Reddit is a successful blend of social network and forum. Many have tried to replicate the success of this platform, but it's crucial to understand that Reddit is initially a community, not just a website. It is users who create the content here. They also vote for successful posts and authors, with the most popular content being featured in the main feed.
Reddit is among the top twenty most visited websites on the internet, with over 57 million daily users. No wonder it's so appealing to the business segment. You can sell your products and advertise services here. Both large and small businesses typically create their own subreddits (subsections or threads, thematic communities) or actively share links to their websites in comments.
The effect of such links can be notable: you might experience the "Reddit effect," where the influx of visitors willing to view the website can crash it, similarly to a full-scale DDoS attack.
This material discusses why and how to create multiple accounts on Reddit, as well as how to manage them more conveniently.
Can You Have Multiple Reddit Accounts?
Yes, you can indeed have multiple accounts on Reddit. Moreover, for business needs, we strongly recommend having several parallel accounts on Reddit and actively using them.
Reddit does not prohibit the creation of a large number of accounts; this is not specified in the platform's policies and rules.
To create an account on Reddit, you only need an email address (or username) and password. All responsibility for potential problems due to posted content or wrongful actions is on the users. If registering by username, different accounts can even be linked to one email box.
However, we do not recommend doing this because if one account is blocked, sanctions will be applied immediately to all accounts of the same user. Similarly, one should be cautious when linking Google and Apple accounts to Reddit as they are also used for identification.
Reasons for having multiple Reddit accounts are as follows:
- Protecting the Main Account and Confidentiality – so that actions on additional accounts are not associated with the main account, do not affect its rating/karma, and do not influence previously published posts;
- Boosting Activity. As known, content in Reddit communities is moderated by users, and the more actively Redditors vote for a post, the higher it rises in the rankings, and the more views it gets. New views mean an expanded audience for a potential advertising campaign. Vote boosting at the start is used for faster post elevation to the top. The community will still decide afterwards, but the process can be initiated with bots.
- Risk Diversification. Reddit audience can be extremely unpredictable. And if one of your accounts suddenly falls out of favor, you can always abandon it and keep using other accounts. Plus, Reddit has its internal system of bans, for example, you can receive a shadow ban, where your posts are no longer visible to other users. This is how the platform punishes authors for violating internal rules.
- Interest Separation. Many users use the system of multiple accounts to separate their activity by interests and communities (subreddits).
- Parsing Tasks. Access to the content of some communities can be obtained only after logging into an account. Reddit itself is quite tolerant of scanning and scraping, but the terms of use include a clause about "overloading" the service. If the system decides that you are creating too much load on the site or server, the account may be blocked. Therefore, it makes sense to use a system of separate accounts for parsing tasks.
You and your business may have your own reasons and tasks for multi-accounts on Reddit. We have described only typical situations.
Using Reddit Mobile App for Multiple Accounts
Recently, the official Reddit mobile app has enabled quick switching between all existing accounts.
To activate this functionality on Android or iOS devices, you need to complete the following steps:
- Tap on the profile icon (located at the top right);
- In the menu that appears, select "Settings";
- In the "General" section, tap on "Account settings for … [your username]";
- The account settings menu will open. At the very top, there will be an option "Switch accounts." Click on your username;
- A list of all available accounts for quick switching will pop up at the bottom;
- At the end of the list, there will be an "Add account" option. Click on it;
- Here, you can use the Google/Apple account switch menu or switch to email (simply enter a new email address and the system will create a Reddit account);
- Instead of creating a new account, you can switch to the anonymous browsing mode;
- Subsequently, switching accounts will be faster. Simply tap on the profile icon, and a dropdown list next to the username in the opened panel will display all available active profiles.
The browser version is much more complicated. We will discuss methods of managing Reddit multi-accounts on desktops further.
Problems One May Face When Creating Multiple Accounts on Reddit
- Despite Reddit's lenient policy towards parsing and multi-accounts, the platform can block individual users and actively uses this capability;
- The so-called "shadow bans," where a user who has violated the platform's usage rules can still log in and post content, are quite widespread. However, their posts are invisible to everyone else. This is a kind of "trap for bots";
- The most common type of block for anonymous users (those who use the platform without logging in) is an IP block. In this case, an access error (code 403) is displayed when trying to visit the Reddit website in a browser.
- If you have used multiple accounts from the same IP address, then all of them can be blocked at once (this applies to both mobile devices using the official app and desktops).
- Even if there are no blocks or sanctions, it is very challenging to manage multiple Reddit accounts on PCs and laptops. You either need to log out and log back in each time or create several browser profiles to facilitate easier switching between them. Remember that too active behavior from a single IP can raise many questions from security systems.
If you do not want to risk a ban and lose all your content and built-up audience, use tools to bypass blockages.
How to Avoid Bans Managing Multiple Reddit Accounts?
Here we'll explore the most appropriate methods of managing multiple Reddit accounts:
1. Use Proxy
The simplest and the most obvious way to bypass any network blocks is to change your IP address. You can do that in different ways: proxy servers, VPNs or a Tor browser. Each approach has its advantages and disadvantages. For example, VPNs do not allow control over the outgoing/final addresses; at most, you can change the general location at the country level. The IP addresses typically provided by VPNs are server-based, which only increases the risk of being blocked.
Tor connections are unrealistically slow and definitely not suitable for using Reddit, as the platform contains a lot of media content.
In our opinion, the most quality and truly professional solution would be to rent a proxy. However, not just any proxies, but specific ones:
- Mobile proxies (for use on mobile devices or with emulation of mobile browsers/environments). A detailed description of how mobile proxies work as well as of their advantages and disadvantages.
- Residential proxies (for use on PCs and laptops). A detailed description of how residential proxies work as well as of their advantages and disadvantages.
A detailed comparison of proxy servers with all their alternatives (VPN, Tor, etc.).
Note! Merely changing the IP might not be sufficient. Reddit may also check cookies and other parameters available for user identification (this is called a "digital fingerprint" or "fingerprint"). Therefore, proxies should be used in conjunction with other technical means capable of substituting these digital fingerprints.
2. Create Multiple Chrome Profiles
The simplest way to create a "new" Reddit user is to set up another Google account and switch between browser profiles.
The scheme is quite straightforward:
- Open Google Chrome and click on your user icon;
- In the menu that opens, select "Add" and log in to another Google account. Instead of a Google account, you can create a new local user;
- Now, you can switch between different browser profiles at any time. Each will have its unique digital fingerprint (its own set of cookies, extensions, bookmarks, search history etc.). These browser profiles can even be used concurrently.
- Each Google account can be linked to a new Reddit account.
Simple, right? However, there are nuances:
- All browser profiles will connect to Reddit from the same IP address;
- If you have many accounts and activity is above average, this may result in a block;
- Therefore, it is necessary to use proxies;
- In the default Chrome version (without special plugins), there is no capability to work with separate proxy addresses. Proxies are now only determined at the operating system level.
- To circumvent this limitation, you either need to install special plugins or reconnect to a different proxy server each time you switch profiles (open a new browser).
3. Utilize Social Management Tools
Some online services offer features like autoposting, comment and stats collection, community promotion etc. These are all professional tools used by SMM marketers.
These tools make it possible to manage a large number of accounts under a cloud subscription model. The simplest example of managing accounts on Western social networks, including Reddit, is the Postpone App. There are other solutions as well.
A client can add all accounts into the system, fill in data for publishing new posts and set their advertising campaigns on autopilot. The service itself will connect to Reddit and post materials on your behalf.
However, there are also risks of being blocked if you choose the wrong themes or overdo the frequency of posts.
Professional services also operate through proxies in one way or another. This may be either an individual network of IP addresses or a special interface for adding your proxies. It's important to remember that you are essentially trusting your proxies to a third party. There are no guarantees that they won't use them for their own tasks, which means your traffic could be used inefficiently.
4. Buy Several Devices/Smartphones
By doing this, you will create your own mobile "farm." Each device will have a unique IP address from the mobile network provider, plus you can register unique Google/Apple profiles (whichever is more convenient) and link different Reddit accounts to them.
This is an original, yet very costly solution. In addition to the expenses for smartphones, there will be regular costs for mobile communication. Mobile internet must be obligatory used because if you connect to Reddit via a single Wi-Fi network, all gadgets will have only one IP address—the one issued to the router.
However, even mobile internet does not guarantee the absence of blocks. If all your phones connect to the same base station, they might all be assigned the same IP address (similarly to a router). An original solution would be to use different communication operators or connect through proxies. This method is only suitable for managing a small number of profiles.
Anyway, this becomes too expensive, which is a significant disadvantage.
5. Use a Special Multi-Accounting (Anti-Detect) Browser
The most rational and convenient technical solution for managing a large number of parallel accounts is the use of anti-detect browsers (more about what an anti-detect browser is and the list of the best ones here).
In brief, these are special versions of secure browsers that allow you to run any number of browser profiles simultaneously, each operating through its own proxy. Additionally, they include a range of tools for comfortable management of all profiles, generating digital fingerprints, sharing profiles within teams, etc. Everything will depend on the functionality of the specific browser here.
Naturally, managing multiple Reddit accounts in anti-detect browsers is easiest since they contain all the necessary features, including a special interface for checking and rotating proxies, as well as scripts for randomizing users' digital fingerprints.
How to Manage Multiple Reddit Accounts with an Anti-Detect Browser
Here’s how the process of managing multiple Reddit accounts will look using the anti-detect browser Dolphin{Anty} (detailed review):
- Register for a Dolphin{Anty} Account. You can manage up to 10 profiles for free (with some technical limitations). Go to the official website and sign up to do that.
- Download and Install the Browser. Once the core is installed, wait for the environment to load and install (the latest Chromium version will be downloaded). The browser supports all desktop operating systems, including Linux (Debian/Ubuntu-based), Windows and MacOS.
- Log In to the Browser. Use the credentials you’ve created during registration.
- Add Browser Profiles. Click the "Create Profile" button to do that. In the window that opens, you can load cookies and local storage separately. Use the automatic digital fingerprint generation script (in advanced mode, you can manually set all parameters). Likewise, you can use the bulk import system. Name the profile for easy identification. For maximum convenience, you can assign tags and descriptions to the profile and categorize it under a specific project folder.
- Add and Assign Proxies to Profiles. In the new proxy port settings, you can specify the following:
◾ Proxy type (HTTP, SOCKS4, SOCKS5, or SSH);
◾ Connection details (IP address, port number, username+password);
◾ Proxy name (for convenience);
◾ A link for quick IP rotation (without using intermediate scripts and programs).
- Save and Launch the Profile. This will open a separate instance of the Chrome browser.
- Log In to Reddit. Now, you can either log in to an existing Reddit account, create a new Google account and use it to start creating Reddit account again.
- Done!
You can repeat the profile creation process as many times as needed. The only limitations are the capabilities of your computer and the parameters of your active Dolphin{Anty} subscription.
There are numerous auxiliary tools and features in Dolphin{Anty}:
- System of notes and tags, folder distribution;
- Bulk addition of proxy ports and browser profiles, export system;
- Automation script builder (you can customize your own scenarios in a special visual editor);
- Centralized storage for browser bookmarks and plugins;
- API for interaction with parsers and other programs;
- Support for DevTools Protocol (standard functionalities and commands of headless Chrome);
- Profile synchronization through cloud storage;
- Teamwork features - rights distribution, browser profile sharing, common bookmarks, plugin lists, projects etc.;
- Cookie collection robot from different sites;
- Search and filtering system - for convenient management of a large number of profiles.
You can use any other anti-detect browser besides Dolphin{Anty}, but the setup process for browser profiles and available features may differ.
Remember, the quality of the anti-detect browser directly affects its ability to circumvent various types of blocks.
A Few More Tips:
- Each browser profile should correspond to one Reddit account and a separate proxy port only;
- Do not use the same IP address for multiple Reddit accounts as it may result in a block of all accounts or an IP ban;
- Make sure to generate a unique digital fingerprint for various browser profiles;
- To build unique cookies, browse through a varied list of websites. Just open the required sample of the anti-detect browser and visit websites. Some anti-detect browsers, like Dolphin{Anty}, have special scripts for this purpose;
- Do not post prohibited content on Reddit and follow its policies to avoid penalties;
- Pay attention to the rules of the subreddits where you plan to post materials or leave comments.
- Direct advertising on Reddit is a quick way to get banned or receive a low rating. Marketers need to be extremely careful and develop an adequate strategy that aligns with Reddit's unique community-driven environment. If unsure, observe how your competitors are navigating Reddit promotions.
Conclusion and Recommendations
The reasons for creating a large number of Reddit accounts may vary, but when it comes to business tasks, caution and scale are extremely important. Automating the management of multi-accounts is not easy. Specialized tools- anti-detect browsers - are best suited for this purpose.
No solution for circumventing blocks can operate effectively without quality proxies. You can find fast rotating mobile and residential proxies with us. Froxy offers more than 10 million IP addresses worldwide, with precision selection up to the city and ISP level. You only pay for the traffic used, while packages can be paused as needed.