In a video Ask Me Anything session last week, Reddit CEO Steve Huffman confirmed that the platform is actively testing ways to add paywalls to certain content, including plans to roll out a “paid subreddit” feature later this year.
Huffman described the paid content model as a “work in progress,” but mentioned it would be one of the “new, key features” that Reddit intends to introduce in 2025.
His comments during the AMA confirmed his intentions stated last year about building a new type of subreddit that would include “exclusive content or private areas” hidden behind a paywall.
Reddit has been exploring new ways to monetize its site and userbase prior to going public in March 2024, including entering into a $60M licensing agreement with Google in February 2024 that allows the company to utilize Reddit's extensive user-generated content to train its AI models, and making a similar deal with OpenAI in May 2024, which Search Engine Land estimates to be worth around $70M. The two AI licensing deals account for around 10% of the platform's revenue.
Paid subreddits wouldn't be the first time that Reddit has offered premium features and subreddits. The company has sold a subscription called Reddit Gold since 2010, which offers users an ad-free experience on the platform as well as access to the r/Lounge subreddit, which can only be seeing by Gold members.
Questions about the paid subreddits remain to be answered including:
- Will moderators get paid to moderate these premium subreddits?
- Will content creators get paid to contribute content to these subreddits? (Reddit has already launched a Contributor Program in September 2023, where popular posts can make Reddit users money.)
- Will anyone be able to launch and monetize premium subreddits? Or will the feature be limited to select content creators and communities?
- Will the paid communities also have ads? Or will users be required to me a Gold member, which simultaneously offers an ad-free experience.
- Would anyone actually join a premium subreddit? Reddit users have historically never been very receptive to the platform's previous moves towards monetization.
I'll continue to cover new developments in this story as it progresses this year. In the meantime, if you're a Redditor, be sure to join me on r/Shopifreaks to keep up with and contribute the latest e-commerce news throughout the week.