Threads and Instagram usernames are essentially synced.

In contrast, Twitter’s usernames have no such linkage to any other accounts. On Twitter, you can freely change your username at any time without it impacting any other social profiles you may have.

Security and Privacy – Approaches to Data Protection

On Threads, muting a word not only hides posts containing that word, but also hides any comments or replies with that word. This gives users a more comprehensive filter, shielding them from unwanted language throughout the entire conversation thread.

In contrast, Twitter’s mute feature only hides the original tweet containing the muted word – it does not extend to comments and replies. So the mute only applies to the initial post, not the entire discussion around it.

Scope of Search – Finding the Social Needle

On Twitter, users can search for not only accounts but also hashtags and specific tweets. This allows users to find content on any topic by searching for relevant hashtags or keywords within tweets. Twitter’s search covers accounts, hashtags and tweets.

In contrast, the scope of search on Threads is much more limited currently. On Threads, users can only search for accounts – they cannot search for hashtags or specific tweets. This restricts the types of queries users can make and the amount of content they can discover through search. Threads’ search covers only accounts.

Video Limit – Lengthy Videos vs Limited Clips

Threads allows users to upload videos of up to 5 minutes in length. This is a fairly generous limit that can accommodate many types of video content.

In contrast, Twitter only allows videos up to 2 minutes and 20 seconds. This is a much stricter limit, likely due to Twitter’s original focus on short-form, real-time updates.

Blue Badge – Verification Distinctions

On both Twitter and Instagram, obtaining a blue verified badge typically requires applying and paying a fee. The badge serves as an indicator of authenticity and notability for a user’s profile.

However, Threads takes a different approach. If a user’s Instagram account is already verified with a blue badge, that verification automatically carries over to their Threads account at no additional cost.

This means that Threads users do not have to separately apply for verification or pay any fee – as long as their linked Instagram account is already verified, their Threads profile will also be verified.

Post Drafting – Planning Your Social Post

The draft feature allows people to collect and organize their thoughts before posting. This can help produce more coherent and comprehensive final posts. Twitter already has a draft feature, but Threads currently does not. Having the option to save a draft and come back to it later gives the writer a chance to revisit with a fresh perspective and catch any mistakes or areas for improvement before final publication. 

Drafts can prevent accidental publication of unfinished posts since the writer must consciously publish from a draft instead of posting immediately.

Availability – Phone Access Only vs Multi-Device

Many social media users, including some Threads and Twitter users, prefer to access these platforms from computers or laptops rather than just smartphones.

Twitter understood this need and made their platform accessible from all types of devices – smartphones, tablets, laptops and computers. This allows people to use Twitter in the way that suits them best.

In contrast, Threads is currently only accessible from smartphones and tablets. It does not have a desktop or laptop version.

This limited accessibility of Threads means that some users who prefer using social media from a computer are unable to properly engage with the Threads platform.

Device accessibility across laptops/computers and mobile devices has become an important consideration and differentiator for social media platforms. Twitter has supported this for longer while Threads currently only supports mobile access.

Messaging – DMs vs Comments

Direct messaging between users and their followers is an important feature for most social media platforms today. It allows for more personal and targeted communication beyond public posts and comments.

Twitter offers a direct messaging feature that allows users to have private conversations and share media with their followers. This is a core part of the Twitter experience.

In contrast, Threads currently does not have a direct messaging feature. Users can only communicate through public comments on posts, but cannot send private messages.

The lack of a direct messaging feature limits the ways users can interact and communicate on Threads. It does not offer the same level of personal communication as platforms like Twitter that do have direct messaging.

For many social media users, direct messaging has become an expected feature that enhances the experience and functionality of a platform. Threads is currently missing this commonly available feature.

Advertisement – Money Matters

Currently, Threads does not show any advertisements to users. However, this is likely only a temporary situation due to the platform still being in its early stages.

Meta (the parent company of Threads) has indicated that advertisements may eventually appear on Threads, similar to the ads shown on other Meta platforms like Facebook and Instagram.

In contrast, Twitter has utilized advertisements on its platform for a longer time. There are various ad formats on Twitter, including Promoted Ads, Follower Ads and Trend Takeover ads.

Even verified users see advertisements on Twitter, showing that ads have become an important and integrated part of the Twitter experience and business model.

Advertisements are likely to become a part of Threads’ business model at some point as the platform grows and requires additional revenue sources beyond user data. However, for now Threads users are enjoying an ad-free experience.

Twitter vs Threads – FAQs