Reddit bot detection: check an account for bot signals
Spam and bot accounts reply instantly, repeat themselves and post around the clock. Enter a username and we read its recent activity, then score five plain signals, from account age to repeated comments, and give a cautious verdict you can check yourself.
Reddit bot detection here means reading an account's recent posts and comments and checking them against the patterns automated and spam accounts leave behind. Each signal shows its value, so you can judge the account yourself instead of trusting a black box.
The five signals
| Signal | Flagged when | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Account age | Under 30 days old | 1 |
| Activity rate | More than 40 posts and comments a day across the sample | 2 |
| Repeated comments | 30% or more of comments are exact repeats of each other | 3 |
| Hours active | Activity in 22 or more of the 24 hours of the day | 1 |
| Karma for its age | Over 5,000 karma on an account under 60 days old | 1 |
The verdict adds up the weights of the flagged signals. A total of 4 or more reads "likely bot", 2 or 3 reads "some bot signals", and anything lower reads "likely human". We set the thresholds low on purpose, because calling a real person a bot does more harm than missing a careful script.
How to read it
Repeated comments are the strongest signal, since people rarely paste the same sentence twenty times. Round-the-clock activity and a high daily rate point to automation or to several people sharing one account. A young account with thousands of karma has often been farmed for sale, which is why the karma requirements most subreddits set don't stop determined spammers.
Limits
- These are signals, not proof. A very active moderator can trip the rate signal, and a well-built bot can pass every check.
- It only reads the newest 100 comments and 50 posts.
- Reddit hides removed content, so an account whose spam got cleaned up can look quieter than it really was.
What to do next
- Read what the account wrote with the Reddit user comment search.
- Check its age, karma and status in the Reddit user analyzer.
- Seeing spam about your brand? Our Reddit reputation management service deals with it.
Frequently asked questions
How can you tell if a redditor is a bot?
Look for the same text posted over and over, replies at all hours, a posting rate no person could keep up, and a new account with lots of karma. The tool checks those four plus account age.
Are bots allowed on Reddit?
Some are. Plenty of subreddits run helpful bots that identify themselves in their name or their replies. Reddit's rules ban spam and manipulation, such as fake accounts voting or promoting together.
What should I do if I find a spam bot?
Report its posts and comments with Reddit's report button, and let the subreddit's moderators know. Don't argue with it in the thread.
Can this tool say for sure that an account is a bot?
No. It shows the signals and a cautious verdict. Only Reddit can say for sure, because it sees login and network data.
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