Reddit to shut down RSS feeds and public API access by March 2027

Reddit announced it will end support for RSS feeds on November 13, 2026, citing the format’s use as a "common surface for large-scale scraping and automated abuse." The company framed the change as necessary to protect its platform, though it acknowledged RSS’s historical role in enabling open access to updates on the site.

In the same announcement, Reddit said public API access will cease by March 2027. The public API has been used by developers to build tools for social listening, research, and AI assistants that query Reddit for answers. After the shutdown, access to Reddit’s data will require commercial agreements, aligning with the company’s growing revenue from AI licensing deals. During its second quarter, Reddit reported "other revenue"—beyond advertising—grew 24% year-over-year to $43 million.

For moderators who have relied on RSS for alerts and workflows, Reddit recommended migrating to the Discord Relay Devvit app. However, the company noted there is no replacement for RSS feeds used outside moderation contexts. Moderators and developers were advised to review and adjust their setups before the November 13 deadline to avoid disruption.

Reddit also announced changes to its Old Reddit experience, including limiting access to logged-in users who have engaged with Old Reddit in the last six months. The company said this measure was required to address "abusive scraping and automated traffic." Earlier materials shared with TechCrunch had indicated a 90-day window, but Reddit later extended this to six months.

The company reminded developers building approved third-party apps and bots to register them with Reddit before January 12, 2027, to avoid losing API access. After that date, any unregistered developer tools will be removed from the platform.