Reddit to Transition to Logged in Only

Reddit plans to make its platform primarily available to logged-in users, beginning with tests outside the U.S. this quarter and expanding gradually. The company says accounts enable more tailored feeds and recommendations, stronger advertising, and better protection against bots scraping its content. Users will not need to disclose their real identities, and Reddit is restoring in-app incognito browsing; however, incognito users can only read, not participate. Logged-out visitors will still be able to view the homepage and content reached through search engines or shared links, while commenting and ranking content will remain limited to logged-in users.

The shift comes as search referrals weaken: Reddit reported a significant decline in search traffic in the third quarter and warned that daily users could fall by a low-double-digit percentage in the fourth quarter if the trend continues. The company says the immediate risk is contained because its app and logged-in users generate more than 80% of monetization, and logged-in users engage about five times more than logged-out visitors. The move also supports Reddit’s ad-led business, whose revenue grew 54% year over year in the third quarter, and gives the company more control over how its vast archive of posts and comments is used in the AI era. Reddit will continue licensing data through agreements with third parties.