Getting stuck with negative Reddit karma can limit where you can post, and hurt your reputation across subreddits. But the good news? It’s totally fixable.
This guide walks you through exactly how to recover from negative karma, build a clean track record, and start earning upvotes the right way.
What Is Reddit Karma (and Why Negative Karma Hurts)
Reddit karma is the total score you get from ⬆ upvotes minus ⬇ downvotes on your posts and comments. If people like your contributions, your karma goes up. If not, it drops.
Negative karma happens when more users downvote your content than upvote it.
Why it matters:
- Some subreddits restrict posting to users with positive karma
- Consistent downvotes can signal low-quality or rule-breaking behavior
- You may appear untrustworthy to mods and other users
Quick Wins: How to Stop Losing Reddit Karma
Before you can start earning upvotes, you need to stop the bleeding. Here are immediate actions to take:
1. Delete Heavily Downvoted Posts and Comments
You can’t recover karma by deleting content, but you can stop further downvotes. If a comment or post is sitting at -20, it’s dragging down your score every time it gets seen.
Check your user profile:
- Sort by “controversial” or “worst”
- Delete anything with strong negative karma, especially if it breaks subreddit rules or looks low-effort
2. Avoid Arguing in the Comments
Getting into heated debates might feel justified, but it rarely earns upvotes.
If you’re getting dogpiled, step back. Fighting back often leads to mass downvotes.
3. Stop Posting in Karma-Gated Subreddits
If your karma is negative, avoid high-traffic or karma-sensitive communities (like r/AskReddit or r/news). These places are quick to downvote new or suspicious accounts.
Instead, switch to smaller or more welcoming subreddits where new users are supported (like r/CasualConversation or r/NewToReddit).
How to Earn Reddit Karma from Scratch (Step-by-Step)
Once you’ve cleaned up the damage, it’s time to start building. These steps are designed for consistent, low-risk karma growth, even from a negative number.
1. Post in Smaller, Friendly Subreddits
Start with communities like:
- r/NoStupidQuestions: Ask anything, no matter how simple or weird. Respectful answers are often upvoted.
- r/YouShouldKnow: Share helpful tips or facts you wish others knew. Clear and useful posts earn easy karma.
- r/TrueOffMyChest: Vent, confess, or open up. Thoughtful or emotional posts tend to get strong support.
- r/AnimalsBeingBros: Share kind or heroic animal moments. Wholesome content thrives here.
- r/CasualConversation: Lighthearted daily discussions where sincere replies get upvotes.
- r/MildlyInteresting: Post unusual or oddly satisfying visuals. Subtle content can shine here.
- r/WholesomeMemes: Feel-good memes that spread kindness are always appreciated.
- r/LifeProTips: Offer practical advice for daily life. Well-written tips get shared widely.
- r/DataIsBeautiful: Share informative charts or graphs. Visual clarity is key.
- r/TodayILearned: Post surprising facts with sources. Bonus if it’s something obscure.
- r/UpliftingNews: Share verified good news stories. Karma comes from spreading positivity.
- r/AskReddit: Ask or answer big questions. Be early or unique to stand out.
- r/ExplainLikeImFive: Break down complex ideas simply. Great for building comment karma.
- r/CrazyIdeas: Wild, funny, or just maybe brilliant, originality is rewarded.
- r/IAmA: Ask questions in AMA threads. Engaging comments often rise to the top.
- r/DoesAnybodyElse: Share relatable quirks or habits. If others relate, you’ll get karma.
- r/InternetIsBeautiful: Highlight cool or useful websites. Make sure it’s fresh and safe.
- r/FunFacts: Share bite-sized, surprising trivia. Bonus points for the weird and wonderful.
- r/Showerthoughts: Clever one-liners or quirky ideas go far, especially if original.
- r/InterestingAsFuck: Post jaw-dropping images or facts. Great sub for visual content.
These subs are less competitive, and the users are more likely to upvote genuine contributions.
2. Comment Early on New Posts
Sort posts by “new” and leave thoughtful, relevant comments before others do.
Early comments tend to get the most attention, and the most upvotes, if the thread gets popular.
3. Use Humor or Helpfulness
Helpful answers and subtle humor often earn easy upvotes. Think:
- Solving someone’s question clearly
- Adding a funny but harmless one-liner
- Complimenting a user’s story or post
Low-effort jokes or sarcasm rarely work unless you’re deep in a niche subreddit.
4. Follow the Rules in Each Subreddit
Read the sidebar. If a sub hates memes, don’t post memes.
If they ban image posts, don’t try to sneak one in.
Downvotes often come from rule violations, even when the content is good.
5. Be Consistent (Even If It’s Slow)
Recovering from negative Reddit karma isn’t about one viral post, it’s about showing up regularly with value. Consistency builds trust with both the Reddit algorithm and the community.
Why consistency matters:
- Regular posting keeps your profile active and visible
- Frequent engagement signals you’re not a spammer or bot
- Communities are more likely to reward familiar, steady contributors
What to do:
- Post once a day in a subreddit you understand well. Don’t chase trends, share content that fits the community.
- Leave 2–3 thoughtful comments daily on new or rising posts. Focus on helping, entertaining, or adding insight.
- Use a fixed set of subreddits to build a reputation. Being active in the same 3–5 communities makes your username more recognizable.
Example daily routine:
- Spend 5 minutes reading the top 5 new posts in a chosen subreddit.
- Comment on 2 posts with something useful, funny, or kind.
- Post once every 1–2 days if you have original content or a relevant question.
- Track which of your posts or comments get upvoted, replicate what works.
Reddit rewards people who play the long game. Even if it feels slow at first, this habit will reliably earn you karma, followers, and credibility.
Mistakes That Keep You in Negative Karma
If your karma isn’t improving, or it keeps getting worse, there’s usually a clear reason. Avoiding these common pitfalls will protect your gains and help you avoid starting over again.
- Posting for Karma – Reddit users dislike obvious karma-farming tactics like bait questions, reposts, or upvote begging, which often get flagged or downvoted.
- Ignoring Subreddit Culture – Each subreddit has its own norms; what works in one may flop in another, so read the rules and observe top posts before engaging.
- Commenting Too Much, Too Fast – Posting many comments quickly can trigger spam filters; focus on pacing and value, not volume.
- Starting New Threads With Weak Titles – A vague or uninteresting title can sink your post regardless of its content, so make your headline clear and relevant.
- Reacting Emotionally to Downvotes – Taking downvotes personally and lashing out usually worsens your karma; instead, stay calm and learn from the feedback.
Advanced Tips for Growing Reddit Karma Faster
Once you’re stable and out of the negatives, these strategies can help accelerate your growth, without looking spammy or desperate.
1. Time Your Posts for Maximum Visibility
Reddit activity peaks during weekday mornings in U.S. time zones. To increase upvotes:
- Post between 8–11 a.m. EST
- Avoid late nights or weekends unless the subreddit is global
- Use tools like our Subreddit Analyzer to find the best posting times by subreddit.
2. Focus on High-Impact Post Types
Some formats consistently perform better:
- Lists (e.g., “5 things I learned…”)
- Helpful tutorials or tips
- Personal stories with a strong takeaway
- Image posts with a quick emotional hook (in visual subreddits)
3. Be a Comment Sniper
Sort hot posts by “new” and look for ones that are just starting to pick up.
Leave a smart or funny top-level comment early. If the post goes viral, your comment rides along.
4. Use Flairs and Tags Strategically
In subs that use post flairs, the right flair boosts discoverability.
Some subs even require it for visibility, missing it could bury your post.
5. Reuse Purpose Top Content
If a post does well in one sub, tweak it slightly for a different community. Never repost word-for-word.
Instead:
- Rephrase the title
- Adjust tone for the new sub’s culture
- Change up the image or link if relevant
When It’s Better to Start Over With a New Account?
Sometimes, it’s not worth trying to fix a badly damaged Reddit account.
If your history is full of heavily downvoted content, bans, or shadowbans, a reset may be the cleanest option.
Consider starting a new account when:
- You’re banned from multiple subreddits
- Your post history triggers suspicion or auto-removal
- You’ve been shadowbanned (your posts don’t show up to others)
- Your karma is deeply negative and not improving after weeks of effort
In these cases, even your good content might get ignored or removed due to bad account reputation.
Reddit doesn’t officially ban new accounts, unless you’re evading a ban from a specific subreddit.
To stay safe when creating a new account:
- Don’t use the new account to rejoin subs you were banned from (or trying to do the old mistakes).
- Wait a few days before posting, comment first and blend in. Avoid posting right away.
- Avoid copying posts directly from your old account
- Use a different IP or browser profile if you’ve been shadowbanned. Read our guide about managing multiple Reddit accounts for more details.
Build the New Account Right
Start slow:
- Pick one or two small, friendly subs
- Post helpful or relatable content
- Avoid controversial discussions at the beginning
If you’ve learned from your mistakes, your new account can grow quickly, and even outperform your old one in no time.
Final Reddit Karma Recovery Tips That Work
As you rebuild your Reddit presence, small tweaks in behavior and strategy can make a big difference. These final tips are often overlooked, but they work.
1. Learn from High-Performing Users
Spend time in a few subreddits and observe:
- Who consistently gets upvoted?
- What tone and format do they use?
- What kind of comments rise to the top?
Mimic, not copy their style. Reddit rewards users who understand community nuance.
You can also use tools like Reddit User Analyzer to understand a specific user easier.
2. Use humor sparingly but strategically
A light, well-placed joke can earn a lot of karma, especially in comment threads. But forced or edgy humor is a fast track to downvotes.
If you’re unsure, keep it simple, clever, and relevant.
3. Ask for feedback (when appropriate)
In subreddits like r/TooAfraidToAsk or r/NewToReddit, it’s okay to say "I’m trying to get better at Reddit, any feedback on what I did wrong here?"
Redditors respect humility and a willingness to learn. Some might even upvote just for asking.
4. Post helpful content
The easiest way to gain karma over time:
- Share something people find helpful
- Answer questions thoroughly
- Solve a problem with links or personal experience
Value > Volume. Always.
5. Stay consistent for the long game
Reddit karma builds slowly. Don’t chase it.
Instead:
- Post daily or a few times a week
- Leave 1–3 solid comments a day
- Focus on a few core communities
Momentum builds, and your reputation grows with it.
For more details, please take a look at our complete guide: How to Boost Reddit Karma
Case Study: From -122 to +1,505 Karma in Under 2 Weeks
When Raregem_2021 came to us, his Reddit karma was sitting at -122. He’d jumped into the deep end—arguing in r/politics, posting arguing comments in high-moderation subs, and getting hit with downvotes left and right.
No problem. We’ve handled this dozens of times.
Here’s the exact routine we gave him (same one we’ve used successfully for many clients before):
- Switched him to forgiving, high-engagement subs: We started him off in r/NoStupidQuestions, r/TrueOffMyChest, and r/LifeProTips. These communities are perfect for thoughtful, low-pressure participation.
- Gave him a “2-3-1” daily routine: 2 quality comments, 3 comment upvotes, 1 post every few days. That’s it. No farming. No forcing virality.
Within 2 weeks, his karma flipped positive. By week three, he was sitting at +1,500 and fully active in the subs he actually cared about.
“I thought Reddit hated me. Turns out I just needed the right plan—and someone who’s done it before.”
There’s no secret trick—just proven systems and daily consistency. We’ve used this same framework across dozens of accounts, and it works every time.
All it takes is:
- Showing up daily with value
- Posting in the right places
- Letting karma build naturally
If your account’s in the red, don’t worry. We’ll have you back in the green in a few weeks—like we always do.
