Apollo, a broadly used third-party utility for Reddit, has introduced that it’ll shut down on June 30, 2023, as a direct results of Reddit’s just lately introduced adjustments to its API pricing, based on TechCrunch. The brand new pricing plans would require Apollo to pay $20 million a yr to proceed working, an unaffordable value for an impartial developer. Apollo’s creator, Christian Selig, was one of many first to specific concern in regards to the impression of Reddit’s new API pricing on third-party apps. Even when Apollo had been to modify to a subscription-based mannequin, it will be unable to maintain itself underneath the brand new tips. Outrage from the app’s consumer group has led to site-wide protests, with a number of giant Reddit communities planning to go darkish to specific their displeasure with Reddit’s resolution.
Reddit initially introduced its plans to enhance API pricing New York Occasions, is framed as a transfer to forestall firms from freely utilizing Reddit’s large on-line discussion board as a useful resource for coaching their AI programs. Whereas Reddit has claimed that the adjustments aren’t meant to get rid of third-parties purposes.
After discussions with Reddit, Selig determined that operating the app can be financially unsustainable.
“Merely put, 50 million requests would value $12,000, which is much more than I may have imagined,” Selig mentioned on the Apollo App subreddit final week. “Apollo had 7 billion requests final month, which might be about $1.7 million per thirty days or $20 million per yr. I am very disenchanted with these costs, as Reddit promised it will be truthful and never like Twitter’s mannequin. “
Elon Musk, Twitter underneath new possession API The value hike killed numerous small tasks, startups, useful bots and third-party shoppers. Researchers and teachers had been additionally affected, leading to Twitter being closely criticized for prioritizing greed over its developer group.
The Reddit group is now witnessing an identical development on its platform, which has sparked anger and frustration. In protest of those adjustments, some subreddits are planning a blackout on June 12. These communities collectively have tens of millions of subscribers, and a complete of two,740 subreddits, comprising greater than 1.31 billion customers.
As we speak, Selig introduced the everlasting shutdown of Apollo, because the app no longer has a viable future underneath Reddit’s new pricing construction.
