Reddit has been the subject of much discussion for the wrong reasons recently. The company's API pricing will go live on July 1st, and it could affect apps . That's only true if they're willing to pay millions of dollars in monthly fees. The decision has angered hundreds of thousands of Reddit users, with several subreddits temporarily shutting down in protest. But it looks like a popular Reddit client for Android is surviving the ordeal.
See also: Reddit: Thousands of communities protest the company's controversial policy
On the Relay for Reddit subreddit, developer Dave provided insight into the app’s future development based on the data he has gathered. It’s clear from the start that the free version of Relay can’t continue, as it’s not financially viable. Instead, the app will have to switch to a monthly subscription model, which on the plus side will mean users will be free from all ads.
The regular subscription will cost $2 per month. Anyone who wants to can add an additional $1 fee to receive message notifications and cover the additional API calls that result from this change. Dave's estimates are based on the latest version of Relay for Reddit, which includes bug and other changes that reduce API calls. The changes to the app seem to be working well, as each user is using it on average around 100 API calls per day.
See also: Reddit: Several apps are closing due to new API prices
There are issues, though. The success of the model ultimately depends on the number and type of users who choose to connect to Relay as a subscription app. This is a problem, as Reddit will be limiting content and NFSW to its official app. Dave acknowledges that the cost analysis has hidden points and that the subscription may only lead to power users using Reddit’s platform through Relay. This situation could drive the average number of API calls per user to over 100, making the subscription model unviable.
Beyond these issues, there is also the concern about the tight timeline. Before the new API rules were released, Reddit gave third-party apps about thirty days to comply. Dave hopes Reddit will give developers some flexibility to redesign their apps extensively, but that doesn't mean there's enough time.
See also: Reddit reportedly cutting 5% of its workforce
The developers of Relay for Reddit state that if the model works, then after Reddit and Google Play, there will be a good amount of money left over. The above is just theoretical for now, but it is important to know that there may be a problem with the API used by your favorite Reddit app.
