Reddit CEO Steve Huffman announced plans to introduce a paywall for exclusive content on the platform this year. The new feature will allow users to access certain subreddits with premium features or private areas, but only after paying a fee.
The idea of paid subreddits was first discussed by Huffman in August, where he stated that free Reddit would continue to exist and grow despite any changes. However, balancing paid and free content is crucial to avoid alienating the current user base.
Reddit has explored this concept before, with its premium version r/Lounge requiring users to purchase Reddit Gold to access certain features. The platform also launched the Reddit Contributor Program in September 2023, which allows users to earn money for their contributions, including awards and karma.
To compensate creators for exclusive content, Reddit would need to consider a system that rewards users fairly. One possible approach could be to use the existing Reddit Contributor Program as a foundation, with payments ranging from $0.01 per 1 Gold received.
The rollout of this paywall will likely focus on new subreddit types, rather than any existing subreddits currently available. This move aims to provide an additional revenue stream for Reddit while maintaining its free services.
Source: https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/02/reddit-plans-to-lock-some-content-behind-a-paywall-this-year-ceo-says