I’m not sure on the ins and outs of hosting/running a 3rd part reddit app, but since reddit is claiming these API charges are only for apps that pull in big numbers, couldn’t the app creators just make a bunch of versions of the app with a limit to how many users can access it?

I’m not sure what reddit’s threshold is for when they start charging for API usage, but do any of you see this happening? Would it be possible for the 3rd party creators to release personal instances of their apps that are technically separate entities that could stay in the free APL limit?

Again, I have no idea on how 3rd party apps are run or how they access the API. I was just curious if there was a way to keep an app under the limit.

  • sneakyninjapants@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    1·
    2 years ago

    They could technically make their app so you could insert your own API keys which you’d get from Reddit directly, but it’s not very seamless to the user. You wouldn’t just need to enter your username and password when you log in the first time, you’d need to go into the old.reddit preferences > apps > create a new app > agree to the API EULA > fill out redirect URI, about URI, app-name, etc. > THEN it would give you your API key that you’d have to copy and paste to the waiting app along with your username and password. The developer of “Infinity for Reddit” (an open-source Reddit client) already asked Reddit about this prior to the blackout and they said big fat NO unfortunately. They want every Infinity app to share a single API key for every phone that’s using it. There are ways around this, but out of the scope of what you’re asking.

  • Ulu-Mulu-no-die@lemmy.worldEnglish
    0·
    2 years ago

    As I understand it, API charges are for everyone, Apollo for example showed the app is within the limits, I think other app devs did the same.

    While not wanting their data to be scraped for AI for free is indeed a valid reason, if it was the real reason they would have come up with different tiers of pricing like every other paid platform does.

    Edit: Apollo was within the limits, but reddit changed the rules apparently …

    • kiwifoxtrot@lemmy.worldEnglish
      0·
      2 years ago

      Not quite. The new rules are 100 api calls per minute per user per app. It used to be 100 api calls per minute per user. That means Apollo is limited to 100 api calls per minute for all users.

      If someone were to have a private API key for personal use, it would be difficult to exceed the limit.

  • a new sad me@lemmy.worldEnglish
    0·
    2 years ago

    Without looking into any information, I can guess that it is associated with API key which are registered to a specific email. Sure, you can open more email accounts and more APIs but this is becoming a hustle.

    What they could do, is release their code, and for user to register their own API and compile the app on their own. But this solution would answer only tech savi people.

      • a new sad me@lemmy.worldEnglish
        0·
        2 years ago

        They could, use, but this requires extra work from the user, who might just say “nah… I’ll just use the official app instead”

        • DreamySweet@exploding-heads.comEnglish
          1·
          2 years ago

          I think the people that would seek out a third party app are mostly the kind of people that would do the extra work of copying and pasting an API key. It will definitely be a smaller userbase than before though.

    • Cheradenine@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      0·
      2 years ago

      What they could do, is release their code, and for user to register their own API and compile the app on their own. But this solution would answer only tech savi people. >

      The developer of Infinity for Reddit (Android app) said they were going to do just that.

      • a new sad me@lemmy.worldEnglish
        0·
        2 years ago

        Ha! Cool for them!

        I guess, though, that the guys who have the skills to enjoy this are the first to switch out of reddit to begin with.

        • dreamfall@lemmy.worldOPEnglish
          1·
          2 years ago

          I just did this from a guide on their reddit, it was super easy…hopefully it sticks!

  • crius@feddit.itEnglish
    0·
    2 years ago

    Short answer is “no”.

    Long answer require some technical knowledge that you clearly don’t possess and would just give you an headache.

    To put it simply, if your app get successful and lots of users adopt it, you are bound to exceed those arbitrary limits.

    Thing is, offering free api is not sustainable but you could offer some half way option, like including some ads in the apis responses as well and have the devs agree in showing those ads (I’m talking banners and the like) so that you can assure your ads clients that they are going to be shown anyway even by third party apps.

    If course you can then go nuts on the penalties for infringing that agreement.

    What is Reddit doing is basically saying, you can use our APIs if you are doing a school project.