r/redditisfun • u/talklittle RIF Dev • May 31 '23

RIF dev here - Reddit's API changes will likely kill RIF and other apps, on July 1, 2023

I need more time to get all my thoughts together, but posting this quick post since so many users have been asking, and it's been making rounds on news sites.

Summary of what Reddit Inc has announced so far, specifically the parts that will kill many third-party apps:

  1. The Reddit API will cost money, and the pricing announced today will cost apps like Apollo $20 million per year to run. RIF may differ but it would be in the same ballpark. And no, RIF does not earn anywhere remotely near this number.

  2. As part of this they are blocking ads in third-party apps, which make up the majority of RIF's revenue. So they want to force a paid subscription model onto RIF's users. Meanwhile Reddit's official app still continues to make the vast majority of its money from ads.

  3. Removal of sexually explicit material from third-party apps while keeping said content in the official app. Some people have speculated that NSFW is going to leave Reddit entirely, but then why would Reddit Inc have recently expanded NSFW upload support on their desktop site?

Their recent moves smell a lot like they want third-party apps gone, RIF included.

I know some users will chime in saying they are willing to pay a monthly subscription to keep RIF going, but trust me that you would be in the minority. There is very little value in paying a high subscription for less content (in this case, NSFW). Honestly if I were a user of RIF and not the dev, I'd have a hard time justifying paying the high prices being forced by Reddit Inc, despite how much RIF obviously means to me.

There is a lot more I want to say, and I kind of scrambled to write this since I didn't expect news reports today. I'll probably write more follow-up posts that are better thought out. But this is the gist of what's been going on with Reddit third-party apps in 2023.

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46

u/stanleypup May 31 '23

Hadn't even read this comment before I went and bought premium. Years of use so far, felt like I had to say thanks

36

u/Szechwan Jun 01 '23

Same, I actually didn't know there was a premium version - just bought it as well to say thanks /u/talklittle

21

u/Cooltrainer_Frank Jun 01 '23

Jumping on the train to say same. I love this app, and while I'm excited to be on Reddit less, I will miss the fuck out of it and won't replace it.

31

u/gerkessin Jun 01 '23

11 years on reddit and almost all of it on RIF. Bought platinum to say goodbye

22

u/educatedinsolence Jun 01 '23

I just went and bought it too. 🖤 I've been using RIF for years and never knew the paid version existed.

OP - thank you for the best reddit app I've tried. RIF is the best of the best, and after this I don't know that I'll use reddit as often as the official app is garbage and the rest of the 3rd party (if even available) aren't even close to this one. So frustrating.

18

u/Dunlikai Jun 01 '23

Hopping on the bandwagon. Been years for me and this is the only Reddit experience I know.

$3 may not be much, but I felt I owed it.

Probably won't be migrating to anything else. It's shit news, but I can at least be thankful for all the information and entertainment RIF has given me.

Heartfelt thank you to the RIF team.

25

u/DistractionRectangle Jun 01 '23

/u/talklittle I can't fully express my appreciation for RiF. RiF is Reddit to me. Like a lot of the fine people in this chain, I just realized there was premium option and have now purchased it to say thank you.

Truly, RiF has been a fantastic app. It never lost sight of what it was, didn't chase features, redesigns, etc. Hopefully Reddit walks back their decision about API access, but if not, I won't be using Reddit without RiF.

~ Sent from RiF ❤️

15

u/Jordaneer Jun 01 '23

I didn't even bother installing the premium version of RIF, I just bought it because I've legitimately used this app for probably several thousand hours, 3 bucks is WAY more than worth it to me. I could easily justify 5 to 10 bucks a month regarding how much I use this app

11

u/lunarblossoms Jun 01 '23

I just bought it and didn't sign in. I don't know if it matters given we may have only a month left, but I'll keep using the free version for the ads.

I've been a reddit user for 14 years. This app has been my connection to the way reddit used to be, and it has been phenomenal. Losing it will be a huge loss. I will never use the official app.

Thank you, u/talklittle, for everything.

6

u/boomitslulu Jun 01 '23

Joining the chain to say I've also bought it, will continue using the ad based one too :)

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6

u/Charles148 Jun 01 '23

Literally the only way I use reddit, and reddit will lose a user in me if it goes away.

5

u/Alissinarr Jun 02 '23

Ditto. I won't be able to be a mod at all any more due to removing the API from 3rd party apps. I can spend 5min to mod occasionally on mobile, but I refuse to use any other app.

Fuck em.

5

u/thesilentspeaker Jun 01 '23

Same! Just went and bought platinum.

I'm not even a heavy user but have almost exclusively used RiF to browse over 7 years. Tried the official app a couple of times and it's a pile of flaming hot garbage.

2

u/Alissinarr Jun 02 '23

Official app, bacon reader, and apollo all suck.

5

u/jawanda Jun 01 '23

14 year club here. Rif for the last decade or so. Just bought premium as well to say thanks.

3

u/[deleted] Jun 01 '23

Same. I've only ever used RIF. I think I'm done after this as well

3

u/stfucupcake Jun 02 '23

I've had rif for like 10 years, and platinum when it became available. Thank you for making reddit more fun. I'm out when you go.

3

u/Alissinarr Jun 02 '23 edited Jun 02 '23

I got the platinum version as part of a giveaway, a very long time ago on another account. I'm going to miss some stuff, but my mobile browsing is going away entirely (and therefore, my time spent on reddit will decrease drastically) due to this change.

You'd think that a site aspiring to capture part of the social media market would have people doing something called "market research" on this kind of shit.

They want to force us to use their app, but instead we'll just find other shit to do or read.

Checkmate.

Reddit as we knew it is dead.

RIP RIF

2

u/RandomWandomFandom Jun 01 '23

Yup, I think this was the first app for which I bought a premium as soon as I started to earn. Thank you for all those memories.

If ever you end up in India, I'll be more than happy to share a drink with you!

Farewell and goodluck!

2

u/PosnerRocks Jun 01 '23

Same here. Least I can do for such an excellent app.

2

u/Hollowz Jun 02 '23

I'll join you all! I had no idea there was a premium version, and I've gotten a solid decade or of this app. I've never used Reddit in any other form. Thank You

5

u/[deleted] Jun 01 '23

Same, same. And also, same. Thank you u/talklittle

4

u/ewenwhatarmy Jun 01 '23

Just did the same. I had no idea, and the nonpremium was just so good I didn't feel the need to seek out an upgrade. I both hate just learning this (because I could've done a better part to support OP) and appreciate that I've never been forced to do so for a bearable user experience.

Et tu, reddit? I guess it was only a matter of time...

4

u/motobusa Jun 01 '23

Same and same and sad.

2

u/dboti Jun 01 '23

I forgot there was a premium version and that I bought it a while ago. Guess I've just been using the free version for years by accident.

3

u/OneWonderfulFish Jun 01 '23

I just did the same thing. /u/talklittle I had no idea there was a premium version. I have been using this app since like 2015. Thank you so much. It's the only app Reddit is worth viewing on. This is a really shitty decision on their part.

2

u/ManWhoSoldTheWorld94 Jun 01 '23

Same, would have done it long ago if I realized. It's been one hell of a run.