Most people spend months grinding karma the wrong way. This guide shows you how to build 1,000+ karma in weeks, unlock restricted subreddits, and turn your Reddit presence into a real marketing channel.
2-4 Weeks
To reach 1,000 karma
52M+
Monthly Reddit users in US
100%
Free to build organically
Quick Start: Want karma fast? Start by commenting on rising posts in r/AskReddit, r/explainlikeimfive, and r/todayilearned. Sort by "Rising" instead of "Hot" to catch posts before they blow up. Your comment rides the wave to the front page.
Reddit karma is a reputation score that tracks how much value you've contributed to the community. Every upvote on your posts and comments adds to your karma. Every downvote subtracts from it.
Think of it as Reddit's trust system. Higher karma means Reddit (and its users) trust you more, which unlocks posting privileges in restricted communities.
If you're a founder, marketer, or SaaS builder, karma isn't vanity. It's the gatekeeping mechanism that determines whether you can even reach your audience on Reddit.
The biggest mistake people make is commenting on "Hot" posts that already have thousands of comments. Your response gets buried. Instead, sort by "Rising" and comment early on posts gaining traction. When that post hits the front page, your comment goes with it.
Once you have 100-200 comment karma, start posting original content. The key is sharing real expertise, not recycled advice. If you're a SaaS founder, share a revenue breakdown. If you're a marketer, share a campaign that worked (or failed). Authenticity gets upvoted.
Reddit's community and automated systems are ruthless about spam. One wrong move can get you shadowbanned (where your posts are invisible to everyone but you). Check if you're shadowbanned with our free Shadowban Detector.
Here's what a realistic karma-building journey looks like when you follow these strategies consistently:
Comment on rising posts in large subreddits. Target 100-500 karma. Focus on r/AskReddit and r/explainlikeimfive.
Start posting original content. Join niche subreddits. Target 1,000-2,000 karma. You can now post in most communities.
Build authority in your niche. Achieve 5,000+ karma. Start weaving in product mentions where genuinely relevant.
Full marketing mode. 10,000+ karma. You're a trusted community member. Product mentions get upvoted, not flagged.
You can absolutely build karma manually. But if you're building a business, your time is better spent on product and customers. Here's the real comparison:
Karma is the gateway. What you do with it determines whether Reddit becomes a real growth channel or just a time sink.
With 1,000+ karma, you can authentically participate in r/SaaS, r/Entrepreneur, and r/startups. Share your building journey, answer questions in your domain, and mention your product when it genuinely helps someone.
One well-placed comment in r/SaaS can drive 500+ visitors to your landing page. MediaFast shows you which subreddits to target and when to post for maximum reach.
SaaS Marketing on Reddit Guide →City subreddits (like r/Austin, r/nyc, r/Denver) are goldmines for local businesses. Users actively ask for recommendations. With established karma, your suggestions carry weight.
MediaFast shows you the local subreddits for your city, the best times to engage, and what content works in each community.
Reddit Marketing by City →MediaFast shows you which subreddits to post in, when to post, what content to create, and where to comment. We guide your entire Reddit marketing strategy so you stop wasting time and start seeing results.
City subreddits have different karma requirements and posting cultures. Find specific karma-building strategies tailored to your local community:
Everything you need to know about building karma on Reddit.
With consistent effort, you can build 1,000 karma in 2-4 weeks by commenting on popular posts in subreddits like r/AskReddit and r/explainlikeimfive. The key is showing up daily with genuine, helpful responses rather than trying to game the system.
Yes, you lose karma when users downvote your posts or comments. The best way to avoid this is to always provide value, read each subreddit's rules before posting, and avoid being overly promotional. One poorly received post rarely tanks your overall score.
Most subreddits require 100-500 combined karma to post. Some high-traffic communities like r/videos or r/pics may require 1,000+ karma. Business-focused subreddits like r/SaaS and r/Entrepreneur typically have lower thresholds but stricter content rules.
No. Buying karma violates Reddit's terms of service and can result in permanent account suspension. Reddit's anti-spam systems are sophisticated and regularly flag accounts with unnatural karma patterns. Build karma organically for long-term success.
For effective Reddit marketing, aim for at least 1,000-2,000 karma with a 3+ month account age. This gives you enough credibility to post in most subreddits without triggering spam filters. MediaFast shows you which subreddits to target and guides your posting strategy.
Post karma comes from upvotes on your submissions (links, images, text posts), while comment karma comes from upvotes on your replies. Comment karma is generally easier to build and is what most subreddits check for posting access. Many marketers start with comment karma first.