# Reddit API pricing in 2026: free quota, commercial cost, and approval

Reddit publishes no price for its Data API. Every app now needs Reddit’s approval first, and commercial use needs a contract. Here is what is free, what is paid, and what the limits are.

Checked October 2026. Public pricing pages. No affiliate links.

The Reddit API has no public price list. Reddit says it may charge fees at rates it decides. In practice there are two kinds of access: free access within a quota, and commercial access under a contract.

Since late 2025, Reddit’s Responsible Builder Policy also says you must request access and get approval before you read any Reddit data through the API. You cannot just create an app and start calling.

## At a glance

| Criteria | Reddit API | Openhandle |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | Free within the quota, after Reddit approves your app | 100 free requests, no card |
| Pricing | No public price. Commercial use needs a contract | $2.50 per 1k, down to $2 per 1k at volume. 30-day cache hits are free |
| Rate limits | 100 queries per minute per OAuth client, averaged over 10 minutes | 10 per second per key. Higher on request |
| Time to first call | Request access and wait for approval under the Responsible Builder Policy | Seconds. No approval wait |

## What is free

- **The quota.** 100 queries per minute per OAuth client ID. Reddit averages it over 10 minutes, so short bursts are fine.
- **Approval first.** Free does not mean open. Reddit approves each app before it can read data.
- **Non-commercial apps and mod tools.** Reddit points these to Devvit, its own developer platform. File a ticket if Devvit cannot do what you need.
- **Academic research.** Reddit says research must go through its Reddit for Researchers program.

## What commercial use costs

Reddit does not publish a commercial price. Its Data API Terms say Reddit may charge fees at rates it sets. You ask through Reddit’s contact form, and Reddit asks for a contract and written approval.

The number you see in old articles is $0.24 per 1,000 API calls. Reddit gave that price to app developers in June 2023. It is not on any current Reddit page. Ask Reddit for a current quote.

Reddit counts a lot as commercial: any use by or for a business, ads, paywalls, upsell features, and models trained on Reddit data. Showing Reddit content next to ads is not allowed.

## Limits beyond the quota

- **No calls without OAuth.** Traffic without OAuth or a login is blocked. That includes adding .json to a reddit.com URL.
- **User-Agent.** Default User-Agent strings get much lower limits. Use a unique one that names your app.
- **Deleted content.** Reddit requires you to remove stored copies of deleted posts, comments, and accounts. It recommends doing this within 48 hours.
- **Keep only what you need.** Delete data you do not need for the use case Reddit approved.
- **AI training.** Training a model on Reddit data needs Reddit’s written approval.

## What it adds up to

For a hobby project with approval, the Reddit API costs nothing. For a product, the price is whatever Reddit offers in a contract, and you only learn it after you apply. Plan time for the approval.

| Job | Reddit API | Openhandle |
|---|---|---|
| Start today | Request access and wait for approval | Create a key and call |
| 10,000 calls for a side project | Free within the quota, after approval | $25.00 |
| 10,000 calls for a paid product | Contract price, not published | $25.00 |
| 100,000 calls in a month | Contract price, not published | $250.00 |

## Another option for public reads

Openhandle reads public Reddit posts, comments, profiles, and subreddits. $0.0025 per request, down to $0.002 at volume. 30-day cache hits are free. There is no approval step. See the [Reddit API alternative](/compare/reddit-api-alternative) page for how to move your calls, and [is the Reddit API free?](/questions/is-the-reddit-api-free) for the short answer.

## Verdicts

- **The Reddit API fits.** if you post, moderate, act for a logged-in user, or have Reddit’s approval for your use case.
- **Openhandle fits.** if you read public posts, comments, and subreddits and want to start today at a known price.

## How we checked

We read Reddit’s Responsible Builder Policy, Data API Wiki, Data API Terms, and Developer Terms on October 25, 2026. The $0.24 figure comes from Reddit’s June 2023 message to developers, as reported in the press. If a number is out of date, tell us and we fix it.