In spite of the objections raised by Reddit users, Reddit has proceeded with its decision to impose a substantial fee on developers of third-party apps for accessing its API (application programming interface). Consequently, a number of well-liked apps have ceased to exist as of July 1.
Which third-party Reddit apps have ceased operation?
Among the prominent third-party apps that have shut down is Apollo. Christian Selig, the developer of Apollo, disclosed that Reddit demanded a payment of $20 million per year for API access. (Reddit intended to charge $12,000 for every 50 million API requests.)
Expressing gratitude to users prior to Apollo’s closure in a Reddit post, Selig remarked, “If [Reddit] truly desired something that would work for everyone, they would have simply made an effort to listen instead of resorting to dishonest, uncaring, and punitive pricing.” Many comments on the post indicate that users will delete their accounts and discontinue using Reddit now that Apollo is no longer available.
The Android equivalent of Apollo, reddit is fun (RIF), has also shut down. In its farewell post, RIF concurred with Selig’s sentiments and criticized Reddit’s “hostile treatment of developers building on their platform.”
In the aftermath of Reddit’s API policy, other apps that have ceased operation include BaconReader, which released its final update on Android on June 27, and Sync for Reddit, which will potentially migrate to the alternative platform Lemmy.
Which third-party Reddit apps will continue to function?
Several third-party Reddit apps will remain usable, but they will come with a price to offset Reddit’s API charges. However, the API restriction imposed by Reddit on NSFW (Not Safe for Work) content will still apply to any remaining third-party apps when the changes take effect on July 5.
Relay for Reddit will continue its operations and remain free for now. However, its developer DBrady stated in a Reddit post that Relay will transition to a subscription-based model in the upcoming weeks, although efforts will be made to keep the price as low as possible. As of now, DBrady mentioned that the pro version of Relay will be accessible for free until the subscription model is introduced.
Narwhal for Reddit is set to persist and undergo a subscription-based approach. Rick Harrison, the app’s developer, assured users in a post that it will retain its functionality without ads and will be available for a price ranging from $4 to $7. Similarly, Miloco, the developer of Now for Reddit and Nara for Reddit, announced their transition to subscription models, but pricing details are yet to be disclosed. Interestingly, accessibility-focused apps have been granted an exemption from Reddit’s new pricing policy, as reported by The Verge.
As reported by The Verge, Reddit did exempt accessibility-focused apps from the new pricing policy. TechCrunch reported that users of the subreddit r/Blind compiled a list of apps that aid in Reddit’s accessibility, such as screen readers like Reddit for Blind, Luna for Reddit, and Dystopia. Dystopia, in a post, confirmed its commitment to continue operating for free.
RedReader also received an exemption for accessibility purposes, although the moderators of r/Blind mentioned that they are facing significant difficulties signing in. Other apps on r/Blind’s list included the now-defunct BaconReader and Apollo, both of which worked with various iOS accessibility technologies.