This is why apps like Boost, who never signed up for a subscription model are still functioning.
The Admin's Reddit post from July 1st is as follows: (links edited in some areas as they didn't transfer will to here)
Updated rate limits going into effect over the coming weeks
Hi Devs,
Over the last few months, we’ve shared updates on our Data API Terms and Developer Terms. Shortly, we will begin enforcing the previously announced updated API rate limits. Rate limits will go into effect for all apps with usage above the free limit in the coming weeks, and some changes will be noticeable over the next 24 hours.
As we have shared, this will not impact non-commercial bots operating within free rate limits or moderator tools.
Free API access rates are as follows:
- 100 queries per minute per OAuth client id if you are using OAuth authentication
- 10 queries per minute if you are not using OAuth authentication
The vast majority of third-party apps and bots fall into the free usage category and should not see any disruptions. Our free rates account for bursts in usage.
For apps that exceed these limits, we have exempted select clients (for example, accessibility-focused apps like RedReader, Luna, and Dystopia), mod bots, and mod tools. If your bot or tool is affected unexpectedly, please reach out https://reddithelp.com/hc/en-us/requests/new?ticket_form_id=14868593862164.
In my view this means the protests worked. reddit was forced to delay and stagger the API changes rollout over the "coming weeks" (so they don't say exactly how many weeks, but if it's more than four then the rollout as a whole may even be delayed by over a month). Presumably the worst of it won't take effect until after they feel like the protests have lost steam and folks have lost interest in it.
Yeah. If this was always the plan, then why didn't they announce this earlier, especially when people were loudly complaining about losing accessibility and mod tools? Either they made the "free tier" in response to the protests, or they have Twitter levels of shit-tier PR. Either way, it's clear they don't know what the hell they're doing over there.
It still makes sense if Reddit's negotiation with the subscription-based third-party apps was never in good faith and this was always about killing them.
I'd bet money that the engineering side wasn't ready by the original date.
Or, maybe they themselves couldn't cope with the change in such a short time given.
Still ridiculous. If they couldn't handle it then how could a one-person dev team do it for their own 3rd party apps? I noticed that none of the 3rd party apps that did work out deals have released any new apps yet, even the ones that are trying to make it work can't release on that schedule.
Maybe reddit wouldn't have been so willing to give them a break if not for the protests.