I’ve toggled back and forth between Reddit and Quora over the past few years for all manner of reason—from simple curiosity to serious research to plain old boredom. Each has its own character, and I’ve found the hard way that they’re used for different purposes. Allow me to take you through what I’ve discovered, based on my own (sometimes wild) experience.
Purpose and Feel
Quora is essentially a massive Q&A website where users provide detailed answers to virtually any possible question such as improving YouTube channels, or how to pet a sneak. I’ve personally used it to provide expertise about subjects I care about, such as digital marketing and strangely enough, pet behavioral science (don’t ask—long story). If you like to read or write longer, more considered answers, Quora’s likely your jam.
Reddit is basically a huge compilation of forums, or “subreddits,” for any subject on earth—literally, from quantum physics to recipe tips. I once posted a question on r/AskScience about quantum entanglment and received an answer from an actual physicist, which my mind blew. And then there is also r/catswhoyell, which is just images of cats yelling. So it is a little bit of everything.
Who’s On There?
- Quora: You’ll find plenty of professionals, academics, and entrepreneurs. Individuals use their actual names, so it’s slightly more formal and serious.
- Reddit: Much larger and more diverse audience, it’s from teenagers seeking relationship advice to programmers talking about new frameworks. It’s all pseudonymous, so you don’t always know who is who. Allows for honesty sometimes, but also gets out of hand.
Content Quality and Moderation
Quora is more moderated centrally. They will remove low-effort or spam material quite rapidly. That said, I have come across promotional or shady answers. The moderation of Reddit depends on the community. Some subreddits have very strict rules (such as r/AskHistorians, where they prefer you to source answers), and some are quite lenient or even wild.
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Structure and Navigation
Quora is well structured: you simply type in a question or peruse topics. Answers are sorted by relevance and upvotes. I appreciate that it’s extremely straightforward—ask a question, receive an answer, finished.
Reddit is more of a real-time bulletin board. You post something in a subreddit, and people react. Upvotes move it up, downvotes hide it. I don’t still believe the search on Reddit is that great, but it is better than it was.
Engagement and Interaction
On Quora, you get upvotes, comments, and views. I’ve had an answer go blow up to 5k views once in like a day or something, it was insane. Reddit has karma points, which is a nice way of saying that they show you how much people like your posts and comments overall. High karma can earn you some street cred in some subreddits, but in others, it’s no big deal.
Common Uses
- Quora: Great for writing longer, thoughtful responses and showing off what you know. Great for content marketing too.
- Reddit: Ideal for short or lengthy discussions, quick feedback, and just to find out what’s trending. Require some honest feedback (often brutally honest)? Try Reddit.
Anonymity
Quora prefers your actual name, although you can respond anonymously if you want to. Reddit is nearly entirely pseudonymous, which is wonderful in certain respects—such as you can ask totally humiliating questions without embarrassment. But it can also mean trolls.
Money Matters
Quora has “Quora+” and also some monetization options for writers. I personally haven’t made heaps of money there, but supposedly some people do just fine. Reddit is supported mainly by ads and also has a Premium version (which I personally subscribed to for a time) that disables ads and includes some bonus content. They will possibly introduce additional revenue streams for creators down the line.
What’s Next?
Quora is also experimenting with new things such as Spaces, which are basically subreddits but not as active yet. They also appear to be adopting a creator-first mentality. Reddit is still UI redesigning and putting more emphasis on video and improved moderation tools. They’ve also been experimenting with new ad features.
Real Quick Comparison Table
| Dimension | Quora | |
| Focus | Q&A knowledge sharing | Community-driven discussions |
| Tone | Tends to be formal or semi-formal | Extremely varied (serious to zany) |
| Best For | Detailed, in-depth answers | Quick feedback & niche communities |
| Moderation Style | Centralized | Subreddit-based (varies widely) |
| Anonymity | Real names unless opted out | Pseudonymous by default |
| Monetization | Quora+ and writer programs | Primarily ads, future unknown |
FAQs
Which is better for learning from the experts?
Quora. Individuals really make an effort to provide extremely detailed, well-researched answers.
Where do I obtain rapid-fire opinions?
Reddit, certainly. If you make a post on a popular subreddit, you can get multiple responses within minutes.
May I remain anonymous?
On Quora, you can choose to be but usually your real name is there. Reddit is pretty much anonymous from the beginning.
What is best for creating a personal brand?
Quora is better because individuals see your real profile and answers. Reddit’s more about community than individual “brands.”
Is it possible to use both?
Yes, I do it daily. Quora for detailed answers and establishing my credibility, and Reddit for brainstorming, live polls, and just keeping up with internet culture.
