Reddit has decided to bring back its awards system, incorporating several key updates after users found the golden upvote feature launched last year disappointing.
Introducing the New and Improved Awards System
On Wednesday, Reddit announced that the refreshed awards system would be rolled out immediately across its website and mobile apps. “We tried something new, it wasn’t great (you called it),” Reddit admitted. “So we’re (re)launching awards, not-so-new but definitely improved.”
What’s Changed?
While retaining the fundamental aspects of the old awards system, Reddit has introduced a number of enhancements. An award button now appears under eligible posts, and the user interface (UI) has been streamlined to reduce clutter. A new awards leaderboard will highlight the top gold and awards earned for comments or posts. Additionally, safety measures have been added to prevent awards from appearing on sensitive or NSFW subreddits, and users can now report misuse of awards. Reddit has also introduced new awards and updated some of the old designs.
From Coins to Gold
Previously, users bought coins with real money to purchase awards. Reddit acknowledges that it did not clearly communicate the phase-out of coins. To make up for this, the platform is offering users who lost their coin balance a “number of exclusive awards” that they can distribute for free.
Coins are not being reinstated. Instead, users will now purchase gold, with prices starting at $1.79 (or $1.99 via mobile) for 100 units. This change is part of Reddit’s Contributor Program, initially launched to award users with “golden upvotes.” Even though the golden upvote system is being discontinued, eligible creators can still use gold to earn money through the Contributor Program.
Expanding the Contributor Program
Unlike the golden upvote system, the Contributor Program has gained significant traction and will now be expanded to 35 countries. Reddit has addressed user concerns about potential abuse for spam, fraud, and karma farming but noted no increase in such activities since the program’s launch six months ago.
Community Reactions
The reintroduction of the awards system has received mixed reactions from the Reddit community. While some users are pleased to see the awards system return, others are confused about the new system’s operation. Many are also disappointed that certain beloved features, such as the ability to “gild” posts by donating a Reddit Premium subscription, have not been reinstated. As a result, the nostalgic phrase “thanks for the gold, kind stranger” remains a thing of the past.
Background and Context
Earlier this month, during its first earnings call as a public company, Reddit hinted at the revival of its awards program. The original awards system, along with the ability to purchase coins, was discontinued last year when Reddit introduced “golden upvotes,” which could be bought directly with cash. However, Reddit acknowledged that this system “wasn’t as fun or expressive as legacy awards” and did not clearly benefit the recipients.
Buying Gold and Award Costs
To give awards to posts and comments, users now need to buy gold. According to a support page, awards typically cost between 15 to 50 gold units. Gold packages in Reddit’s mobile apps start at $1.99 for 100 gold, with options to purchase up to 2,750 gold for $49.99.
Ensuring Integrity with Safeguards
To maintain the integrity of the awards system, Reddit has implemented safeguards such as disabling awards in NSFW subreddits, trauma and addiction support subreddits, and those with mature content. Users can also report awards to prevent misuse, including instances where awards might be used to influence moderator decisions.
Expanding the Community Rewards Program
Last year, Reddit launched a community rewards program in the U.S. to pay users for valuable contributions. With the latest announcement, this program has been expanded to 35 countries, allowing more users to benefit from their contributions to the platform..
