Apollo, a extensively used third-party app for Reddit, has introduced that will probably be shutting down on June 30, 2023, as a direct consequence of Reddit’s just lately introduced modifications in its API pricing, in line with TechCrunch. The brand new pricing plans would require Apollo to pay a staggering $20 million yearly to proceed working, an not possible value for an unbiased developer. Christian Selig, the creator of Apollo, was one of many first to boost issues in regards to the affect of Reddit’s new API pricing on third-party apps. Even when Apollo had been to change to a subscription-based mannequin, it might nonetheless be unable to maintain itself beneath the brand new pointers. The outcry from the app’s consumer group has prompted a site-wide protest, with a number of main Reddit communities planning to go darkish to specific their discontent with Reddit’s choice.
Reddit initially revealed its plans to revise API pricing to The New York Instances, framing it as a measure to forestall corporations from freely utilizing Reddit’s huge on-line discussion board as a useful resource for coaching their AI methods. Whereas Reddit has claimed that the modifications should not meant to eradicate third-party apps.
After discussions with Reddit, Selig determined that operating the app can be financially unsustainable.
“To place it merely, 50 million requests would value $12,000, a determine far past something I may have imagined,” Selig acknowledged on the Apollo app’s subreddit final week. “Apollo had 7 billion requests final month, which might quantity to roughly $1.7 million per 30 days or $20 million per yr. I’m deeply upset by this pricing, as Reddit had promised it might be truthful and never resemble Twitter’s mannequin.”
Beneath new possession by Elon Musk, Twitter’s API worth hikes led to the demise of quite a few smaller tasks, startups, useful bots, and third-party purchasers. Even researchers and lecturers had been affected, leading to extreme criticism of Twitter for prioritising greed over its developer group.
The Reddit group is now witnessing an identical pattern on its platform, which has sparked anger and frustration. In protest towards these modifications, a number of subreddits are organizing a blackout on June 12. These communities collectively have hundreds of thousands of subscribers, and a complete of two,740 subreddits, encompassing over 1.31 billion customers.
Immediately, Selig introduced the everlasting closure of Apollo, because the app now not has a viable future beneath Reddit’s new pricing construction.
