Reddit may force 3rd party apps to shut down, asks for $12k api access fees.

6pack

ex-Mod
Source: https://9to5mac.com/2023/05/31/reddit-may-force-apollo-and-third-party-clients-to-shut-down/


In a new Reddit thread, Apollo developer Christian Selig has shared details about what Reddit is saying it will cost to use the updated API. Apollo has become one of the most feature-rich and popular Reddit clients over the past years. But now its future may be in trouble. Indie dev Christian Selig shared the details of what he’s up against on Reddit after multiple phone calls with the platform regarding the cost of its updated API.

After reassuring Christian that the new API pricing would be “reasonable and based in reality” and that Reddit “would not operate like Twitter,” it sounds like the company is doing a 180 or has very different ideas about what “reasonable” and “based in reality” mean.

Reddit told Christian the new cost would be $12,000 per 50 million requests. Since Apollo does about 7 billion requests per month, that comes out to ~$1.7 million per month or $20 million per year for Apollo’s API access. Christian notes that “Even if I only keep subscription users” those numbers would necessitate double the subscription cost of Apollo just to break even, let alone earn any income.

Damn. Reddit is going the Twitter way of doing things. After killing all the third party apps, they will become far left (or is it right?) and probably push some crazy agenda on their viewers. You already see death and gore on that site now which was banned before. So if you put 2+2 together, what's happening on Twitter now ( fake profiles, pushing controversial topics etc) will soon show up on reddit.

Edit: related to this. Apparently this api pricing starts 1st July 2023. So just a month left for most users to go away.

 
Last edited:
Source: https://9to5mac.com/2023/05/31/reddit-may-force-apollo-and-third-party-clients-to-shut-down/








Damn. Reddit is going the Twitter way of doing things. After killing all the third party apps, they will become far left (or is it right?) and probably push some crazy agenda on their viewers. You already see death and gore on that site now which was banned before. So if you put 2+2 together, what's happening on Twitter now ( fake profiles, pushing controversial topics etc) will soon show up on reddit.
Chat GPT effect!
 
Apollo, Reddit is Fun, and some other unofficial reddit apps have decided to shut down on June 30th. Probably rest of the 3rd party apps will follow soon. End of reddit as we know it now. People have started deleting their accounts in protest.
 
? Didn't get the meaning.
Websites like Reddit, forums etc are a large source of public knowledge, created and curated by human beings without a definite profit motive.
This is valuable data and used to train models like ChatGPT which will then monetize the model.
Google used to show some information on its page but redirected the user to the source in most cases, ChatGPT does not.
Creators / aggregators have no way to monetize their own content. So, most websites are now limiting API access to 3rd parties to force them to pay. 3rd party apps are a collateral casualty.
 
Websites like Reddit, forums etc are a large source of public knowledge, created and curated by human beings without a definite profit motive.
This is valuable data and used to train models like ChatGPT which will then monetize the model.
Google used to show some information on its page but redirected the user to the source in most cases, ChatGPT does not.
Creators / aggregators have no way to monetize their own content. So, most websites are now limiting API access to 3rd parties to force them to pay. 3rd party apps are a collateral casualty.
Maybe, but Reddit themselves said this policy was taken wrt to make people shift to their official app. They are planning an IPO soon and they are charging such rates to inflate their earnings.
 
How is the experience with the patches ?
everything works just like vanced.
however in the newer yt app , there is an issue ,while using background play if u turn off ur screen the video playback will stop after 5 mins.
Apparently this is also faced by people with premium membership in official yt app.
 
Noob question. Isn’t the official app good enough for most users? What value do these 3rd party apps bring? Twitter official app is pathetic and full of ads so not having 3rd party app there was pita.
 
everything works just like vanced.
however in the newer yt app , there is an issue ,while using background play if u turn off ur screen the video playback will stop after 5 mins.
Apparently this is also faced by people with premium membership in official yt app.
I was referring to the official Reddit app and not Youtube. There are patches for that in the Revanced patches repo.
 
lol, didnt even know that exists.
They do and I may end up using them if Redreader stops working. It lists all the ills that can be rid off from the official app.
 

Attachments

  • Screenshot_20230609-132757.png
    Screenshot_20230609-132757.png
    176.4 KB · Views: 81
Noob question. Isn’t the official app good enough for most users? What value do these 3rd party apps bring? Twitter official app is pathetic and full of ads so not having 3rd party app there was pita.
Mainly Ads then auto play , download option , multiple account usage at once these are some of the features which are needed .

Sad that this guy is shutting down his app soon .

 
This is the end of the internet as we knew till now. Now everyone is trying to keep their gardens closed and forcing us to use an app to access. Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Discord, Mastodon, Lemmy. None of these can be searched via search engines. First blogs died, then forums, and now even the social media is dying.
 
Reddy CEO ama on the topic of charging for API access

Reddit ama

Can you believe this graph? Supposed to be top 10 apps usage according to reddit but they are not naming the apps.
api-update-enterprise-level-tier-for-large-scale-v0-kfejv14ss83b1.png


Reddit CEO doubles down on attack on Apollo developer in drama-filled AMA

Edit: had lot of trouble with this post. Posting any reddit link made it into a Media link for some unknown reason and the link got lost. Plus Firefox on mobile is a pita when trying to edit a post because the text window keeps jumping here and there.
 
Last edited:
Reddy CEO ama on the topic of charging for API access

Reddit ama

Can you believe this graph? Supposed to be top 10 apps usage according to reddit but they are not naming the apps.
View attachment 170387


Reddit CEO doubles down on attack on Apollo developer in drama-filled AMA

Edit: had lot of trouble with this post. Posting any reddit link made it into a Media link for some unknown reason and the link got lost. Plus Firefox on mobile is a pita when trying to edit a post because the text window keeps jumping here and there.

Spez is just a ****ing liar now. He's mad that Christian recorded the call (legal in Canada), and posted it for all when Spez started targeting him.
They absolutely don't want any 3rd party app to exist - as simple as that. Twitter said it directly, Reddit is doing it indirectly.
Also that AMA is straight up bullshit. He's only answering pre determined questions by super mods. Even got caught and edited his post. Lol.
There is a comment which I think captured exactly what's happening. Spez has posted the AMA from a future point of view. In case of investor issues or court cases, reddit can say they tried to reach out to community and dev community in good faith, but people starting targeting and attacking them.
Look at his other comments on the thread - guy is just blaming 3rd party devs as much as possible, even after Apollo dev provided all the details on API use etc.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top