What's going to happen in April 2014?

[Phaedos]

In April 2014 the API-NG is going to become paid subscription only(?).
Does that mean the only free option will be to go back and use the old API with SOAP requests and all the rest of it? Or does it mean the only option will be to pay to access Betfair via an API?

[davecon]

In April 2014 the API-NG is going to become paid subscription only(?).
Does that mean the only free option will be to go back and use the old API with SOAP requests and all the rest of it? Or does it mean the only option will be to pay to access Betfair via an API?

Hi Phaedos
I wish somebody with some sort of authority would answer this!
As it stands the Old API will defo be free as it stands till Nov 2014
Then it will expire (Or so they They hope lol)

API 6.0 – is the SOAP XML interface into the Betfair betting exchange. This is the current version of the Betfair API but will be retired on the 1st November 2014. See below for Personal Full Access subscription details.

However, It seems to me to be false economy to try to charge the Ordinary Customer £200 a Month when we are after all just a small minority and would probably result in the reverse of any meagre profits that Betfair plc would hope to gain! I for one would never use Betfair again! The API makes my life easier and is not essential to my Betting
Good luck to anybody who can actually make £2K a year plus probable commission payments of a lot more than that before they even start to make any Profits! (Tell me how you do it and I will pay your fees myself! lol )
After all Betfair plc are flying high again at the moment and this would be indeed a greedy gesture for a pittance!
I for one dont actually think there will be any change regarding us normal joes
Heres there latest 2013 Annual report and Accounts just for interest
http://corporate.betfair.com/~/media...eport-2013.pdf
Dave

[MonsieurD]

Already been answered

Check the forum history guys, this one has already been answered here

Hi,

Yes, I can confirm there will be a free version of API-NG available.

Thanks

Neil

[Phaedos]

Many thanks for the replies, and the fact there will definitely be a free version of the `API-NG` is good to hear.

[geoffw123]

Does anyone else think that Betfair's statements about their plans for the new API have been very terse and lacking in any useful details. That does tend to make me a little suspicious of what their plans are.

For example

API 6.0 – is the SOAP XML interface into the Betfair betting exchange. This is the current version of the Betfair API but will be retired on the 1st November 2014. See below for Personal Full Access subscription details.

What does the word "retired" mean in that context ? Does it mean that the old API will carry on working but they will no longer enhance it or maintain it ? Or alternatively do they mean they will pull the plug on the old Servers and from 1st Nov the old API will no longer work full stop ?
I would be quite surprised if the latter is true, especially as its now only about 4 months away from that retirement date.

This statement is not a lot better

We are pleased to announce that API-NG will be free of charge until at least 12th January 2015.

We will provide two months notice of any intended API-NG pricing changes and will offer a free access API-NG product as part of any future pricing scheme.

Free access is only available to private customers and licensed software vendors.

Whilst its good to know there will be a free version of the API-NG, they don't give any information at all on the functionality between the free version and a paid for version. Its probably unlikely, but they could choose to severely limit the free version in terms of available functions and access speed. They also give no hint of pricing structures for the paid version.

As you can guess I am a bit reluctant to spend a lot of time trying to learn about the API-NG with such a black hole of information.

I am just a tinkerer not a commercial Betfair App vendor, I wonder what the commercial guys thoughts are about this switch over ?
I haven't read any comments from the Pro's about the new API, also I haven't seen any of them advertising their new NG compatible versions. They should in theory be able to have improved functionality using the new features of the API-NG.
Maybe some of them they have switched over, and I just haven't spotted it ? It will be interesting to see what transpires anyway.

Geoff

[betdynamics]

As I understand it, the old API will be turned off on the 1st November, so any products designed to work on the old API will cease to work from that date.

There will also be no ability to produce products for sale based on the free version of the API-NG. In order to activate the vendor functions (which are necessary to give out an activation code for the user), you will need a commercial licence and your software will need to have been accredited by Betfair.

Bots for personal use (i.e. using your App Key and your Betfair account) will be able to use the free API.

Personally I can't see any point in Betfair restricting the free version of the API, but there is definitely a lack of clarity around this.

I stress, these are my personal views.