There is no single karma requirement on Reddit. Every subreddit sets its own thresholds through AutoMod, none of them are published by Reddit, and moderators change them whenever spam picks up. As a working baseline: niche communities under 50K members typically want 50–200 combined karma and one to two weeks of account age; mid-sized communities want 200–500 karma and two to four weeks; large default subreddits often want 500–2,000+ and three to six months.
Below are the realistic ranges, how to find a specific subreddit's actual rule, and the thing that trips people up in 2026 even when their karma is fine.
Realistic thresholds by community size
| Subreddit size | Typical karma needed | Typical account age |
|---|---|---|
| Niche — 5K to 50K members | 50 – 200 combined | 1 – 2 weeks |
| Mid-sized — 50K to 500K | 200 – 500 combined | 2 – 4 weeks |
| Large / default — r/AskReddit, r/pics, r/funny | 500 – 2,000+ | 3 – 6 months |
| Small or new — under 5K | Often none | Often none |
These are observed ranges, not published rules. Treat them as a planning tool, not a guarantee.
The kill zone
The riskiest state for any account is under 100 karma and under two weeks old. In that window AutoMod removes most posts automatically across a large share of active communities, and you are given no notification. Your post appears on your profile and never appears in the subreddit.
This is the single most common reason people conclude they have been shadowbanned when they have not. If you want to check which it is, this guide walks through the difference, and our free shadowban checker settles it in a few seconds.
Post karma vs comment karma
Many subreddits now distinguish the two in their AutoMod configuration. A common pattern requires comment karma specifically, because comment karma is harder to farm and correlates better with real participation. Accounts that built 5,000 post karma from image reposts and have 40 comment karma get filtered by these rules, which is exactly their purpose.
The practical implication: build comment karma first. It is slower, it counts for more, and it is what actually teaches you how a community talks.
The 2026 factor nobody plans for: Contributor Quality Score
Karma and account age are no longer the whole story. Many major subreddits now include Reddit's Contributor Quality Score in their AutoMod rules — a signal Reddit computes about how an account behaves across the platform. A Low or Lowest score can block your post even when your karma and account age both clear the stated threshold.
You cannot see your own score, and you cannot appeal it. What moves it is the ordinary stuff: genuine participation across varied communities, comments that get replies rather than downvotes, and an absence of removals. What hurts it is being reported, having posts removed repeatedly, and posting in a narrow promotional pattern.
How to find a specific subreddit's actual requirement
- Read the sidebar and the rules page. Some subreddits state their threshold outright.
- Check the subreddit wiki. Larger communities often document AutoMod behavior there.
- Look at the pinned or "start here" post. Newcomer rules usually live there.
- Modmail and ask. A short, polite question gets a straight answer more often than people expect.
- Test with a comment. Comment first. If your comment sticks and your post does not, you have found a post-specific rule.
Our free subreddit rules analyzer reads a community's rules and surfaces the posting restrictions in plain language, which is faster than reading three wiki pages.
Building karma that actually counts
The goal is not a number, it is standing. Farming karma in meme subreddits produces a number that many AutoMod rules now explicitly discount.
- Comment in communities you genuinely follow. Ten thoughtful comments a week beats a hundred one-liners.
- Answer questions in your area of expertise. This is the fastest legitimate route, and it builds the standing that matters when you eventually mention what you do.
- Reply early to new posts. Reddit is time-weighted; the first substantive reply on a rising post gets disproportionate visibility.
- Do not buy or trade accounts. Purchased accounts are heavily flagged and account trading violates Reddit's rules.
See how to build Reddit karma fast for the detailed version, and our warm-up guide for the schedule that keeps an account out of trouble while it grows.
What karma will not fix
- A subreddit ban. Karma is irrelevant; you need to modmail those moderators.
- A shadowban. Also irrelevant; you need to appeal at reddit.com/appeals.
- A bad post. High karma gets you past the filter, not past the readers.
- Being obviously promotional. 10,000 karma does not make an ad welcome.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much karma do I need to post on Reddit?
It depends entirely on the subreddit. Niche communities often need 50 to 200 combined karma, mid-sized ones 200 to 500, and large default subreddits 500 to 2,000 or more. Reddit itself imposes no global minimum.
Why was my post removed even though I met the karma requirement?
Most likely Reddit's Contributor Quality Score. Many subreddits now check it in AutoMod alongside karma and account age, and a low score blocks posts even when the other thresholds are met.
Does comment karma or post karma matter more?
Comment karma, increasingly. It is harder to farm and correlates better with genuine participation, so a growing number of AutoMod rules require it specifically.
How long does it take to reach 200 karma?
With consistent, genuinely useful commenting in active communities, one to three weeks is realistic. A single well-received comment on a busy thread can produce a large share of that on its own.