Published , by Donovan Erskine
Published , by Donovan Erskine
Reddit recently introduced a major change to its API policy, revoking free access and introducing a paywall. As a result, it’s become harder for third-party apps that operate on that API to function. This includes Apollo, a popular third-party app that adds quality-of-life features and a visual redesign. The app’s creator has announced that Apollo will cease operations at the end of the month.
Apollo creator Christian Selig announced in a Reddit post that Apollo will be shutting down on June 30, 2023. This comes as a result of Reddit’s decision to put access to its API behind a paywall. “Reddit’s recent decisions and actions have unfortunately made it impossible for Apollo to continue. Thank you so, so much for all the support over the years.” He explains that given the rate of $0.24 per 1,000 API calls, as things currently stand, it would cost $20 million a year to keep operating the app.
Selig first created the Apollo app back in 2015. In 2021, the app received an Editor’s Choice award on the iOS App Store. Reddit first announced the changes to its API in April this year, though Selig states that the pricing information was not shared until weeks later. He states that he has been in communications with Reddit, but those talks have “deteriorated to an ugly point.”
The whole ordeal echoes what happened at Twitter following the Elon Musk takeover. After paywalling its API, several third-party apps ceased operations, including Tweetbot. It’s currently unclear what Christian Selig plans to do next, but we’ll keep an eye out for his next endeavor, as well as how Reddit’s new API model effects other applications and services.