What Is Reddit Karma? Reddit's Scoring System Explained (2024)

Reddit is one of the most popular community platforms for discussing different topics or rating content. Since millions of people use it, it can be hard to distinguish trustworthy users from spammers or trolls. Fortunately, Reddit features an option that enables you to identify the “authoritative” users on the platform: Reddit karma.

If you’re interested in learning more, you’ve come to the right place. This article will discuss Reddit karma and explain what you can do to get it.

Explained – What Is Reddit Karma?

To put it simply, Reddit karma represents a user’s score. It’s expressed in numerals and represents the ratio of upvotes and downvotes. There are two arrows next to every Reddit post and comment: one pointing upwards and the other pointing downwards. These arrows represent upvotes and downvotes and are the main tools for getting positive or negative karma points.

If a Reddit user has a high karma score, it means they’re liked within the community. Likewise, if a person has a low score, it’s usually because their content is low-quality, upsetting, or offensive. A low karma score can also mean such users are spammers or bots.

Reddit karma is displayed on every user’s profile. Besides the total score, Reddit karma is divided into post and comment karma. You’ll get a higher post karma score if more people upvote your posts. The same rule applies to comment karma: when Reddit users upvote your comments, you’ll see an increase in your score. The total karma score represents post and comment karma added together.

What Is Reddit Karma Used For?

Positive Reddit karma can have numerous benefits. First of all, a high karma score confirms your credibility within the Reddit community. It means that your points of view are valued among the members, your content is original and positive, and other users like reading it.

Besides this, Reddit karma has several “practical” purposes. Namely, when you join Reddit, you have a limit on how many posts you can publish in a short period. Once you earn more positive karma points, this limit will cease to exist, and you can post as much as you want to.

Moreover, some subreddits require a minimum of karma to join them or create posts. A higher karma score will grant you access to such “exclusive” communities.

Finally, Reddit karma helps you get your voice out there. If you have a high karma score, your comments will be displayed at the top and reach more people.

What Is Reddit Karma Worth?

Reddit karma doesn’t really have its worth per se. You can’t cash it in or use it to buy something online. It’s only a measure of your contribution to Reddit and an estimate of your Reddit reputation.

You may come across different programs and apps that promise to get you extra Reddit karma points. In most cases, such apps are scams, and it’s not recommended to install them. Even if these apps work, getting karma points in this way is against Reddit’s rules and can get you banned.

It’s also important to mention that many people sell their Reddit profiles with high karma scores. Although this may seem like an easy way to get good Reddit karma, it goes against Reddit’s policy. If Reddit discovers it, you’ll be banned. Plus, Reddit karma isn’t just about earning it; it’s about maintaining it. While you can purchase a profile with a high karma score, it will be hard to keep it if you aren’t familiar with how Reddit works.

It’s always better to work on your content and engage in constructive discussions that will get you more karma points.

What Is Reddit Karma and Gold

Reddit Gold was a premium membership option that gave users various additional features. Some were access to subreddits for Gold members, no ads, and comment filters. Plus, Gold members could take advantage of discounts and deals offered by third-party companies known as Reddit partners.

In 2018, Reddit Gold became Reddit Premium. For $5.99 per month, users can get many of the Reddit Gold features with a few innovations. One of the most notable new features is Reddit’s virtual currency, Reddit Coins. You can use them to reward users whose content you enjoy, smooth out misunderstandings, or organize contests.

While Reddit Premium and Reddit Coins can be very useful, they can’t buy you karma points. However, by giving awards, you can get more exposure, which could potentially bring you a higher karma score. Of course, this depends on the quality of your content.

What Is Average Reddit Karma?

The average karma score on Reddit is around 980. It’s impossible to identify the exact number because karma scores constantly change, and new members register. If you’re a new user, 980 can seem like a lot. However, many would argue that it’s not that much. At the time of writing, CheetahSperm18 has the highest combined karma score of a whopping 39,096,557, followed by GallowBoob at 36,816,646. The highest post karma is 38,456,381, while the highest comment karma is 23,424,771.

What Is the Best Way to Get Reddit Karma?

Numerous strategies can help you get more karma points on Reddit. Keep in mind that most of the strategies we’ll discuss below require time and effort. You can’t expect to earn thousands of karma points in just one day, especially if you’re a new user.

Post at Peak Times

Knowing what to post is important, but knowing when to post your content is just as relevant. Generally speaking, it’s best to post your content between 9 and 11 a.m. ET. During that time, Reddit gets the highest number of visitors. Of course, peak hours shift slightly depending on the day in question. For example, peak times on weekdays are between 6 and 9 a.m. ET. During weekends, peak times start between 8 and 9 a.m. and last until 12-1 p.m. ET.

Typically, people spend longer periods on Reddit during the weekend, which is why Saturdays and Sundays may be a great time to post new content.

Ask Questions

One of the biggest subreddits is r/AskReddit, which enables users to ask questions regarding any topic, no matter how narrow or wide it is. If you have an interesting question to ask, you’ll get thousands of responses and reactions, potentially resulting in karma points. Plus, you’ll get to enjoy an interesting discussion and reply to comments, which could lead to comment karma points.

Use r/FreeKarma4U

R/FreeKarma4U is one of several subreddits dedicated to members “giving” each other karma points. You can post anything in this subreddit, and other members will automatically upvote it, thus boosting your karma score. Of course, the unspoken agreement is that you do the same for other members. If you leave a comment on someone’s post, you’ll usually get upvotes, which boosts your comment karma.

Subreddits with the purpose of increasing karma scores have specific rules you need to follow if you don’t want to get banned. Although these subreddits may seem unfair, they don’t break any rules.

Comment on New Posts

One of the biggest threats to getting more karma points is visibility. You may have the best or funniest comment, but it won’t matter if it’s buried under other people’s content.

If you’re aiming for more karma points, you need to be able to predict which posts will blow up in the future and comment on them. While this strategy may require some experience, it’s a great way to maximize visibility.

Keep the Conversation Going

Whenever someone comments on your posts, be sure to reply, even if it’s just to say thank you. This lets the commentor know you value their time, which increases the chances of future interactions. Likewise, if a Reddit user asks a question on your post, never ignore them.

Target Larger Subreddits

While you can get karma points in smaller subreddits, you should always aim for the larger ones. Why? Because the numbers move much faster in subreddits with thousands of users. Of course, this doesn’t mean you should ignore small subreddits. They are still a great way to cater to a specialized audience and even make friends.

We recommend getting the best of both worlds. Focus on larger subreddits while maintaining a presence in the smaller ones.

Obey the Reddit Guidelines

Posting content that isn’t in line with Reddit’s rules could get you downvotes, thus reducing your karma score. Even worse, content that violates Reddit’s terms of use could get you banned.

While it’s okay to criticize, it’s vital to do it in a civilized and polite manner.

Post Quality Content

Last but definitely not least, posting quality content is crucial for getting karma points on Reddit. All strategies we’ve discussed above won’t do anything for you if your content isn’t attention-worthy. In this sense, social media and people skills can go a long way. You need to establish what kind of content your audience likes to read and create engaging posts.

Make your titles catchy, post high-quality photos, and don’t be afraid to show your human side. Also, proofread your posts. Grammatical or spelling errors could look sloppy.

Don’t Let Bad Reddit Karma Haunt You

While a high karma score isn’t essential for using Reddit, it opens many doors and builds your credibility. If you’re new to Reddit, don’t get discouraged if it takes time to increase your karma score. The more familiar you are with Reddit, the better scores you’ll get.

We hope this article provided insight into how Reddit karma works and how to get better scores.

Do you pay attention to your Reddit karma score? Do you have any tips on getting more upvotes? Tell us in the comments section below.