How much do Reddit awards cost?
Reddit prices awards in gold, generally between 15 and 50 gold an award. Gold comes in packs you buy in the app or on the website. There is also a free award you can give once per eligible post or comment.
Reddit glossary
Reputation
Reddit awards: what they are, gold, and who can get one
Reddit awards are badges people give to posts and comments they like, either free or paid for with gold, Reddit's in-app currency.
Updated October 26, 2026
A real example
Reddit Help: What are awards and how do I use them?
Awards are priced in gold, generally 15 to 50 gold each, with a free one you can give once per eligible post or comment. Communities can't opt out.
Awards vs upvotes vs karma
| Who gives it | Costs anything? | What it shows | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Award | Any user, on eligible content | Free once per item, otherwise gold | A badge and an award count on the post or comment |
| Upvote | Any user | No | A higher score and position |
| Karma | Nobody directly, it adds up from votes | No | A total on the author's profile |
Not everything can be awarded. Reddit's help page rules out content tagged NSFW or with graphic violence, content in NSFW or quarantined communities and in support communities for addiction or trauma, ads, and posts outside a community.
What it means for a marketer
An award on a reply is a strong signal that a reader got real value, and it makes that reply easier to spot in a long thread. That is the whole upside. Never give awards from accounts you control to your own content, and never pay anyone to award it. Reddit's awards page rules out awarding yourself, including from other accounts you own, and a paid award ring is the same kind of fake attention as a vote ring. If your replies start picking up awards on their own, note which ones. They tell you what this room values.
Related Reddit glossary terms
Karma
Karma is a rough score of the upvotes and downvotes your Reddit posts and comments received, shown on your profile.
Upvote
An upvote is a vote saying a Reddit post or comment adds to the conversation. Upvotes push it higher and add to the author's karma.
NSFW
NSFW means not safe for work. Reddit uses it to mark mature or explicit posts and communities that people choose to see.
Common questions about Reddit awards
Can I give an award anonymously?
Yes. Tick Give anonymously and only Reddit will know it was you. You lose any leaderboard credit for it, and you can't attach a message.
Do awards pay the person who gets them?
They can. People in Reddit's Contributor Program can earn cash from paid awards and karma, if their content is eligible under Reddit's Earn Policy.
Can I award my own post?
No, not from your account and not from any other account you own. Reddit only lets awards go to someone else's content.
Sources
Checked against Reddit's Help Center on October 26, 2026.
- https://support.reddithelp.com/hc/en-us/articles/26465598697876-What-are-awards-and-how-do-I-use-them
- https://support.reddithelp.com/hc/en-us/articles/17331548463764-What-is-gold-and-how-do-I-use-it
- https://support.reddithelp.com/hc/en-us/articles/17331620007572-What-is-the-Contributor-Program-and-how-can-I-participate