Reddit Gold: What It Costs and What It Pays
Reddit Gold buys awards: 100 gold costs $1.79 on the web in October 2026. Pack prices, how awards work, and what creators earn from them.
Reddit Gold is the currency you buy on Reddit to give awards on posts and comments, and to get digital goods in Developer Platform apps such as games. As of October 2026, 100 gold costs $1.79 on the web or $1.99 in the app, and most awards cost between 15 and 50 gold. When your own posts get awards, the gold spent on them can turn into cash through Reddit's Contributor Program, at up to $0.01 per gold.
We read Reddit's help center through its public API on October 24, 2026, plus Reddit's 2023 announcement and archived copies of its gold page.
About 18,100 people search "reddit gold" each month, and 2,900 search for the Contributor Program.
How much does Reddit Gold cost?
| Gold | In the app (iOS, Android) | On the web |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | $1.99 | $1.79 |
| 200 | $3.99 | $3.59 |
| 300 | $5.99 | $5.39 |
| 500 | $9.99 | $8.99 |
| 1,000 | $19.99 | $17.99 |
| 2,500 | $49.99 | $44.99 |
Reddit Help, "What is gold and how do I use it?", edited October 5, 2026, read October 24, 2026.
Buy on the web if you can. The web price is about 10% lower on every pack, since Apple and Google "charge us (and all developers who host apps on their platforms) a fee for each purchase," Reddit says. Every web pack works out to about $1.80 per 100 gold, so a bigger pack saves you nothing per gold.
You can hold up to 10,000 gold. It's "non-transferable and non-refundable," and you can't use it to pay another user. On a computer you can pay by credit card, debit card, Apple Pay or Google Pay. In the app, it's an in-app purchase.
How do you give a Reddit award?
On a post, open the three-dot menu and select Award this post. On a comment, tap the award icon underneath. Pick an award and select Give Award. If your balance is too low, Reddit asks you to buy a gold pack first.
Reddit's help sets a few rules:
- You can give a free award "once for each eligible piece of content."
- You can't award yourself, "including content posted through any alternative account owned by you."
- You can give anonymously, but then you can't add a message. Messages run up to 100 characters.
- Awards don't work on NSFW posts, in quarantined communities, or on ads.
- Communities can't turn awards off.
What do awards earn the person who gets them?
Cash, once they're in the Contributor Program. Reddit pays by the gold used on their awards, at a rate set by their karma:
| Tier | Karma | Payout per gold | Per 100 gold |
|---|---|---|---|
| Non-contributor | 0 to 99 | No payout yet, the balance rolls over | None |
| Contributor | 100 to 4,999 | $0.009 | $0.90 |
| Top Contributor | 5,000 or more | $0.01 | $1.00 |
Reddit Help, "Understanding Contributor Earnings & Payouts," edited October 5, 2026, read October 24, 2026.
So when someone pays $1.79 for 100 gold on the web and spends it all on your posts, you can get $1.00 as a Top Contributor or $0.90 as a Contributor.
To get paid, Reddit says you need:
- To be 18 or older, with an account at least 30 days old
- To live in one of 61 supported countries, including the US, UK, Canada, Australia, India and Germany
- $10 of award earnings and at least 100 karma within the last year
- To pass identity checks with Persona and set up a Stripe account
Payouts arrive "within 30-45 days after a month's close" once you've earned $10. Below that, your balance rolls over. Free awards and old legacy awards don't count toward it, and Reddit takes back earnings on content it removes for breaking its rules.
The program has grown. When it launched in September 2023, the only supported location was the "United States to start."
How has Reddit Gold changed?
| When | What gold was |
|---|---|
| Before September 2023 | Coins bought many awards, "including gold" |
| September 25, 2023 | A golden upvote, "starting at $1.99 for one gold, and up to $49.00 for 25 gold" |
| May 2024 | Awards came back: "For the price of one golden upvote, you'll now get 100 gold" |
| October 2026 | A balance for awards and for goods in Developer Platform apps |
Reddit, "Updating Reddit Gold and Rolling Out Our New Contributor Program," September 25, 2023, and Reddit Help's gold page, Internet Archive copies of April 14 and June 23, 2024 and the live page, read October 24, 2026.
That's why some guides, even from 2026, still tell you to long-press the upvote button. That was the 2023 golden upvote. Today's awards run through the award menu.
Does Reddit Premium include gold?
Premium is a separate subscription. As of October 2026 it costs $5.99 a month or $49.99 a year on the web, and $6.99 or $59.99 in the app. Its perks include ad-free browsing, posts up to 80,000 characters and 30-minute video uploads. Gold isn't on Reddit's list of Premium perks.
Frequently asked questions
What is Reddit Gold?
Reddit's own currency for awards and app goods. You buy it in packs, and it can't be transferred or refunded.
How much is Reddit Gold?
As of October 2026, 100 gold costs $1.79 on the web or $1.99 in the app. The biggest pack, 2,500 gold, costs $44.99 or $49.99.
How much are Reddit awards?
Most cost between 15 and 50 gold, and each post or comment can get one free award from you.
How do you earn money from Reddit Gold?
Through the Contributor Program. Awards on your posts pay $0.009 or $0.01 per gold used, once you reach $10 in earnings and 100 karma.
Can you give gold to yourself?
No. Reddit blocks awards on your own content, from any of your accounts.
Can you cash out gold you bought?
No. Bought gold can't be refunded, transferred or used to pay other users.
Hclout doesn't sell Reddit Gold, awards or upvotes. Gold comes only from Reddit, and its program runs identity checks and "daily gold purchase limits." Hclout sells Reddit views, subscribers and shares on its Reddit page, and our Reddit karma guide covers the karma side of the payout.
Sources
- Reddit Help, "What is gold and how do I use it?", "What are awards and how do I use them?", "What is the Contributor Program and how can I participate?", "Understanding Contributor Earnings & Payouts", "Why am I not eligible for the Contributor Program?", "Earning money on Reddit" and "What is a Reddit Premium subscription?", read through Reddit Help's public API on October 24, 2026
- Reddit, "Updating Reddit Gold and Rolling Out Our New Contributor Program," September 25, 2023, read October 24, 2026
- Internet Archive copies of Reddit Help's gold page from April 14 and June 23, 2024, read October 24, 2026
- Google results for "reddit gold," US, October 24, 2026 (our read)
- Google Ads Keyword Planner, worldwide, read October 24, 2026
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