How to use Reddit advanced search
Reddit's search box accepts operators: subreddit:, author:,
title:, selftext: and a few more, joined with AND, OR
and NOT. Reddit has no advanced search form that shows them, so most people never use them.
This builder writes the query from plain fields and opens it on Reddit, sorted and filtered the way you
picked.
- Describe the post. Words anywhere, an exact phrase, or alternatives in "Any of these words". Leave out what you do not want in "None of these words".
- Narrow it down. Limit it to one or more subreddits, an author, words in the title or in the post body, a linked website or a flair.
- Sort and filter by time. New and Past week for what people are asking right now; Top and Past year for the threads everyone found useful.
- Open it. Search on Reddit runs it on reddit.com. Search with Google runs the same
words with
site:reddit.com, which helps when Reddit's own search misses a thread.
Reddit search operators
| Operator | What it does | Example |
|---|---|---|
"exact phrase" | The words together, in that order | "any recommendations" |
AND, OR, NOT | Both, either, or exclude. Capital letters; words with no operator between them are treated as AND | (agency OR freelancer) NOT hiring |
subreddit:name | Posts in one subreddit | subreddit:startups |
author:name | Posts by one user | author:spez |
title:word | The word (or a quoted phrase) in the post title | title:"need help" |
selftext:word | The word in the body of a text post | selftext:budget |
site:domain | Link posts pointing at that website | site:github.com |
url:text | Link posts whose URL contains the text | url:pricing |
flair:text | Posts with that flair | flair:Question |
self:yes / self:no | Text posts only, or link posts only | self:yes |
nsfw:no | Leaves out posts marked NSFW | nsfw:no |
Reddit applies operators loosely in its newer search: if a query returns nothing, drop one operator at a time, or use the Google version, which reads the same words against Google's index of Reddit.
How to search Reddit by date
Reddit's own search filters by time windows only: past hour, 24 hours, week, month or year. Pick one in
"From" above. For a range between two exact dates, open "Exact dates" and use Search with Google: it adds
after:2026-09-01 before:2026-10-01 to a site:reddit.com search, which Google
supports for indexed pages.
How to search a specific subreddit
Type the subreddit in "In these subreddits". With one subreddit, the builder opens that subreddit's own
search (the same as searching from inside it). With several, it writes
(subreddit:marketing OR subreddit:startups) and searches all of Reddit. Not sure which
communities to search? The subreddit finder lists them by topic.
How to use Reddit search for prospecting and research
- Find the questions, not the topic. "any recommendations" or "switching from" in the right subreddit is a list of people in the middle of choosing a vendor.
- Read the language. Top threads from the past year show how buyers describe the problem, which is the wording a cold message or a landing page should use.
- Mind the rules. Most subreddits ban self-promotion, and many ban unsolicited DMs. Answer the question in the thread if the rules allow it; do not paste a pitch.
Reddit advanced search examples
Founders asking for an agency in two startup subreddits:
("looking for an agency" OR "need a marketing agency") (subreddit:startups OR subreddit:Entrepreneur)
Tool recommendations in a niche, text posts only:
("any recommendations" OR "recommend a tool") title:CRM self:yes
Threads about a competitor that mention price:
"Competitor Name" selftext:price NOT hiring
The same intent between two dates, through Google:
site:reddit.com "looking for an agency" after:2026-09-01 before:2026-10-01
Frequently asked questions
Does Reddit have an advanced search?
Not as a form. Reddit's search box accepts operators such as subreddit:, author:, title: and selftext:, plus AND, OR and NOT, and the results page has sort and time filters. This builder writes the operators for you and opens the search on Reddit.
How do I search Reddit by date?
Reddit only filters by windows: past hour, day, week, month or year. For two exact dates, search Google with site:reddit.com and add after:YYYY-MM-DD and before:YYYY-MM-DD; the builder does that when you fill in the exact dates.
How do I search within one subreddit?
Add subreddit:name to the query, or search from inside the subreddit. With one subreddit typed in, this builder opens that subreddit's own search.
Why does Reddit search miss posts I know exist?
Reddit's search matches loosely and favours recent and popular posts. Remove operators one at a time, switch the sort to New or Top, or run the same words on Google with site:reddit.com.
Do I need a Reddit account to search?
No account is needed to build the query, and Reddit shows most search results to logged-out visitors. Some communities and NSFW results require logging in.