In May 2023, Christian Selig, the developer behind the Apollo app, revealed that Reddit was demanding $12,000 for a mere 50 million requests. However, given the vast number of users relying on Apollo, this would convert into an astronomical $20 million annual charge.
In a shocking announcement today, Christian Selig, the developer behind the immensely popular third-party Reddit app Apollo, revealed that the app will be shutting down permanently on June 30th, 2023. The devastating news comes as a direct result of Reddit’s decision to impose exorbitant fees on developers seeking access to its API.
Selig expressed his dismay in late May, disclosing that Reddit was demanding an astonishing $12,000 for a mere 50 million requests. Given the vast number of users relying on Apollo, this would translate into an astronomical $20 million annual charge—a financial burden too substantial for Selig to bear.
Despite vehement protests from the Reddit community, including users and moderators who heavily depend on third-party apps, Reddit has remained unwavering in its pricing strategy. Consequently, Apollo’s operation will become untenable, leaving countless users disheartened by the loss of their beloved app.
Apollo stands as the leading third-party Reddit app, thanks largely to Selig’s unwavering dedication. Continuously enhancing its features and incorporating user feedback, Selig has cultivated a loyal following. While Reddit does offer its own official app, it pales in comparison to Apollo’s robust feature set. This sudden turn of events leaves Apollo users understandably disappointed and searching for alternatives.
In recent days, Selig has diligently pursued negotiations with Reddit in the hopes of reaching a reasonable resolution. Regrettably, it has become abundantly clear that Reddit has no intention of reconsidering its exorbitant API pricing.
In an unexpected twist, as reported by MacRumors, Reddit has even accused Selig of attempting to extort money from the company and operating Apollo inefficiently. Shockingly, Reddit has failed to provide any concrete guidance on optimizing the app to reduce API usage. Selig believes that he could rewrite the code to enhance Apollo’s efficiency in the long run.
However, with Reddit’s strict deadline of just 30 days to implement code changes, transition to a subscription model, migrate users and undertake other necessary updates, Selig finds himself trapped in an impossible situation. Moreover, the ill-timed nature of this development further compounds the challenges he faces in aligning Apollo with Reddit’s new API pricing structure.
Whelp, it was a fun run.
— Frank McGovern (@FrankMcG) June 8, 2023
See you later, @Reddit. I have ZERO interest in using your official app.
I’ll also start my transition removing myself as head mod a top 1% subreddit with 760k+ subscribers.
End of an era. Digg > Reddit > ??? pic.twitter.com/pif3FkfSRh
In a bid to shed light on the circumstances leading to this unfortunate outcome, Selig has offered comprehensive details regarding his decision to shutter Apollo. Additionally, he possesses transcripts and audio recordings of his interactions with Reddit, which lay bare the events that precipitated this grievous decision.
As the countdown to Apollo’s closure begins, legions of devoted users are left to mourn the impending loss of a cherished app that has played a vital role in their Reddit experience. Meanwhile, the future remains uncertain for Selig, who must now navigate the aftermath of this unexpected turn of events.
The impact of API price increases extends beyond Reddit, as other apps have also faced the consequences. One notable example is Twitter, which experienced a significant shift in its API access policy following Elon Musk’s takeover.
The bird app made the decision to discontinue its previously free API access and replaced it with a paid tier, affecting a multitude of third-party apps in the process. This change has had far-reaching implications for developers who relied on Twitter’s API services to enhance the functionality of their apps.