karolat (npub1qrq…ya27) Adolph (npub17eh…94rr) reddit has paid API because they want to pump up ads traffic before their IPO later this year. The price they set is just high enough to deter everyone who might use it, so it's not really paid API per se, it's "fuck you we have no API for you".
The same is true for twatter. Elon wants to make it make money somehow after he paid a buttload of money for it