Bluesky struck a chord with users when it introduced “Starter Packs,” curated lists of accounts that make it easier to find interesting people to follow. The feature quickly became one of the most practical ways to help newcomers (and even longtime users) build a better feed fast. Now, X is preparing to launch a similar idea of its own.
X’s head of product, Nikita Bier, said the Elon Musk-owned platform will soon roll out “Starterpacks,” a set of curated follow lists designed to connect users with accounts that match their interests. The goal is simple: make it easier to discover quality voices across popular categories like News, Politics, Fashion, Technology, Business and Finance, Health and Fitness, Gaming, Stocks, Memes, and more.
There’s a key difference in how these lists are built. On Bluesky, Starter Packs can be created and shared by anyone, which means they often reflect real communities and personal recommendations made by users who know the space. X’s version, however, is being created internally. According to Bier, the company spent the past several months using its own data to identify what it considers top posters across different niches and countries, then compiled those accounts into Starterpacks.
Bier indicated the feature will begin rolling out to all X users in the coming weeks.
While the format may feel new again thanks to Bluesky, suggested follow lists have long been part of X’s DNA, dating back to the early Twitter era. Twitter grew as an interest-based network where many people weren’t primarily looking for friends and family—they were looking for smart commentary, breaking news, niche expertise, and entertaining personalities. Suggested accounts were an onboarding shortcut that helped people quickly find conversations they cared about.
That system also came with controversy. Being included on early suggested user lists could send an account’s follower count skyrocketing, giving some users a huge advantage and sparking criticism that the approach was unfair. In response, Twitter later shifted away from editorial selection and moved toward algorithm-driven recommendations.
X isn’t the only platform borrowing from the Starter Pack playbook. Threads has experimented with similar curated lists to help users discover accounts to follow, surfacing them during sign-up and within the main feed. Mastodon has also been working on its own “Packs” concept to make onboarding easier and help users find their people faster.
The big takeaway is clear: as social platforms fight to improve discovery and retain users, curated follow lists are becoming a go-to solution. Whether they’re built by communities or by internal data teams, Starter Packs-style features aim to solve the same problem—helping people quickly create a feed that feels relevant, personal, and worth coming back to.
