On Reddit, karma isn’t the same as a real-world principle, but it does rely on the concept of cause and effect. You can gain karma on Reddit by participating in its numerous subreddit communities. You’ll notice a number on your profile when you sign up for Reddit. This is your karma for posts and comments. This article will answer the following questions: What is Reddit karma? And how do you gain karma on Reddit?
What exactly is Reddit Karma?

Reddit karma is a score earned by posting and commenting on Reddit. Users can also earn karma by giving or receiving awards, though this is still being tested and can be found on Reddit’s r/changelog. Your overall karma is displayed on your profile, and when someone clicks on your username, they will see a breakdown of post and comment karma. Some people have so much karma on Reddit that it’s in the millions.
What is the process of Reddit Karma?
New users may be wondering, “How does karma work on Reddit?” Reddit post karma is earned when people upvote your posts; it is lost when you are downvoted. How do you get Reddit comment karma? It’s the same principle: when Reddit users upvote your comments, you gain karma, and when they downvote your comments, you lose karma. It’s as simple as that.
Can I purchase Reddit Karma?
If you want to gain karma on Reddit, buying karma is not an option. Reddit coins and paid Reddit memberships cannot get you karma, and asking for upvotes is frowned upon. A service that claims to allow you to buy Reddit karma is most likely a scam. Even if it earns you karma, it would most likely violate Reddit’s terms of service and result in your ban from the platform.
How is Reddit Karma calculated?
On Reddit, it may appear at first that each upvote contributes one point to your overall karma total when you are just getting started building it up. To put it another way, a user’s content is awarded one point for every net positive vote that it receives.
This includes:
- Upvotes
- Downvotes
- Comments have been left.
- Using the -/+ buttons
The math becomes a little more complicated when you get into the thousands. This is because Reddit’s developers use an algorithm to discourage spammers. This algorithm may cause your karma points to fluctuate if you frequently refresh your profile page.
Reddit does not specify how this algorithm works. According to reports, the more upvotes a link or comment receives, the less karma each upvote is worth. That is, a comment with 15K upvotes does not always result in 15K of comment karma. It’s also worth noting that karma is distributed on a sliding scale, which means that the more karma you have, the less you get for the same number of votes when you first start out.
What is the purpose of Reddit Karma?
It’s a compliment to have a score in the six figures associated with your name, but can you acquire anything else that’s more tangible through your good karma? Let’s go over some of the benefits of having a good karma score on Reddit:
- You are free to post and comment as much as you like. Perhaps you’ve noticed that when you’re starting out on Reddit, you must wait a few days before you can post again. How much karma do you exactly need to post and comment as much as you want? Nobody knows for sure. This speed bump will vanish once you earn more karma.
- You will be able to participate in “exclusive” subreddits. Subreddit karma requirements may differ by community. Some subreddits require a certain level of karma before you can join or post.
- High-income earners are more credible. When it comes to opinions and expertise, Reddit users have notoriously high standards. More karma means more credibility to back up whatever you say.
None of these advantages is useful outside of Reddit, but some people are able to monetize their Reddit karma by selling accounts or posting on behalf of brands. This can be profitable, but it is not always in line with the Reddit spirit.
How to gain Karma on Reddit?
While the mechanics of earning karma are fairly straightforward, many new Redditors are eager to crack the code and learn how to earn it faster. Building a reputation on Reddit, like in any other community, comes down to posting good content. Unless you are desperate for karma, you should simply engage, contribute, and let things unfold naturally. If you just need those extra points—say, to join a specific subreddit—here are a few smart tips to help you gain karma on Reddit faster.
1. Participate in Popular Subreddits
Subreddits like r/funny and r/pics attract millions of people, so if you post something that they enjoy, you can earn a lot of karma from that post alone. The disadvantage of large communities like these is that they are moderated, and even if you manage to post as a new user, you may struggle to cut through the noise.
2. Share things that are amusing or unusual.
This may seem obvious, but your post must be noteworthy in order to be noticed. Memes with viral potential and unusual and fascinating photos and videos are probably your best bet. To determine a trend of what works and what doesn’t on Reddit, you can sort your feed by Top. Check out our piece on the most popular Reddit posts of all time to learn from the best.
3. Discuss Current Events
On Reddit, there’s always a heated debate going on. If you want to say something about the most recent trending news, there’s probably already a thread where you can express yourself. The tricky part is that hot topics can be extremely polarizing, which means you’re nearly as likely to be downvoted as you are to earn positive Reddit karma.
4. Make a good point first and then comment.
Another effective strategy is to keep an eye out for new posts in popular subreddits and jump on those with high upvoting potential. If the post becomes popular, your comment will rise along with it due to proximity. It will not be upvoted simply because it is the first one. Quick-witted comments and relevant GIF reactions are usually good upvote material. Insightful, well-thought-out explanations and arguments are also important. Often, a comment with thousands of upvotes simply expresses a sentiment to which many people can relate, giving it some traction.
5. Ask and answer questions on r/AskReddit
One of the most popular subreddits, r/AskReddit, has nearly 36 million subscribers. The premise is straightforward and compelling: ask questions and provide answers. Almost anything is acceptable here. If enough people think your question is worthwhile, they will most likely add thousands of points to your karma.
Is it possible to lose Karma on Reddit?
If you upset enough people, you can certainly lose karma quickly and easily. As previously stated, you lose Reddit karma when your post or comment is downvoted. Is it possible to lose all of your Reddit karma? Your karma can get to zero and continue to fall, depending on how much karma you started with and how big of a feud you get yourself into. To avoid offending other users and to lose your karma, follow the rules of Reddit etiquette. According to the r/help community on Reddit, you cannot lose the karma you’ve got from a post if you decide to delete it later.
Conclusion
Earning Reddit karma is only half the battle; you’ll also want to keep it. A contentious post isn’t the only thing that can get you downvoted to obscurity. The most serious offense in violating common etiquette is causing a problem for others on purpose and for no reason. As long as you avoid upsetting those with whom you share the platform, your Reddit karma will most likely be fine.
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