API (Reddit API)

An API (application programming interface) is a set of rules and endpoints that lets software programs communicate and exchange data with one another in a structured way. The Reddit API is Reddit's interface that allows external developers and programs to read and submit content, fetch posts and comments, manage moderation, and build tools and applications on top of the platform. For years it was free and openly available, which enabled an ecosystem of third-party apps, moderation bots, research tools, and data archives to flourish.

The Reddit API became central to a major controversy in 2023, when Reddit announced it would begin charging for high-volume API access ahead of its planned IPO. The new pricing—reportedly around $0.24 per 1,000 calls—was steep enough that popular third-party clients such as Apollo, whose developer said he faced costs of roughly $20 million a year, announced they would shut down. The changes also disrupted accessibility tools, moderation bots, and research access, and triggered a sitewide protest in which thousands of subreddits went dark. The episode made the terms governing the Reddit API a flashpoint in debates over platform power, developer dependence, and the value of user-generated data.