I moderate a reasonably sized community (50k - 100k users). Without using an external app like Sync or Apollo, it is insanely hard. Their own app is so clunky: sometimes it just fails to load posts or the feed. At times the video doesn't load - instead showing a screengrab. The worst offender is that sometimes the UI shows moderator controls for even some communities one doesn't moderate (This is a known bug going on for several months in the official Reddit app and the admins/devs acknowledge it). You have to go about closing the app and clearing the cache. For e.g., here's a screenshot, which shows a warplane subreddit that I don't manage (having mod controls):
Keeping third party apps open for Premium users is one way out. Another alternative would be to keep API costs low enough that developers can reasonably pass that cost to subscription users. But the current state would just lead to massive disruption. They will end up killing the golden goose.
https://imgur.io/a/4yOY4Vo
Keeping third party apps open for Premium users is one way out. Another alternative would be to keep API costs low enough that developers can reasonably pass that cost to subscription users. But the current state would just lead to massive disruption. They will end up killing the golden goose.