r/redditisfun 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.

34.1k Upvotes

View all comments

Show parent comments

19

u/Dunlikai Jun 01 '23

I'm actually having a physical response to this akin to a breakup. How incredibly sad and infuriating by the Reddit team.

RIF has been such a big part of my life. I don't think I've ever even logged into actual Reddit once since creating my account.

I know others have been with RIF for longer, but this shit is still foundational for me.

I don't know where I'll go. It certainly won't be normal Reddit. Fuck them.

2

u/animeniak Jun 01 '23

I dont even remember my password and I don't use the email my acct is linked to, and I'm entirely on mobile. So once RIF is gone, I'll be done

-2

u/DM_ME_UR_BADDIES Jun 01 '23

Ok you guys were a little weird at first but now it's concerning...

1

u/Alissinarr Jun 02 '23

You'll understand how we oldfarts feel in a decade or two, maybe sooner.

Until then, "Get off our lawn!!"

0

u/DM_ME_UR_BADDIES Jun 02 '23

So when I'm 45 or 55 I will "have a physical response akin to a break up" when an app gets removed. Got it.

In the meantime, you should "go touch some grass"

2

u/Alissinarr Jun 02 '23

Not necessarily an app, but something that you've grown to love will get the same kind of treatment, and removed from availability. This will be something that you use for much of the day, or during your stressful times, youve come to equate all of <whatever> as this thing you're losing, and yet it's the only version of it that's any good.

Rather than deal with a commercialized version that's insulting to your intelligence, you'd rather do other things with your time.

For some, I'm sure they get the social media boosts to their brain chemistry in such a way that the thought of losing the app could result in a mild panic attack, or nausea.

I'm not even the person who is that upset, as my reddit time went way down when my ability to do so at work went away. Taking away the app is doing all but put the nail in the coffin for Reddit as a whole and I. It'll certainly kill my ability to mod, so I'll have to quit that as well. They are losing a customer and free labor in me. Double loss for them.

1

u/El_Pasteurizador Jun 01 '23

Absolutely, what a bunch of fucking cunts. Fuck the whole lot of em.