The polling versus webhooks decision is frequently made on the basis of what the API provider finds easiest to implement rather than what serves consumers best. Polling is easier to provide — it requires no additional infrastructure beyond the existing API endpoints. Webhooks require the provider to maintain delivery infrastructure, handle failures, implement retry logic, and manage consumer endpoint registration. The provider’s preference for polling is understandable. For the consumers who pay the operational cost of polling, it is not a neutral choice.