[genocidicbunny]

They're trying to control the message.

I don't think Reddit intends to profit off their API, not in any significant way. The pricing is too harsh and will likely kill off most 3rdparty usage of the API.

This really feels like them trying to completely kill off the 3rdparty ecosystem, but do it in such a way that when it does actually happen, they can claim that it was all the 3rdparty developers faults because they had provided an API and everything.

[derekp7]

Would it be possible for third party apps to have an API key input prompt, and users get their own individual API from Reddit? (that users would then probably subscribe to, but it is easier for a user to decide that $20 per month is worth it vs. an app developer paying that for all their users).

[genocidicbunny]

Even if that was implemented, it's quite a messy thing. For one, now the 3rdparty apps are a separate charge from being charged for reddit. When something breaks, and makes your paid for app unusable to access reddit, who do you blame? Reddit, or the app developer? There's also now the matter of all requests to reddit being made via 3rdparty apps requiring an API key that improves reddits tracking. No more anonymous access via 3rdparty apps, which at least for some of them was a selling feature.

It might be possible, but it will still increase the friction to using 3rdparty clients, and that's probably the whole point anyhow.

[BXlnt2EachOther]

from the post, the author (creator of a Reddit client) suggests

> It's too early to know whether this will be a realistic option. From what I've seen, Reddit may be turning developer signups into a manual process where each user would need to message them and get approval. Also it's likely they'd crack down on this if they knew it was happening.

[hysan]

Pretty sure it was turned into a manual process shortly before this API change. A few weeks ago, I had gotten a message from a Reddit admin to sign up for dev API access in what seemed like a manual process. I assume I was messaged because I had signed up for API access many years ago.

[reustle]

Even if that is the case, why not track the number of requests each user makes though to the api and “Bill” their account monthly. Some caching can help fractionalize some of those request costs for popular content.