Can I promote my software or paywalled product here?
Yes, but only if it is relevant to passive income, provides value to the reader, and you mention a free trial in the post. The rule is called "Software or paywalled content".
Subreddit guides
r/passive_income rules, stats, and what to post
A source-backed Rankhog guide to r/passive_income: public rules, community context, posting fit, and startup-promotion risk before you publish.
By Anthony Riera, founder and operator of Rankhog.
Subreddit guides combine public Reddit source URLs, captured rules, visible verification dates, and Rankhog's account-safety workflow.
Current public stats
- Members
- 1,249,910
- Verified
- September 18, 2026
- Category
- Side hustle builders and solo income experiments
Rules can change, so Rankhog keeps verification dates and the original public Reddit sources visible.
Rule summary
- All referral links must have a disclaimer: This sub is to discuss and inspire each other. Not profit from getting people here to click on your referral link. All referral or affiliate links on low effort posts will be removed. If you do include a referral link, you must clearly label it with a disclaimer. The following have been brought up many times. If you have a unique insight or method, please post. But we don't need any more referral links to these sites. - Honeygain - Robinhood / Webull - Swagbucks - Anything to do with Tai Lopez
- Don't be a jerk: Not going to force you to bow and curtsy. Just don't be a jerk. Make a friend!
- Content must be relevant to Passive Income: Examples of non-passive income: gig economy work, surveys, referrals, casinos, sign up bonuses, etc
- No vague posting: No vague posts about opportunities or direct/implied DM requests for basic info. Answer questions in the comments section or your post. Not following this rule will result in a ban going forward.
- No begging for money: No begging. There are other subs that cater to users in need.
- Mods may remove content at their discretion: There are certain types of posts that do not serve the community (e.g. A.I. generated spam masquerading as advice or a guide, and adult content including pornographic material or selling pictures of any body part) that mods may remove at their discretion.
- No identity fraud: Attempting to solicit or offering to purchase KYC verified accounts is prohibited.
- No karma farming: Karma farming is prohibited per Reddit's ToS. This will result in an instant ban and be reported to admins.
- No scams or illegal activity: If you promote a scam or illegal activity its an instant ban.
- Software or paywalled content: Any post promoting software or paywalled content must be relevent to passive income and provide value to the reader. It must also include a free trial. The free trial must be mentioned in the post. Any exceptions to this rule must be pre approved by mods.
Works well
- A detailed breakdown of a passive income stream you built, including real revenue numbers, time invested, and what you learned, with no links at all.
- A comparison of two or three passive income methods you have tried, explaining the pros and cons of each based on your own experience.
- A post about a software tool that helps with passive income, where you explain the value clearly and mention a free trial in the post body.
- A referral link to a passive income platform, clearly labeled with a disclaimer, inside a high effort post that shares a unique method or insight.
Avoid
- Forgetting to label a referral link with a clear disclaimer will get it removed.
- Asking people to DM you for basic information breaks the "No vague posting" rule and can lead to a ban.
- Posting about gig work, surveys, or sign up bonuses is off topic because the rules say those are not passive income.
- Promoting software or paywalled content without mentioning a free trial in the post is not allowed.
- Posting AI generated content as if it were real advice or a guide is discouraged and mods may remove it.
- Begging for money is not allowed here.
What r/passive_income Is For
This community is for people who want to discuss passive income, share wins, vet ideas, and learn what really works. The public description calls it the largest passive income community on the web. Based on the rules, the room expects posts that are genuinely about passive income and not about gig economy work, surveys, referrals, casinos, or sign up bonuses. People come here to inspire each other and discuss methods, not to profit from getting others to click referral links.
Rules That Matter Before Posting
The rules that matter most for a founder are "All referral links must have a disclaimer", "Content must be relevant to Passive Income", "No vague posting", and "Software or paywalled content". The "All referral links must have a disclaimer" rule tells you that referral or affiliate links are allowed only if you clearly label them with a disclaimer, and only on posts that are not low effort. The "Content must be relevant to Passive Income" rule gives a specific list of things that do not count as passive income, including gig economy work, surveys, referrals, casinos, and sign up bonuses. The "No vague posting" rule is strict and says that vague posts about opportunities or implied DM requests for basic info will result in a ban. The "Software or paywalled content" rule says any post promoting software or paywalled content must be relevant to passive income, provide value to the reader, and include a free trial mentioned in the post, with any exceptions requiring pre approval from mods.
What To Post
A good post here is a detailed account of a passive income method you actually tried, with real numbers and honest lessons. You should answer questions directly in the post or comments instead of asking people to message you. If you mention software or paywalled content, make sure it is relevant to passive income, gives real value to the reader, and includes a free trial that you mention in the post itself. If you include a referral or affiliate link, label it clearly with a disclaimer and make sure the post itself is high effort, not just a vehicle for the link.
What To Avoid
Avoid posting referral or affiliate links without a clear disclaimer, or putting them on low effort posts, because the "All referral links must have a disclaimer" rule says those will be removed. Avoid being vague about opportunities or asking people to DM you for basic info, since the "No vague posting" rule says that will result in a ban. Avoid posting about gig economy work, surveys, referrals, casinos, or sign up bonuses, because the "Content must be relevant to Passive Income" rule says those are not passive income. Avoid promoting software or paywalled content without mentioning a free trial in the post, because the "Software or paywalled content" rule requires it. Avoid posting AI generated spam masquerading as advice or a guide, because the "Mods may remove content at their discretion" rule calls that out. Avoid begging for money, karma farming, scams, illegal activity, and identity fraud, since each has its own rule and some carry instant bans.
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Common questions about r/passive_income
Can I include a referral or affiliate link?
You can include a referral or affiliate link only if you clearly label it with a disclaimer and the post is not low effort. The rule is called "All referral links must have a disclaimer".
Can I ask people to DM me for more details?
No. The "No vague posting" rule says you must answer questions in the post or comments instead of asking for direct messages.
What topics are explicitly overposted here?
The rules list Honeygain, Robinhood, Webull, Swagbucks, and anything to do with Tai Lopez as overposted and no longer welcome.
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