How X Starterpacks, a platform-curated follow lists could reshape discovery and audience growth

X Starterpacks represents the company’s latest effort to streamline following, accelerate relevance, and boost retention on the platform. The feature provides pre-curated groups of accounts that users, especially newcomers, can follow in bulk with one click. 

For niche verticals like crypto and AI, it offers a faster path into coherent conversations that are often overwhelming for beginners. At the same time, it raises concerns about centralised influence, visibility, and long-term ecosystem dynamics.

X did not necessarily invent this, it formalises a long-standing user behaviour: sharing “who to follow” threads, pinned lists, or manual recommendations. The platform is now productising a version of it with zero friction and one-click bulk follows, though under tight platform control.

The push aligns with X’s focus on relevance and keeping users engaged longer. Starterpacks function more as foundational infrastructure than a gimmick.

On January 21, 2026, Nikita Bier, X’s head of product,announced that Starterpacks will roll out to all users in the coming weeks. 

The company spent months researching and compiling lists of top accounts across niches and countries, resulting in over 1,000 pre-made categories covering topics like crypto, Bitcoin, news, politics, fashion, technology, business/finance, and region-specific interests.

How X Starterpacks actually work

Unlike user-generated equivalents on other platforms, X Starterpacks are curated entirely by the company. X staff “scoured the world for the top posters in every niche and country”, prioritising quality accounts, big and small, to help new users quickly build a relevant feed.

During onboarding for new or returning/inactive users, people select interests, and the system suggests or auto-applies these curated packs. Users see the list of recommended accounts and can follow them all at once with a single action while retaining the option to deselect individuals. The default encourages following the full set to jump-start personalisation.

Packs appear integrated into discovery flows rather than as standalone user-published items. They help the algorithm gain early signals to refine recommendations faster.

X Starterpacks and discoverability

The feature acts as a force multiplier for visibility. Accounts included in popular packs can gain followers in bulk from newcomers trusting X’s curation, potentially spiking reach overnight, which is especially valuable in noisy spaces like crypto, where bad actors abound and poor initial follows can derail engagement.

Conversely, curation concentrates decisions in X’s hands. A small set of internal choices determines who surfaces prominently, which could reinforce established networks, sideline emerging or dissenting voices, and shape reputational hierarchies at scale.

How this compares to other platforms

X draws clear inspiration from Bluesky’s Starter Packs, launched in 2024, which let any user curate and share packs – up to 50 accounts – with shareable links or QR codes, helping bootstrap communities during growth. X’s version flips this: platform-curated only, emphasising vetted “best” accounts over user judgement.

Traditional Twitter/X Lists were passive; you could subscribe without following members. Starterpacks eliminate that gap for bulk follows.

Similar curation appears elsewhere: Spotify collaborative playlists, Reddit multireddits, YouTube recommendations, or even Threads/Mastodon experiments with suggested profiles. Instagram and TikTok lean algorithmic, with lighter creator tools.

What distinguishes X’s approach is the platform’s direct role in lending judgement, transferring trust from X to the curated accounts, rather than from individual users. 

Whether this fosters healthier, more diverse communities or entrenches echo chambers and gatekeeping will depend on curation quality, transparency, and evolution over time. As with much on X, the tool is neutral; outcomes remain to be seen.

Also read: “Better than X”: Ryanair CEO mocks Elon Musk over Twitter returns

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