Reddit to Require Accounts for All Users, Testing Starts in 2026

Reddit confirmed it will transition to a "logged-in-only experience," requiring users to create an account to access the platform, with testing beginning in select non-U.S. markets in Q4 2026. CEO Steve Huffman cited improved user experience, better ad targeting, higher engagement, and protection of Reddit's data from unauthorized scraping as key reasons. The company also reported search referral traffic dropped by over 1 million weekly referrals in Q3 2026. Reddit has rebuilt its in-app incognito mode, though details on logged-out access remain unclear. Huffman noted the front page may stay available to logged-out visitors, particularly for external search links, while emphasizing that most data scraping occurs through logged-out experiences.