Not everyone who has joined Reddit and become a “Redditor” has stayed that way. Some have left Reddit because they didn’t like the overly-simple interface. Others left because they felt that moderators were restricting their freedom of speech. Still others left because of the prospect of making money for their content on other sites like Reddit. Whatever your reason for wanting to leave (or stay away from) Reddit, if you’re looking for something similar, here are our top 5 Reddit alternatives.
1. Voat
Formerly known as “WhoaVerse”, Voat is one of the alternatives most similar to Reddit. It is structured almost identically, with the ability to post content on message boards and vote on its popularity. Voat has certain restrictions, but it does allow users to earn a share of its advertising revenue for being regular contributors. Voat is also notably even more lenient than Reddit when it comes to the types of discussions allowed, which is why some people favor it over Reddit.
2. Snapzu
Snapzu is a Reddit alternative that, like Voat, values freedom of expression above all else. It also respects privacy, which means that you will never have to reveal your real name while using it, and that Snapzu will never track, store, or sell your profile information. Like some other social networks, you can follow the activity of other Snapzu users (or have them follow what you do), join groups, and gain a reputation within the community. One downside to Snapzu is that you have to be invited to join it.
3. Hubski
Among websites like Reddit, Hubski is probably the most civil one. It encourages thoughtful conversation on a variety of topics, from philosophical quandaries to current events. Like on Snapzu, you can follow the activity of other users, and they can follow you. Unlike on Reddit, however, content and comments cannot be voted on. There are also no content moderators on Hubski, but that is counterbalanced by the fact that you are given all the tools you need to determine what you do or don’t want to see on Hubski.
4. Empeopled
Empeopled is one of the most unique Reddit competitors, in that it attempts to be a self-governing democratic social network. For example, like on Voat, when other users like your content or comments, Empeopled pays you a share of their advertising revenue (in the form of the anonymous currency Bitcoin). In addition, the more Empeopled users like your content and comments, the more your vote counts when you like or dislike something else on the website. With Empeopled’s “Decide the Future” feature, users can vote on anything from what new functions the website will adopt, to what the rules of the website are, to who can moderate content, and even to how Empeopled will spend the money that it makes!
5. Digg
Digg is often mentioned as an alternative to Reddit because it was one of the inspirations behind Reddit, though the site works much differently now. Like Reddit, Digg provides a snapshot of content that is popular on the Internet now. However, it is curated by professional editors, not Digg users themselves. Dig users can “digg” content to increase its popularity, or share it on their social networks, but they can no longer “bury” (downvote) it. Digg also doesn’t allow users to comment on stories (except in their “Digg Dialog” forum), but they are in the process of restoring this feature.
Have you used any of these alternatives to Reddit? Did you feel that they were good for getting a read on the pulse of the Internet, or were they just full of inane drivel? Are there any other websites similar to Reddit that you think our users would want to know about? Let us know by leaving a message on this page, or on our Facebook or Twitter accounts!
Finally, if you are actually planning on leaving Reddit for one of these other websites, our last tutorial will show you how to delete your Reddit account.
