Reddit CEO confirms plans to introduce paywalls later this year
Chances are that if you get something for free, it's too good to be true.
Now, Reddit is set to make sweeping changes that could lock some major features behind a paywall. Like when Elon Musk realized he could make a pretty penny out of rebranding Twitter as X and charging people to be verified, Reddit is poised to charge us for the privilege.
Founded back in 2005 as a social news aggregation, content rating, and forum social network, Reddit has largely been free for all.
While it's true that Reddit Premium (formerly Reddit Gold) allows you to pay to remove ads, gift coins to others, and access exclusive subreddits, it's not a big deal if you decide not to commit to its $5.99-a-month price tag.
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Now, Reddit CEO Steve Huffman has confirmed that paywalled features are on the way in 2025.
Speaking in a video Q&A session, Huffman said: "It’s a work in progress right now, so that one’s coming ... We're working on it as we speak." Either way, these "new, key features" are coming before the end of 2025.
Huffman has previously discussed the idea of paywalls but confirmed it won't apply to subreddits that are already popular. Instead, they'll only apply to new subreddits.
The paywalled subreddits are thought to turn them into premium spaces where Redditors can monetize their content.
He's also outlined new AI features that will hopefully summarize search results, while he's discussed the idea of a Reddit marketplace to try and diversify the platform's revenue streams.
Expanding on a potential Reddit marketplace, there are hopes of allowing financial transactions without having to head to third-party apps like PayPal or Venmo.
Still, he warned that marketplaces "might be a little ways off."
Huffman added: "I think the existing altruistic, free version of Reddit will continue to exist and grow and thrive just the way it has. But now we will unlock the door for new use cases, new types of subreddits that can be built that may have exclusive content or private areas—things of that nature."
In the aftermath of Reddit becoming a public company in March 2023, its finances are now under a microscope.
In terms of other revenue avenues, Reddit is using a practice known as 'social listening' to share data with market research firms and the like. Notably, there was the $60 million licensing deal that was announced in conjunction with Google in 2024.
It's clear that the decision is going to be a divisive one, and like when numerous subreddits went dark after Reddit started charging for API access, there's sure to be a local backlash.
Responding to the news, one critic wrote: "Reddit to start charging for certain subreddits. RIP."
Another added, "No one is going to pay for Reddit. This will just cause a mass exodus and cause users to flee to other things.," while a third concluded, "Reddit saw how much engagement it gets from chaos and said 'you should have to pay for this' - whack move."