10 Subreddits Where You Can Build Karma Quickly

Some subreddits make it easy to earn karma. Others will bury your posts before anyone sees them. If you’re trying to build up your account, picking the right communities matters more than anything else.

This list covers 10 subreddits where new and low-karma users can actually gain traction. For the full picture on how karma works, check out our complete guide to Reddit karma.

Why Does the Subreddit You Post In Matter So Much?

Not all subreddits treat new users the same way. Some have strict karma requirements that block you from posting entirely. Others let anyone participate but have so many members that your content gets lost in seconds.

The best subreddits for building karma have three things in common:

• Low or no karma requirements. You can actually post there as a new user.
• Active but not overwhelming. Enough people to generate upvotes, but not so many that your post disappears instantly.
• Engagement-friendly topics. Content that invites comments and discussion, which means more upvotes for everyone.

Here’s where to focus your energy.

1. r/AskReddit — Is This the Best Place to Start?

Absolutely. r/AskReddit is the single best subreddit for building comment karma as a beginner.

Expected karma per good comment: 50-500+. Per viral comment: 1,000-5,000.

Here’s why it works so well. New posts appear constantly. Many of them blow up within hours. If you leave a good comment early on a question that goes viral, you can earn hundreds or even thousands of karma from a single reply.

The trick is sorting by “Rising” instead of “Hot.” Rising shows you questions that are gaining momentum right now. Comment on those before they hit the front page.

What works best here:

• Personal stories that answer the question directly.
• Funny but genuine responses.
• Detailed answers that go beyond the obvious.

What to avoid: one-word replies, copied answers, and anything off-topic. Moderators here are active and will remove low-effort content.

Since comment karma matters more than post karma for most subreddit requirements, r/AskReddit should be your first stop.

2. r/todayilearned — Can Sharing Facts Really Earn Karma?

Yes, and surprisingly well. r/todayilearned (TIL) rewards interesting facts with massive upvotes. Posts regularly hit 10,000+ upvotes.

Expected karma per good post: 100-2,000. Per good comment: 20-200.

The format is simple. Find a surprising fact, link to a credible source, and write a clear TIL title. The fact needs to be genuinely interesting, not something everyone already knows.

Good sources: Wikipedia, news articles, research papers, and documentaries. The more surprising the fact, the better it does. Facts that challenge common beliefs or reveal hidden history perform especially well.

For comment karma, sort by New and add related facts or polite corrections to other people’s posts. TIL readers love learning even more from the comments. Try connecting the fact to something current or personal.

3. r/mildlyinteresting — Do Simple Photos Do Well Here?

Very well. This subreddit is one of the most forgiving communities on Reddit. The whole point is sharing things that are just a little bit interesting. Not amazing, not boring. Just mildly interesting.

Expected karma per post: 50-500. Occasional viral hit: 5,000+.

The bar for content is low, which makes it perfect for new users. Spot something slightly unusual in your daily life? Take a photo and post it.

Examples that do well:

• A perfectly shaped vegetable.
• An unusual shadow or reflection.
• A product label with a funny detail.
• Something that’s an unexpected color.
• Two unrelated things that accidentally match.

Rules to follow: photos must be original (taken by you), titles must describe the content accurately, and no screenshots. Breaking these rules gets your post removed instantly.

4. r/Showerthoughts — Can a Simple Observation Go Viral?

All the time. r/Showerthoughts is where people share those random “aha” moments. A clever observation can earn thousands of upvotes in hours.

Expected karma per approved post: 100-1,000. Viral potential: 10,000+.

The challenge is that this subreddit has strict filters. Your thought needs to be original. If it’s too similar to a previous post, it gets auto-removed. Generic observations have been posted a thousand times.

What actually works:

• Observations that make people pause and think.
• Connections between two unrelated things.
• Reframings of everyday experiences.
• Thoughts that are obvious once you hear them, but nobody’s said them before.

Tip: write your shower thought in a single sentence. The shorter and punchier, the better. Long explanations kill the effect. If you need more than 15 words, you’re probably overcomplicating it.

5. r/pics — Is This Still Good for New Users?

It’s decent, but competitive. r/pics has over 30 million members. Your photo needs to stand out or tell a story.

Expected karma per good post: 100-1,000. Strong storytelling photo: 5,000+.

The subreddit works best when your image has context. Photos with emotional backstories, interesting settings, or striking visuals get the most upvotes. A random sunset probably won’t cut it. A sunset you photographed from a meaningful place, with that context in the title, will do much better.

Keep in mind that r/pics requires strict title rules. No clickbait, no sob stories as titles, and no screenshots. Read the sidebar before posting.

For comment karma, sort by Rising and leave genuine reactions to photos. Asking the photographer a specific question about their shot often gets upvoted. Something like “What camera did you use?” or “Where exactly is this?” starts a conversation that earns everyone karma.

6. r/explainlikeimfive — Does Explaining Things Build Karma?

Absolutely, especially if you know a topic well. r/explainlikeimfive (ELI5) is where people ask for simple explanations of complex topics.

Expected karma per good answer: 100-500. Top answer on a popular question: 1,000-3,000.

The key is clarity. The best ELI5 answers use analogies, avoid jargon, and break down concepts step by step. If a 10-year-old couldn’t follow your explanation, simplify it more.

This subreddit is great for people with knowledge in science, technology, finance, or law. But you don’t need to be an expert. Sometimes the clearest explanations come from people who recently learned the topic themselves. Fresh understanding often produces the best simple explanations.

Comment on questions in your area of knowledge. Sort by New to find questions that haven’t been answered well yet. A thorough early answer on a popular question can earn serious karma. The key is speed: the first good answer usually gets the most upvotes.

7. r/aww — Do Pet Photos Always Get Upvotes?

Pretty much. r/aww is one of the most consistently upvote-friendly subreddits on Reddit. Cute animals do well almost every time.

Expected karma per pet photo: 50-500. Exceptionally cute or funny: 5,000+.

If you have a pet, you have a karma source. Dogs, cats, rabbits, hamsters, and unusual pets all perform well. Baby animals do especially well. Rescue stories (“adopted this guy yesterday”) consistently hit the front page.

Tips for maximum karma:

• Good lighting makes a huge difference. Natural light beats flash every time.
• Capture action or expression. A dog mid-yawn or a cat reaching for something gets more upvotes than a pet just sitting there.
• Keep titles short and cute. Don’t overthink it.
• Post between 7-10 AM EST for maximum visibility.

No pet? You can also comment on other people’s posts. Genuine compliments about someone’s pet and funny observations about the photo both earn comment karma. r/aww is one of the friendliest comment sections on Reddit.

8. r/memes — Can Memes Really Build Karma Fast?

Faster than almost anything else. A good meme can hit 10,000 upvotes in a single day. The problem is that bad memes get downvoted just as fast.

Expected karma per decent meme: 50-500. Viral meme: 5,000-20,000.

The trick is timing. Make memes about what’s trending right now. Check what’s popular on Reddit and Twitter, then create a meme that captures the moment. A meme about yesterday’s news is already old. A meme about what’s happening right now is gold.

You don’t need fancy editing software. Most viral memes use simple formats with good text. Apps like Imgflip or Mematic work fine. The idea matters more than the production quality.

What to avoid:

• Reposts. Reddit users will call you out immediately, and the community has tools that detect copied memes.
• Overused templates. If you’ve seen the template 50 times this week, skip it.
• Anything mean-spirited. Memes that punch down get reported and removed.

Pro tip: browse r/memes by New for 10 minutes before posting. You’ll see what format is trending and what’s already been done to death.

9. r/gaming — Is the Gaming Community Good for Karma?

If you play games, this is one of the best communities for steady karma growth. r/gaming is massive (40M+ members) and active around the clock.

Expected karma per good post: 100-1,000. Nostalgia or collection posts: 2,000-10,000.

The highest-performing content here falls into specific categories:

• Nostalgia posts. Photos of old games, consoles, or gaming setups from your childhood. “Found this in my parents’ attic” posts consistently go viral.
• Achievement screenshots. Impressive in-game accomplishments, especially from hard games like Dark Souls, Elden Ring, or completion milestones.
• Setup photos. Gaming desk and battlestation photos do well, especially clean or creative setups.
• Original humor. Gaming memes and funny in-game moments, particularly glitches or unexpected outcomes.

For comment karma, share opinions on games people are discussing. Recommendations, tips, and personal experiences with specific titles get upvoted. Just be ready for debate. Gamers have strong opinions, and that’s fine. Respectful disagreement actually earns more karma than mindless agreement.

Hidden gem strategy: smaller gaming subreddits for specific games (r/stardewvalley, r/zelda, r/minecraft) have 200K-2M members and much less competition. Your posts are far more likely to be seen and upvoted there than on the main r/gaming sub.

10. r/LifeProTips — Do Practical Tips Earn Karma?

They can earn massive karma, but only if you nail the execution. r/LifeProTips (LPT) rewards genuinely useful, specific advice.

Expected karma per good tip: 100-1,000. Genuinely useful tip: 5,000-15,000.

The tips that perform best share a pattern: they solve a specific problem most people face but haven’t thought to fix.

Examples of tips that do well:

• Practical solutions to everyday annoyances. (“LPT: Put your car keys on top of anything you need to remember to bring tomorrow.”)
• Money-saving tricks that aren’t obvious. (“LPT: Call your insurance company and ask for a rate review. Most people save 10-20% just by asking.”)
• Social tips based on real experience. (“LPT: When someone shows you photos on their phone, hold the phone with both hands so you don’t accidentally swipe.”)
• Work and career advice that’s actionable. (“LPT: Before a job interview, search the company on Glassdoor for recent interview questions.”)

Avoid generic advice like “drink more water” or “be nice to people.” If it sounds like something a motivational poster would say, it won’t do well here.

Comment karma is also strong on this subreddit. Adding a related tip, sharing your experience with the original tip, or pointing out helpful edge cases all get upvoted. The comments here often become more valuable than the original post.

What Strategy Should You Use Across These Subreddits?

Don’t just pick one. Spread your activity across 3-5 of these communities for the best results.

Here’s a simple daily routine that works:

1. Morning (10 min): Sort r/AskReddit by Rising. Answer 2-3 questions with genuine, detailed replies.
2. Midday (5 min): Check r/todayilearned or r/explainlikeimfive for questions you can answer.
3. Evening (10 min): Post one piece of original content to r/mildlyinteresting, r/aww, or r/memes.

This takes about 20-30 minutes per day. Most people hit 500+ karma within two weeks with this approach. For the complete day-by-day plan, read our guide on how to get Reddit karma fast.

The key is consistency. A few good comments every day beats one viral attempt per month. And don’t get discouraged by comments or posts that don’t take off. Even experienced Reddit users have plenty of content that goes nowhere. You only need a few hits to build solid karma.

What Subreddits Should You Avoid as a Beginner?

Some subreddits look tempting but will waste your time or get you in trouble.

Karma farming subreddits like r/FreeKarma4U don’t actually help. Reddit’s algorithm ignores upvotes from these communities. Participating in them can even flag your account. We covered this in detail in our article on why buying Reddit karma is a terrible idea.

Subreddits with high karma requirements will just auto-remove your posts silently. Check the rules before posting anywhere new.

Controversial or debate-heavy subreddits are risky for new accounts. Getting heavily downvoted early can put your karma in the negative, which makes everything harder.

Very large subreddits (10M+ members) where you have no special angle. Your content gets buried before anyone sees it.

Stick to the list above until you have 500+ karma. Then branch out into whatever communities interest you.