When it comes to browsing through the thousands of threads on Reddit, many users prefer using Apollo instead of the official app. Apollo is the creation of Christian Selig, a former Apple employee who aimed to provide a better browsing experience for Reddit, with additional features and a more user-friendly design.
Apollo enjoys great success among Redditors, and prestigious technology websites like TechCrunch even claim in their reviews that it is “the only Reddit app you need.” But if, by any chance, you not only knew about it but also used it daily, we have bad news for you: the app may be on borrowed time.
Last month, we reported that Reddit modified its API terms and conditions to limit and even charge for its usage, which many functions, extensions, and even apps like Apollo rely on. Following these changes, Reddit contacted Selig to inform him that he will have to pay a whopping $20 million per year if he wants his app to continue functioning as it has been until now.
In a business move very similar to Elon Musk‘s approach with Twitter‘s API (which ultimately led to the end of thousands of accounts, websites, and useful apps), Reddit is demanding the developer to pay around $12,000 for every 50 million API requests made by his app. With 7 billion requests made just last month, Selig would have to pay a total of $1.7 million per month or $20 million per year to keep Apollo alive.
“I am deeply disappointed with this price,” Selig states, finding the price set by Reddit for API usage unreasonable. “I hope it goes without saying that I don’t have that amount of money, nor would I even know how to charge it to a credit card.”
Currently, it is unknown what will happen to Apollo. Selig hopes that Reddit will listen to the developers and that both parties can reach an agreement that benefits them. In the event that this does not happen, it is likely that Selig will end the app, much to the disappointment of its hundreds of users.
Some of the links added in the article are part of affiliate campaigns and may represent benefits for Softonic.
