Reddit API pricing fallout: Apollo to shutdown and blackout call
Reddit's new API pricing has been quite controversial, with developers of many third-party Reddit apps calling it threatening to their apps' survival. Apollo, the most popular Reddit app on iOS, and Reddit have been going at each other over the new pricing. Now, Apollo has decided to shut down operations on June 30. Let's take a look at the brewing controversy between them.
Why does this story matter?
Third-party apps have contributed significantly to Reddit's success. The site has always lacked something and third-party apps have helped plug those holes. Therefore, the company's decision to charge apps for API access has irked both developers and Redditors. Many argue that the new pricing is very steep, but Reddit says it isn't. We will have to wait and see how this controversy ends.
Apollo could be charged $20mn/year for API access
Reddit plans to charge $12,000 per 50 million API requests. Last week, Apollo's creator Christain Selig said the company could charge him as much as $20 million a year considering the app made seven billion requests last month. "I'm deeply disappointed in this price," Selig wrote on Reddit. He said the pricing was neither based in reality nor remotely reasonable.
A Reddit employee called Apollo 'less efficient'
Reddit's response to Selig was not subtle at all. A Reddit employee called Apollo inefficient. "Apollo as an app is less efficient than its peers and at times has been excessive—probably because it has been free to be so," they wrote. However, other third-party Reddit apps like 'Reddit is Fun' and 'Narwahl' have also expressed similar opinions about the new API pricing.
Apollo cannot continue amid Reddit's recent decisions and actions: Selig
Apollo has had multiple conversations with Reddit about the new pricing policy to no end. As a result, the app has decided to shut down. "Reddit's recent decisions and actions have unfortunately made it impossible for Apollo to continue," Selig wrote on Reddit. He added that going from free API for eight years to about $20 million per year is not "economically feasible."
Selig pushed back against Reddit's inefficiency and blackmail claims
Selig also pushed back against claims that Apollo is "less efficient." He said Reddit is "unfairly framing" its data to make Apollo look bad. He also posted links to a partial audio clip and transcript of the call he had with a Reddit employee. He did this to address internal Reddit claims of Apollo blackmailing the company for $10 million.
Thousands of Reddit communities will go dark in protest
Meanwhile, thousands of Reddit communities have decided to protest against Reddit's new API pricing. On June 12, some of the biggest communities, including r/videos, r/reactinggifs, and r/lifeprotips, among others, will set themselves to private. If a subreddit becomes private or goes dark, the wider public will not be able to access it. The protest will go on for 48 hours.
Moderators rely on third-party tools to manage communities
If third-party apps stop operation due to the new API pricing, it will be particularly problematic for subreddit moderators. They use many tools offered by apps other than the official app to manage their communities. Reddit's attempts at allaying their fears haven't been successful. With the new API pricing coming into force on July 1, things are about to get heated on Reddit.
