You keep seeing ads for Reddit Premium. $5.99/month for an "enhanced" experience. But what does that actually mean, and is it worth paying when Reddit is technically free?
Here's the honest breakdown of every Premium benefit and whether any of them justify the cost for your use case.
What Reddit Premium Includes
| Benefit | Description |
|---|---|
| Ad-free browsing | No ads anywhere on Reddit |
| Monthly coins | 700 Reddit Coins each month |
| Premium awards | Exclusive awards to give |
| r/lounge access | Members-only subreddit |
| Custom app icons | Additional app icon options |
| Avatar perks | Premium avatar gear and styling |
| New features early | Beta access to new features |
Ad-Free Browsing
What it does: Removes all advertisements from Reddit — promoted posts, banner ads, sidebar ads.
Value assessment: Reddit's ads are relatively unobtrusive compared to many platforms, but they do exist. If you browse Reddit for hours daily, removing ads improves the experience.
| Usage Level | Ad-Free Value |
|---|---|
| Casual (30 min/day) | Low |
| Moderate (1-2 hrs/day) | Medium |
| Heavy (3+ hrs/day) | High |
Monthly Coins (700)
What it does: 700 coins deposited monthly, usable for giving awards to other users.
Value assessment: 700 coins costs about $2 if purchased separately. You can give roughly:
- 7 Silver awards, or
- 1 Gold award with change, or
- Save up for larger awards
| If You | Coin Value |
|---|---|
| Never give awards | Worthless |
| Occasionally award | Moderate |
| Frequently award | Good value |
Premium-Only Awards
What it does: Access to exclusive awards only Premium members can give.
Value assessment: These are cosmetic. They don't give recipients more karma or benefits than regular awards. They just look different.
| Factor | Assessment |
|---|---|
| Functional difference | None |
| Social signaling | Minimal |
| Practical value | Very low |
r/lounge Access
What it does: Entry to a private subreddit for Premium members only.
Value assessment: This is often cited as the most disappointing Premium benefit. r/lounge is:
- A small community with moderate activity
- Mostly meta-discussions about having Premium
- Not particularly active or engaging
| r/lounge Reality |
|---|
| Not a secret knowledge hub |
| Not particularly active |
| Content quality is average |
| Novelty wears off quickly |
Avatar and Appearance Perks
What it does: Premium avatar clothing, gear, and styling options. Custom app icons for mobile.
Value assessment: If you care about Reddit cosmetics, there's value here. Most users don't spend much time on avatar customization.
| User Type | Value |
|---|---|
| Avatar enthusiasts | Medium |
| Typical users | Very low |
Early Feature Access
What it does: Beta access to new Reddit features before general release.
Value assessment: This can be interesting for power users who want to try new things. However:
- Beta features are often buggy
- Not all features reach general release
- The timing advantage is usually weeks, not months
The Honest Cost-Benefit Analysis
At $5.99/month ($71.88/year), here's the value breakdown:
| Benefit | Monthly Value Estimate |
|---|---|
| Ad-free (heavy user) | $2-3 |
| 700 coins | $2 |
| Lounge access | $0-0.50 |
| Avatar perks | $0-1 |
| Early access | $0-0.50 |
| Total realistic value | $4-7 |
Who Should Get Reddit Premium
Yes, it's worth it if:
- You spend 3+ hours daily on Reddit
- Ads genuinely bother you
- You regularly award others' content
- You want to support Reddit financially
- You're a casual browser
- You don't care about giving awards
- You use ad-blocking tools already
- You're subscribing for r/lounge (it's not special)
| User Type | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Heavy daily user | Consider it |
| Casual browser | Skip it |
| Award giver | Good value |
| Status seeker | Better investments exist |
Premium vs. Free Account Functionality
Here's what's important: Premium doesn't unlock any core functionality.
| Feature | Free Account | Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Posting | Full access | Same |
| Commenting | Full access | Same |
| Voting | Full access | Same |
| Subreddit access | Same as Premium | Same |
| Karma earning | Same | Same |
| Trust signals | Same | Same |
Premium vs. Account Age/Karma
This is the comparison that matters:
Reddit Premium:
- Costs $72/year
- Provides cosmetic benefits
- No impact on posting ability
- No impact on trust signals
- Can be canceled anytime
- Unlocks subreddits
- Reduces rate limiting
- Builds trust with communities
- Required for many Reddit activities
- Cannot be purchased directly from Reddit
The Gift Premium Alternative
Instead of subscribing, you can receive Premium through awards:
| Award Received | Premium Duration |
|---|---|
| Gold | 1 week |
| Platinum | 1 month |
| Argentium | 3 months |
| Ternion | 6 months |
Final Thoughts
Reddit Premium is a legitimate product with real benefits for the right users. If you're a heavy Reddit consumer who values ad-free browsing and wants to participate in the award economy, $6/month isn't unreasonable.
But Premium is not an account quality shortcut. It doesn't unlock subreddits, doesn't boost your visibility, and doesn't make your account more trustworthy. For those metrics, you need age, karma, and history.
At CertifiedKarma, we provide what Premium can't: established accounts with the age and karma that actually affect your Reddit experience. Premium is a nice-to-have; account standing is need-to-have.
References
- Reddit. "Premium features." Official Premium page.
- Reddit Help Center. "What is Reddit Premium?" Feature breakdown.
- r/lounge. The Premium-only subreddit.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I reddit premium benefits: is it worth $6/month?
You keep seeing ads for Reddit Premium. $5.99/month for an "enhanced" experience. But what does that actually mean, and is it worth paying when Reddit is technically free?
How do I get started with this approach?
Value assessment: This is often cited as the most disappointing Premium benefit. r/lounge is: - A small community with moderate activity - Mostly meta-discussions about having Premium - Not particularly active or engaging
