Apollo for Reddit’s future in doubt over expensive API modifications.

If you’re acquainted with Reddit, you’ve likely encountered the Apollo for Reddit app. Nevertheless, its fate is uncertain due to Reddit’s revised API pricing. Christian Selig, the app’s creator, recently disclosed on Twitter that he engaged in discussions with Reddit regarding the new pricing. According to Selig, the updated policy would require an annual payment of $20 million for apps like Apollo to maintain API access.

Reddit recently elucidated their new API pricing in a detailed post, reminiscent of their usual extensive style. The company asserted that the pricing structure aligns with Twitter’s, which drew substantial criticism from users who preferred third-party clients like Tweetbot and Twitterrific. Twitter eventually took a more drastic measure by prohibiting these third-party clients from accessing their API, leading to the downfall of those ventures. In response, the owner of Tweetbot shifted focus and introduced Ivory for Mastodon.

According to Apollo’s team, the updated API pricing established by Reddit would incur an annual cost of around $20 million for the company.

According to the information provided by Apollo’s team, the app registered an astounding 7 billion requests in the preceding month. This equates to roughly $1.7 million monthly or $20 million annually. Even when considering only subscription users, an average Apollo user generates about 344 requests per day. This results in a monthly expense of $2.50, more than double the current subscription fee, rendering it financially unsustainable.

Selig shared his perspective, noting that Reddit has maintained open and respectful communication during the process, involving several productive phone calls. However, he views the pricing as completely detached from reality and far from reasonable. He emphasized his lack of access to such a substantial sum and expressed uncertainty about handling such a massive charge on a credit card.

If Reddit goes ahead with the suggested pricing change, it could lead to the vanishing of the Apollo for Reddit app, akin to the fate of Tweetbot and Twitterrific clients on Twitter. Nonetheless, an alternative outcome may arise if Reddit reevaluates its decision or if Apollo modifies its pricing approach and successfully attracts paying users.