We are exploring the different ways in which existing API providers can think about real time streaming versions of their APIs, from not just the technical side of things, but also the business aspect of doing APIs. Streamdata.io is designed to proxy any existing web API, and begin caching and streaming its responses using Server-Sent Events (SSE). A perfect compliment to any existing API, and something that has the potential to dovetail with existing API access tiers, and be offered up as a premium service to the most demanding API consumers. How about monetizing a streaming version of your API as a premium service?
While some APIs might prefer offering a free real time stream of their existing APIs, as it is actually a more efficient, and a more cost saving approach to delivering data because of the caching Streamdata.io offers, for others it could make sense to think of it as a premium offering. You can setup one application key for all of your premium customers, or if you want to track on the progress of each customer using Streamdata.io analytics you can setup individual applications, and pass individual API Keys to your premium customers. Something that we are working to automate via a Streamdata.io API in the near future.
We don’t see real time streaming APIs as a replacement for web APIs. We see them as an extension of what you are already doing, and potentially another revenue stream (pun intended) for your company, organization, institution, or government agency. Allowing you to bring in much needed revenue from your most demanding and data hungry consumers, while also making your operations more efficient through caching of the data and content you are already making available via web APIs. Let us know how we can augment your pricing and plans page for your API with a premium real time streaming API option, a streaming version of your API as a premium service.