Reddit API shutdown: the timeline and what you can do
Short answer: On September 30, 2026 Reddit announced that it is closing public access to its Data API. New access requests stop on October 31, 2026, RSS feeds end on November 13, 2026, and public access closes for remaining apps in March 2027. Partners with written agreements are exempt.
The dates
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| November 11, 2025 | Self-service API keys end. New OAuth tokens need approval under the Responsible Builder Policy |
| Mid-2026 | Unauthenticated .json endpoints stop answering and return 403 |
| September 30, 2026 | Reddit announces the end of RSS and of public API access |
| October 31, 2026 | New requests for public API access are no longer accepted |
| November 13, 2026 | RSS feeds stop working |
| November 30, 2026 | Registration closes for Reddit's migration program |
| January 12, 2027 | Access starts to close for apps and users that have not registered |
| March 2027 | Public access closes for remaining apps. Reddit gave no day |
Reddit's stated reason is large-scale scraping and automated abuse. It also licenses its content to AI companies, and several reporters connected the two. That link is their reading, not Reddit's statement.
Who is affected
- Scripts and bots on a personal OAuth app. They keep working only while the app is registered, and not past March 2027.
- Anything that reads RSS or .json. Feed readers, alert scripts and no-code automations lose their source. See why .json returns 403.
- Tools written in Python. Devvit is TypeScript, and Reddit said Python is not on its roadmap. A PRAW script cannot be moved across as it is.
- Social listening, research and AI products. Reporting says these will need a commercial agreement with Reddit once public access ends.
Moderator tools and accessibility apps are treated differently. Reddit said partners with written agreements, such as accessibility apps, are exempt.
The routes that remain
| Route | Fits when | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Devvit, Reddit's Developer Platform | Your tool acts inside Reddit: moderation, community apps, games | TypeScript only. It is not built for exporting data to your own systems |
| A commercial agreement with Reddit | You need Reddit's sign-off, or you train models on its content | No published price. Terms are negotiated |
| A third-party read API such as Apixstar | You read public posts, comments and search from your own code | Not affiliated with Reddit, read-only, and you remain responsible for how you use the data |
| Community archives | You need historical data for research | They stop at the date of the last dump and do not update live |
What to do this month
- List what you have. Every script, cron job and automation that calls
oauth.reddit.com, a.jsonURL or an RSS feed. - Register the apps you want to keep. Reddit's cut-off for unregistered apps starts on January 12, 2027.
- Decide per tool. If it writes to Reddit, look at Devvit. If it only reads, compare an agreement with Reddit against a third-party API.
- Move reads behind one function. Then changing the source later is one edit and not a rewrite.
Moving a read to Apixstar
The paths follow Reddit's own URLs, so a listing you used to fetch from Reddit maps across directly. You sign in with Google, create a key and send it as a Bearer token.
curl "https://api.apixstar.com/reddit/v1/r/typescript/new?limit=25" \ -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"
It costs $0.0007 per request, or per 10 results of a listing or search, after $0.50 of free credit. The trade-offs are stated plainly on the comparison with Reddit's own API: Apixstar cannot post, has no agreement with Reddit, and returns only what Reddit serves now.
Questions about the shutdown
Is Reddit shutting down its API?
Reddit is closing public access to its Data API, not the API itself. It stops taking new access requests on October 31, 2026, starts closing access for unregistered apps on January 12, 2027, and closes public access for remaining apps in March 2027. Partners with written agreements keep access.
When do Reddit RSS feeds stop working?
Reddit said RSS support ends on November 13, 2026. For feeds outside a community you moderate, Reddit said there is no replacement.
Will my existing Reddit app keep working?
For a while, if it is registered. Reddit said access starts to close on January 12, 2027 for apps and users that have not registered or responded to its outreach. Reports note that registering does not keep legacy access open indefinitely.
What does Reddit want developers to use instead?
Its Developer Platform, Devvit, which runs apps inside Reddit and is based on TypeScript. Reddit also announced a migration program that pays eligible apps for moving. Uses that Devvit does not cover need an agreement with Reddit.
Is Apixstar affected by the shutdown?
Your account with Apixstar does not use a Reddit developer app or OAuth token of yours, so Reddit's registration deadlines do not apply to it. Apixstar is an independent service that reads public Reddit content, and we cannot promise uninterrupted access to a site we do not control. A request that fails is never charged.
Sources: TechCrunch, September 30, 2026, heise online and PPC Land, each reporting Reddit's posts in r/modnews and r/redditdev. We have summarized them and may be out of date. Reddit's own posts are the authority.
Next: Reddit .json returns 403 and the three ways to get Reddit data.