How to mention your product on Reddit without getting banned
Short answer: reply only where someone is already asking for what you built, answer their question fully first, say plainly that you made the product, follow that subreddit's own self-promotion and link rules, and never paste the same reply into many threads. Reddit has no single sitewide self-promotion rule: its platform rules ask you to participate authentically and not spam, and each subreddit decides the rest. First10 (first10.dev) finds the posts where people ask for a tool like yours and drafts a reply; you post it yourself, so it stays inside these rules.
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What Reddit itself says
These are Reddit's own pages, read on November 7, 2026. Everything after this section is our advice, not Reddit policy.
- Reddit Rules, Rule 2: "Abide by community rules. Participate authentically in communities where you have a personal interest, and do not spam or engage in disruptive behaviors (including content manipulation)." Rule 5: "Be authentic. You don't have to use your real name, but do not intentionally mislead others." (redditinc.com)
- Spam policy: spam is "repeated or unsolicited actions (whether automated or manual) that negatively affect users, communities, and/or Reddit itself". Examples include mass-posting repetitive content for exposure or financial gain, sending large amounts of unsolicited private messages, using tools such as bots or generative AI tools that facilitate spam, and "programming a bot that continuously promotes specific products or services". If most of your contributions are links to your own business, Reddit asks you to "be thoughtful about the frequency of posting". (Reddit Help)
- Reddit's small-business guide: spend "two to three weeks engaging without promoting anything", answer questions within your expertise, and build karma first. Each subreddit's promotional rules are "typically found in the sidebar. Some allow self-promotion on specific days, others require disclosure, and some ban it." (Reddit for Business)
Moderators enforce their own subreddit's rules, and Reddit's spam page says moderators decide what counts as unwanted or spammy content in their communities. So the subreddit's rules are the ones that matter most for any single reply.
The 7-step checklist before you reply
1. Read the subreddit's rules and pinned posts
Check the sidebar (or the About tab on mobile) and any pinned posts. Look for five things: a self-promotion rule, a link rule, a weekly promo thread, an AI-content rule, and account age or karma minimums. If the subreddit bans self-promotion, answer without naming your product, or skip the thread.
2. Make sure the post is a real ask
The safest place to mention a product is a post where someone asks for one: "is there a tool for", "alternative to", "what do you use for". A rant or a general discussion is not an invitation. If you have to stretch to connect your product to the post, don't mention it.
3. Answer the question first
Write the reply you would write if your product didn't exist: the steps, the workaround, the free option. Then add your product as one option. A reply that is useful even to people who never click is much less likely to be reported.
4. Say you built it, every time
Put it in the reply itself, in plain words: "I built X, so I'm biased". Don't hide it in your profile or pretend to be a happy customer. It keeps you inside Reddit's "be authentic" rule, and people trust a disclosed maker more than a suspiciously enthusiastic stranger.
5. Follow the link rule
Some subreddits allow links, some allow only the product name, some ban both. When in doubt, leave the link out and offer details if someone asks. Never use link shorteners or redirects.
6. Write each reply fresh, and don't DM people who didn't ask
Pasting the same paragraph into many threads is the classic spam pattern. Mention the details from their post (their budget, their stack, what they already tried). Don't send unsolicited DMs, and never use a second account to upvote your replies or recommend your own product.
7. Keep promotion rare
Most of your Reddit activity should be ordinary participation where your product never comes up. A history of helpful comments is what makes the occasional product mention look like what it is: a maker answering a question.
A reply format that works
Post: "Is there a simple tool for tracking supplier price changes? Spreadsheets are killing me."
Reply: "Two things helped me: keep one tab per supplier with a date column so you can see the trend, and set a monthly reminder to re-check your top 10 items, because that's where most of the cost drift is. If you want it automated, I built a small tool for exactly this (I'm the maker, so I'm biased). It's free for one location. Happy to share the link if the rules here allow it."
It answers first, gives a free option, discloses the maker, and respects the link rule. Compare that with "Check out my app!!" plus a link, which most subreddits remove.
What usually gets replies removed
- Promoting in a subreddit that bans it, or outside the designated promo thread.
- The same reply copied across several threads.
- Not saying you're the maker.
- Links in a subreddit that doesn't allow them.
- Replies obviously written by AI and posted unedited, or posted by a bot.
- A brand-new account whose only activity is mentioning one product.
After you post, open the thread in a private window while logged out. If you can't see your comment, it was probably filtered; message the moderators politely rather than posting it again.
Finding the posts worth replying to
Following these rules is easier when you only reply to posts that really ask for what you built. You can search by hand (our guide to finding people asking for your product on Reddit shows how), or let a tool do the searching. First10 (first10.dev) scans recent Reddit posts (X coming soon), keeps the ones where someone asks for a product like yours, ranks them by buying intent and emails you each one with a short draft reply to rewrite in your own words. It never posts, comments or sends DMs for you. Free: top 5 posts once a week. Solo: $19/month for the top 10 every morning.
Also useful: how to find your first 10 users, why the first hour decides whether your reply gets seen, pick three subreddits, not thirty and Reddit lead tools compared.
FAQ
Is self-promotion allowed on Reddit?
Reddit has no single sitewide self-promotion ban. Its rules ask you to participate authentically, follow each community's rules and never spam. Each subreddit sets its own policy: Reddit's small-business guide says some allow self-promotion on specific days, others require disclosure, and some ban it. Read the rules of the subreddit before you mention your product.
How do I mention my product on Reddit without getting banned?
Answer the question fully first, mention your product only if it actually solves what the person asked, say plainly that you built it, follow that subreddit's link and self-promotion rules, and never paste the same reply into many threads. Reply from your own account, keep the frequency low, and spend most of your activity on posts where you don't mention your product at all.
Do I have to disclose that I made the product?
Yes, say it in the reply itself, for example "I built X, so I'm biased". Reddit's rules say to be authentic and not intentionally mislead others, and many subreddits require disclosure for any self-promotion. Undisclosed promotion is the fastest way to get a reply removed or an account banned.
Can I use AI to write or post Reddit replies?
Use AI drafts as a starting point only, and post every reply yourself in your own words. Reddit's spam policy lists using tools such as bots or generative AI tools that facilitate spam, and gives programming a bot that continuously promotes products as an example of a violation. Some subreddits ban AI-written content entirely.
How long should a new account wait before promoting?
Reddit's own small-business guide suggests spending two to three weeks engaging without promoting anything: comment thoughtfully, answer questions within your expertise and build karma first. New, low-karma accounts are also more likely to be filtered by individual subreddits.
Is there a tool that finds Reddit posts where people ask for my product?
Yes. First10 (first10.dev) finds recent Reddit posts where someone asks for a tool like yours, ranks them by buying intent and emails you the best ones with a short reply draft. It never posts or sends DMs for you, so you stay in control of every reply. The free plan sends the top 5 posts once a week; Solo ($19/month) sends the top 10 every morning.