Reddit Tests Unskippable Popup Pushing Mobile Users to Its Official App

Reddit is testing a controversial popup on its mobile website that forces frequent logged-out users to download the official app, blocking continued browsing until they comply.

The popup cannot be dismissed and blocks continued browsing of the website on mobile.

A Reddit spokesperson confirmed the move is a test for a "small subset of users" aimed at encouraging app adoption, citing a "better personalized experience."

The community response has been swift and negative. Users have expressed widespread dissatisfaction on subreddits like r/bugs and r/help, with particular concern over the implications for anonymous browsing.

Some critics have described the change as part of a broader trend of service degradation for profit, a pattern author Cory Doctorow has termed 'enshittification.'

The Monetization Challenge

Reddit has 121 million daily active users and has struggled with monetization since its initial public offering. The company's primary revenue source is advertising, and the app allows for consistent user tracking—something the mobile website does not.

The tension between monetization and engagement growth is underscored by recent data: over half of U.S. adults visit Reddit weekly, largely via Google searches. This reliance on web-based traffic creates a difficult balance for a company seeking to maximize ad revenue.

Recent corporate moves highlight the stakes. In 2024, Reddit signed a contract with OpenAI for AI training on user posts and is currently in legal disputes with Perplexity and Anthropic over data use—illustrating the high value the company places on its user-generated content and the data it can extract.