Apollo Reddit App Closes Permanently Amid Costly API Changes
Apollo, a beloved third-party Reddit app, shuts down today as Reddit's new expensive API pricing takes effect. The developer is issuing automatic refunds to subscribers and releasing a final update to migrate digital pets.
Popular third-party Reddit app Apollo shuts down permanently today as Reddit prepares to implement its new paid API changes tomorrow. Developer Christian Selig announces the closure after failing to reach a workable agreement with Reddit due to the exorbitant costs of the new pricing structure.
Reddit charges $0.24 per 1,000 API calls, a rate that requires Selig to pay $20 million per year to keep Apollo running for its user base. Given just 30 days notice, Selig finds it impossible to overhaul the app's complex subscription model and generate enough monthly revenue to cover these sudden fees.
Before the app goes offline, Apollo receives a final update that allows users to migrate their digital pets to the standalone Pixel Pals app. Selig automatically refunds all yearly subscribers for their remaining time, a process that costs him an estimated $250,000, though users have the option to decline the refund and let him keep the money.