Reddit Awards are one of the best ways to show appreciation for great posts and comments. If you’ve ever seen a thoughtful reply or a post that made your day, giving an award is how you say thanks in a bigger way than just an upvote.
This guide explains what Reddit Awards are, how to give them, and what happens when you or someone else earns one.
What Are Reddit Awards?
Reddit Awards let users highlight and celebrate content they love. You can give awards to posts or comments that make you laugh, teach you something, or simply stand out.
Awards help boost visibility for high-quality contributions and encourage positive engagement across communities.
How to Give a Reddit Award
Giving an award is simple and works the same across desktop and mobile.
Here’s how:
- Find the post or comment you want to award
- Click or tap the award icon underneath it (usually a little medal or gift symbol)
- Browse the list of available awards and select the one you want
- Click “Give Award”
- If you don’t have enough gold, Reddit will prompt you to buy a gold pack
- After completing the purchase, your award will be sent, and you’ll see a confirmation animation
Giving awards is instant and adds a visible badge to the post or comment, making it stand out for others too.
What Happens When a Post or Comment Gets an Award
When a post or comment receives an award, a few things happen:
- The award icon changes to show the most popular award given
- The total number of awards appears next to the post or comment
- The person who gave the award sees it with a glowing highlight
Everyone viewing the post can see how many awards it has. Awards also help highlight great contributions in a thread, often attracting even more engagement.
How Much Do Reddit Awards Cost?
Reddit Awards are purchased using gold, Reddit’s virtual currency. Each award costs a different amount, typically between 15 and 50 gold.
You don’t need to buy gold separately each time. You can purchase gold in packs during the award process or keep a balance ready for future awards.
Gold can be bought:
- Through the Reddit app (Apple or Android) using in-app purchases
- Through Reddit’s website using credit card, debit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, or WeChat Pay
Tip: Gold is slightly cheaper if you buy it through Reddit’s web version instead of mobile apps, because it avoids App Store fees.
Read more: What is Reddit Gold?
Are There Free Reddit Awards Available?
Yes, sometimes Reddit offers free awards to users.
Here’s how it works:
- In mid-2023, users with coin balances received free awards based on how many coins they had
- These free awards can be used until December 31, 2024, at 11:59 PM PT
The breakdown:
| Coins Balance | Free Awards Given |
|---|---|
| Less than 100 coins | 5 awards |
| 101 – 1,000 coins | 10 awards |
| 1,001 – 10,000 coins | 20 awards |
| More than 10,000 coins | 30 awards |
Important:
Free awards can only be used on eligible posts and comments. They expire if unused by the deadline.
What Kind of Content Can Receive Awards?
You can give awards to most posts and comments on Reddit, but there are a few exceptions.
You cannot give awards to:
- Posts or comments marked NSFW (Not Safe for Work)
- Content containing sexual material, graphic violence, or mature themes like gambling and alcohol
- Posts in quarantined subreddits or communities focused on addiction or trauma support
- Advertisements, ad comments, or posts on user profile pages
Awards can only be given inside subreddits and only on regular, eligible content.
Can I Award My Own Posts or Comments?
No, you cannot award your own content on Reddit.
This rule applies even if you try to use a second account you control.
Awards are designed to be genuine recognition from other users, not a way to boost your own posts artificially.
If Reddit detects attempts to self-award, it could result in account penalties.
Can I Give Awards Anonymously?
Yes, Reddit allows you to give awards anonymously.
When you award anonymously:
- The recipient will see the award but won’t know who gave it
- Other users also won’t see your name associated with the award
- You won’t appear on award leaderboards or earn recognition statuses
Note:
- You can’t include a message if you choose to give an award anonymously
- Anonymous awards still count toward the post’s or comment’s total award count
Just check the “Give Anonymously” box when selecting the award.
Can I Send a Message with an Award?
Yes, you can add a personal message when giving an award, if you’re not giving it anonymously.
Here’s how:
- When selecting an award, there’s a text box where you can write a message up to 100 characters
- This message is private and only visible to the person receiving the award
Important: If you choose to give the award anonymously, you won’t have the option to include a message
Sending a message can make the award feel even more meaningful, especially if you want to highlight why the post or comment stood out to you.
What Happens After You Receive an Award?
Receiving an award on Reddit is a way other users show they appreciate your post or comment.
When you get an award:
- The awarded post or comment will display the award icon
- You’ll see the total number of awards your content has received
- If you’re part of Reddit’s Contributor Program, awards can help you qualify for real payouts (based on your combined gold and karma)
Awards not only boost the visibility of your content but can also build your reputation in the subreddit.
How to See How Many Awards a Post or Comment Has
It’s easy to check how many awards a post or comment has received.
Here’s how:
- Find the post or comment you’re curious about
- Click or tap the award icon displayed underneath it
- Select “View All” to open the Award Details page
On this page, you’ll see:
- A full list of all awards given
- The quantity of each specific award
- The total amount of gold associated with those awards (shown in descending order)
This breakdown helps you see which awards were most popular and how much recognition the content has earned.
