The popular Reddit app Narwhal will still be available after July 1st, according to its developer, Rick Harrison. In a post on the r/getnarwhal subreddit, Harrison assured users that the app would continue to operate, but without ads. Many apps have been forced to shut down due to the potentially high API pricing imposed by Reddit, as well as the ban on including ads and sexually explicit content.
However, there will be changes to Narwhal in the near future. Harrison stated that he plans to introduce subscriptions as part of the upcoming “Narwhal 2” update in order to cover the new costs associated with using Reddit’s API. The subscriptions are expected to cost between $4 and $7 per month.
This announcement should come as a relief to Narwhal fans, especially considering Harrison’s less optimistic outlook on the app’s future earlier this month. In an email to The Verge, Harrison provided more details on how he intends to keep the app alive.
He explained that Narwhal will undergo significant changes to adapt to the new circumstances. Every user will be required to have a subscription to use the app, although there will likely be a thirty to sixty-minute trial period upon downloading. Narwhal 2 represents a complete rewrite of the app, featuring an updated design and new functionality.
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Regarding the costs, Harrison mentioned that they would scale per user. He plans to analyze API calls per user over the next few weeks to determine the final subscription price. However, he did not disclose whether he had reached an agreement with Reddit regarding the pricing. It remains unknown if any deal has been struck between Harrison and the company. The Verge reached out to Reddit for clarification on this matter.
Narwhal is not the only app that will survive these changes. The developer of MultiTab for Reddit has announced an increase in the app’s subscription prices to $2.99 per month or $6.99 per year. Furthermore, the developer of Infinity for Reddit plans to make the app subscription-only and estimates a monthly cost of $3. In case the app needs to be removed from Google Play, users will still be able to access it through GitHub.
Nevertheless, the loss of apps like Apollo and RIF will undoubtedly affect long-time users who have grown accustomed to these popular options. While some third-party options will still be available, the absence of these mainstays will be felt. Apollo developer Christian Selig stated that the app will be disabled a few hours before July 1st, while RIF developer Andrew Shu plans to disable the app after 11:59 PM PT on June 30th.
It is worth noting that on June 29th, additional context was provided by the developers of Narwhal and Infinity, adding more insight into their plans for the future.
