Reddit is a vast community where users can share content, comment, and engage in discussions on a multitude of topics. Understanding how to interact on this platform begins with knowing about karma. Karma is a scoring system that reflects a user’s contributions to the Reddit community. It’s a tally of how much a user participates and the value that others find in what they share. Gaining karma is essential since many subreddits have posting requirements that must be met before a user can actively contribute to the conversations.
The amount of karma needed for posting varies across different subreddits, each with its own rules and guidelines. Some communities might ask for a minimum karma score to post or comment to prevent spam and ensure that participants have a history of contributing positively. Engaging the community by commenting on other posts and sharing valuable content can build up your karma over time.
Posting on Reddit is not just about sharing thoughts or images; it’s an opportunity to contribute to a larger dialogue. Gaining sufficient karma is not only about meeting the numeric threshold but also about understanding the dynamics and culture of each subreddit community. A user’s karma score can unlock the ability to post more freely and tap into the full experience Reddit offers.
Reddit uses karma as a reputation system. It’s the total score you earn from upvotes (and lose from downvotes) on your posts and comments. While Reddit itself doesn’t enforce a global minimum karma to post, individual subreddits set their own requirements to prevent spam, bots, and low-quality content.
1. No Universal Karma Requirement
- Reddit does not have a site-wide karma threshold.
- You can create posts and comments on most subreddits right after making an account.
2. Subreddit-Specific Karma Rules
- Each subreddit’s moderators can set their own rules.
- Many active communities require a minimum amount of post karma, comment karma, or both.
- If you don’t meet the requirement, your post may be automatically removed by the subreddit’s moderation bots.
Examples (these vary and can change):
- Small/casual subreddits: Often allow posting with 0 karma.
- Mid-size subreddits: May require 10–100 karma.
- Large/popular subreddits: Sometimes require 100–1,000+ karma, plus account age restrictions.
(source: Reddit Help, Reddit discussion)
3. How to Check Karma Requirements
- Subreddits rarely publicly state the exact number of karma needed.
- This is intentional, to make it harder for spammers to game the system.
- If your post disappears instantly, it usually means you didn’t meet the karma or account age threshold.
Tip: Look at the subreddit’s sidebar or rules tab — some communities do share their requirements.
4. How to Build Karma Quickly
- Comment on active posts: Comments on popular threads often get more upvotes than new posts.
- Post in smaller subs: Easier to get noticed and upvoted.
- Be helpful, funny, or insightful: Quality content earns upvotes.
- Avoid spammy behavior: Downvotes can reduce your karma.
✅ Key Takeaway
There’s no single number of karma you need to post on Reddit. Instead:
- Some subs allow posting with 0 karma.
- Many require 10–100 karma.
- The biggest communities may need hundreds or more.
If your post gets removed, keep engaging positively in smaller subreddits until you build enough karma to participate where you want.
Key Takeaways
- Karma is a score that reflects a user’s contribution to Reddit.
- Subreddits may have minimum karma requirements for posting.
- Earning karma involves positive participation in the community.
Typical Karma Requirements for Popular Subreddits
| Subreddit | Typical Karma Requirement | Other Restrictions |
|---|---|---|
| r/AskReddit | ~10–50 comment karma | Account must be a few days old |
| r/pics | ~10–20 post karma | No memes or low-quality posts |
| r/funny | ~10–50 karma | Strict content rules (no reposts, memes) |
| r/relationships | ~100 total karma | Account age: ~30 days |
| r/AmItheAsshole | ~50–100 comment karma | Must follow formatting rules |
| r/news | ~20–50 karma | Reputable sources only |
| r/movies | ~10–20 karma | Account must be at least 1 week old |
| r/science | ~100+ karma (often higher) | Strict moderation on sources |
| r/gaming | ~20–50 karma | No memes or low-effort posts |
| r/aww | ~10 karma | Must be original content |
| r/technology | ~50–100 karma | Source and title rules apply |
🔍 How to Check Exact Requirements
- Look at the subreddit rules (sidebar or “About” tab).
- If your post is removed instantly, you likely didn’t meet the karma or account age minimum.
- You can also use tools like ReddKarma to check live requirements for any subreddit.
✅ Pro tip: If you’re new, start by commenting in active threads (like r/AskReddit or r/NoStupidQuestions). Comment karma is often easier to earn than post karma, and it unlocks posting access faster.
Understanding Reddit Karma and Posting Requirements
Reddit runs on a karma system that reflects a user’s contribution to the community. This currency of participation affects posting abilities and credibility within subreddits.
The Basics of Karma and Participation
Karma on Reddit results from community interaction. Post karma accumulates when others upvote your posts while comment karma grows as others upvote your comments. Both can decrease if your contributions are downvoted. It measures how much you contribute and how well the community receives it.
Karma Thresholds for Posting
Some subreddits set karma minimums to post, preventing spam and ensuring only active, contributing members share content. These thresholds are not usually public to deter bots, but increase your karma by participating thoughtfully in the community.
Maximizing Post Visibility and Engagement
To get your post to the Reddit front page, aim for high engagement. Quality content that triggers discussions often gets upvoted. Timing matters too; posting when your subreddit is active boosts visibility.
Navigating Community Guidelines and Subreddit Rules
Each subreddit sets its own rules. To avoid being banned, familiarize yourself with these and follow Reddiquette, a set of Reddit-wide guidelines. Moderators enforce these to maintain the subreddit’s integrity.
The Impact of Awards and Upvotes on Karma
Awards and upvotes on Reddit go beyond increasing your karma score. They signal the value of your contribution and can boost your reputation. Awards also confer awarder and awardee karma, a token of appreciation amongst Redditors.
Reputation and Credibility in the Reddit Community
In the Reddit community, a high karma score can equate to trustworthiness. It indicates consistent, positive contributions. Accounts with higher karma are seen as more credible, shaping how others perceive your posts and comments.
