The Busy Brains
3 Jun 2023
Discover the latest updates on Reddit's API pricing, as Apollo's developer shares details about the potential financial impact on their popular Reddit client. Learn about the significant costs involved and the implications for app subscriptions and developer flexibility.
In a move reminiscent of Twitter, Reddit recently announced its decision to implement charges for API access starting from June 19. This decision received mixed reactions from developers, with Apollo's developer expressing concerns despite assurances from Reddit about reasonable pricing.
However, recent information shared by Apollo developer Christian Selig on Reddit sheds light on the upcoming API pricing structure. According to Selig, Reddit informed him that they would impose a charge of $12,000 for every 50 million requests. Considering Apollo's previous usage of 7 billion requests in a month, this would translate to an astonishing cost of approximately $1.7 million per month or $20 million per year for the developer.
Selig further reveals that, on average, each Apollo user generates 344 requests per day. Even if the app retains its subscription users, the proposed pricing would amount to a monthly cost of $2.50 per user, surpassing the current subscription price and representing a 20-fold increase compared to the average revenue generated by an individual user for Reddit.
While Selig has not made any immediate plans to shut down Apollo, he emphasizes the need for careful consideration due to Reddit's inflexibility regarding pricing adjustments.
The impact of Reddit's API pricing policy on app developers raises concerns about the financial viability of maintaining popular Reddit clients such as Apollo. The significant costs involved may necessitate reevaluating subscription models and exploring alternative solutions for sustaining these valuable apps.