How to Give Reddit Awards Without Wasting Coins: A Step-by-Step Guide

What you’re actually trying to do

You want to give someone an award on Reddit without looking confused, without wasting money, and without accidentally breaking a subreddit rule. You also want to know what happens when someone gives you an award.

The good news: giving an award takes about ten seconds once you know where to click. The confusing part is the system behind it—coins, premium, free awards, and what it all means for your account.

Let’s clear that up.

What you need before you start

Before you give your first award, check these three things:

1. A Reddit account — any account works, even one with zero karma.
2. Enough coins — either purchased ones or a free award from Reddit’s periodic giveaways.
3. The subreddit’s rules — some communities have specific award policies. A quick skim of the sidebar saves you from looking out of place.

If your account is new, you might want to read up on Reddit account setup basics first. It isn’t required for awards, but it helps you understand how your profile appears to others.

Step 1: Understand the award system without the mystery

Reddit awards are essentially digital stickers. You attach them to a post or comment to show appreciation. They come in three types:

The coin system is the part that confuses most people. You buy coins with real money, then spend those coins on awards. One coin is roughly one cent, but you have to buy coins in bundles—you can’t buy a single coin.

Step 2: Find the award button on any post or comment

The award button is the same everywhere on Reddit:

• On a post: Look below the post title and content, next to the upvote/downvote arrows.
• On a comment: Look at the bottom of the comment, again near the vote arrows.

You’ll see a small icon that looks like a gift box or a medal (depending on your app or browser). Click it, and the award menu opens.

On mobile, the button might be hidden behind a “…” menu on old-style comments. If you can’t see it, tap the three dots and look for “Award” there.

Step 3: Choose between free awards and paid coins

This is where most people hesitate, and for good reason—nobody wants to spend money accidentally.

When you click the award button, you’ll see a grid of awards. At the top, you’ll usually see any free awards you have. These look the same as paid ones but show “0 coins” or “FREE” as the price.

Important: Free awards are time-limited. Reddit gives them out randomly—often as a notification saying “You have a free award to give!” You have a few days to use them before they expire.

Paid awards cost coins. The cheapest ones start around 50 coins (about 50 cents). The expensive ones can cost 1,800 coins (about $18). The price difference affects how flashy the award looks and how much value the recipient gets.

Step 4: Send the award and understand what the recipient sees

Once you pick an award, tap or click “Give Award.” A confirmation screen shows you what you’re spending. Confirm, and it’s done.

Here’s what happens next:

• The recipient gets a notification: “You received an award!”
• The award appears on the post or comment as a small icon.
• The recipient gets whatever benefit comes with that award (coins, Premium days, or just the visual).
• Your username is not attached to the award by default. You can choose to add a message, and you can choose to make it anonymous.

That anonymity matters. Some people worry that giving an award exposes their account to scrutiny. It doesn’t—unless you include a message that reveals who you are.

Step 5: Know what awards do (and don’t do) for your account

Awards have zero effect on your Reddit karma. Giving an award doesn’t increase your karma. Receiving an award doesn’t increase it either.

What awards actually do:

• For the recipient: Temporary Premium (which removes ads), coins to spend on others, or just a visual badge.
• For the community: It highlights quality content, which can bring more visibility to the post.
• For you (the giver): Absolutely nothing in terms of account standing. No karma, no special status, no hidden perks.

This is worth understanding before you spend real money. Awards are a nice gesture, not a strategic tool for building your account.

Common blockers and how to fix them

“I don’t see the award button.”
This happens on old Reddit layouts or some third-party apps. Switch to the official app or the new desktop layout. The button is always there.

“I have a free award but it’s gone.”
Free awards expire. If you didn’t use it within a few days, it disappears. Check your notification history to see if you missed one.

“I gave an award by accident.”
There’s no built-in undo. If it was a paid award, contact Reddit support—they sometimes refund it if you explain the mistake quickly. Don’t count on it, though.

“The subreddit removed the award.”
Some communities disable awards entirely for their posts. That’s the moderators’ choice, and it’s not a reflection on you. Respect it and move on.

“Someone gave me an award—what now?”
Enjoy it. You might get a few days of Premium. You don’t need to do anything, though a polite thank-you in a reply if the giver is known is good etiquette.

Practical example: A new user’s first award

Maria just made her first Reddit account. She’s been reading r/AskReddit for a week and sees a comment that makes her laugh. She wants to show appreciation.

1. She clicks the gift icon below the comment.
2. Reddit shows her a free award she received yesterday—an “I’d Like To Thank The Academy” award.
3. She taps it. The confirmation says “0 coins.”
4. She confirms, and the award appears on the comment with a small animation.
5. The commenter gets a notification. Maria’s username stays hidden because she didn’t add a message.

Total time: about 15 seconds. Cost: nothing.

Quick action checklist

• [ ] Check if you have a free award in your notification tray
• [ ] Read the subreddit’s rules about awards, if any exist
• [ ] Decide if you want to stay anonymous when giving
• [ ] Confirm the coin cost before hitting “Give”
• [ ] Remember that awards don’t affect your Reddit rules standing or karma
• [ ] Don’t buy coins unless you genuinely want to support the platform

Final takeaway

Reddit awards are a social gesture wrapped in a confusing payment system. The practical approach: use free awards when you have them, skip paid awards unless you really want to support Reddit, and never assume awards improve your account’s standing—they don’t.

Your time is better spent participating in discussions and building visible comment history. That’s what actually matters for how others see you on Reddit. Awards are just a nice bonus for the people whose content you enjoy.

For this use case, practical proxy option for Reddit workflows should be compared by pricing, setup difficulty, support quality, refund policy, and whether it fits your workflow.

FAQ

Q: Do Reddit awards give you karma?
A: No. Awards do not affect your karma in any way—neither giving nor receiving them changes your comment or post karma. Karma comes only from upvotes on your own posts and comments.

Q: Can I get free Reddit awards?
A: Yes. Reddit occasionally gives free awards to users, usually as a notification that appears in your inbox or on the award button. These are time-limited, so you need to use them within a few days.

Q: How much does a Reddit award cost?
A: It depends on the award. The cheapest coin-based awards cost around 50 coins (roughly 50 cents), while premium awards can cost 1,800 coins (about $18). You have to buy coins in bundles, so the actual cost depends on which bundle you purchase.

Q: Is giving an award anonymous?
A: By default, yes. Your username is not shown to the recipient unless you choose to add a message that reveals your identity. You can also explicitly select the anonymous option when giving an award.

Q: What happens when someone gives me an award?
A: You get a notification and the award appears on your post or comment. Depending on the award, you may receive temporary Reddit Premium (which removes ads) or coins that you can use to award others. You don’t need to take any action.