X will pay creators via

X is shaking up how it pays creators. After months of tweaks to its revenue-sharing scheme—widely seen as inconsistent and difficult for smaller accounts to navigate—the platform says it’s ending that controversial model and rolling out a new program called Original Content Rewards on September 8.

For everyday users, the change is largely invisible. But for creators trying to build income through posting, it could meaningfully alter what gets rewarded, how much effort is required to qualify, and whether the platform’s monetization path is worth the grind.

What X is changing

X’s previous revenue-sharing program has been revised repeatedly since Elon Musk took over, leaving creators to adjust to new rules and shifting payout logic. The company’s latest move replaces that approach with a rewards system tied more directly to how often original posts appear in the Home Timeline feed—and whether those impressions come from paying subscribers.

In other words, X is trying to funnel money toward posts it considers original and toward users who are already paying for Premium. It’s a familiar pattern across the creator economy, but the specific thresholds and definitions will determine who actually benefits.

Product overview: a mobile-first monetization system

X is still fundamentally a consumer app, but its monetization mechanics are increasingly shaped by how the service behaves on phones. Most creator discovery, engagement, and distribution happens in the X mobile experience—where