The Reddit Buddy MCP server enables AI assistants to browse, search, and analyze Reddit content without requiring API keys, providing clean and optimized data for LLMs.
Browse subreddits: Fetch posts from any subreddit,
all
, orpopular
with sorting options (hot, new, top, rising, controversial) and optional time ranges and metadataSearch Reddit: Search across all subreddits or specific ones with filters by author, time, flair, and sorting by relevance, hot, top, new, or comments
Get post details: Retrieve Reddit posts with comments using URL, post ID, or subreddit/post ID, with options for comment sorting, depth, limit, and link extraction
Analyze users: Examine user profiles including karma, posts, comments, and active subreddits with customizable time ranges and limits
Explain Reddit terms: Get clear explanations of Reddit-specific terminology, slang, and cultural concepts like 'karma', 'cake day', 'AMA', or 'ELI5'
Enables browsing Reddit posts and subreddits, searching across Reddit, fetching post details with comments, analyzing user profiles and activity, and explaining Reddit terminology - all without requiring Reddit API keys.
Reddit MCP Buddy
Reddit Browser for Claude Desktop and AI Assistants
A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that enables Claude Desktop and other AI assistants to browse Reddit, search posts, and analyze user activity. Clean, fast, and actually works - no API keys required.
š¬ See It In Action
Claude analyzing real-time sentiment about H-1B visa changes across r/cscareerquestions and r/india
Table of Contents
What makes Reddit MCP Buddy different?
š Zero setup - Works instantly, no Reddit API registration needed
ā” Up to 10x more requests - Three-tier authentication system (10/60/100 requests per minute)
šÆ Clean data - No fake "sentiment analysis" or made-up metrics
š§ LLM-optimized - Built specifically for AI assistants like Claude
š¦ TypeScript - Fully typed, reliable, and maintainable
ā Proven rate limits - Thoroughly tested authentication tiers with verification tools
Quick Start (30 seconds)
For Claude Desktop - Desktop Extension (Easiest!)
Download: reddit-mcp-buddy.mcpb
Install: Open the downloaded file
Done! Reddit tools are now available in Claude
For Claude Desktop - NPM Method (Alternative)
Add this to your claude_desktop_config.json
:
For Other MCP Clients
Use the NPM method: npx reddit-mcp-buddy
What can it do?
Ask your AI assistant to:
š "What's trending on Reddit?" - Browse hot posts from r/all
š "Search for discussions about AI" - Search across all subreddits
š¬ "Get comments from this Reddit post" - Fetch post with full comment threads
š¤ "Analyze user spez" - Get user history, karma, and activity
š "Explain Reddit karma" - Understand Reddit terminology
Available Tools
browse_subreddit
Browse posts from any subreddit with sorting options.
search_reddit
Search across Reddit or specific subreddits.
get_post_details
Get a post with all its comments.
user_analysis
Analyze a Reddit user's profile.
reddit_explain
Get explanations of Reddit terms.
Authentication (Optional)
Want more requests? Add Reddit credentials to your Claude Desktop config:
Setup Steps
Click "Create App" or "Create Another App"
Fill out the form:
Name: Any name (e.g., "reddit-mcp-buddy")
App type: Select "script" (CRITICAL for 100 rpm!)
Description: Optional
About URL: Leave blank
Redirect URI:
http://localhost:8080
(required but unused)
Click "Create app"
Find your credentials:
Client ID: The string under "personal use script"
Client Secret: The secret string
Update your Claude Desktop config:
Three-Tier Authentication System
Reddit MCP Buddy supports three authentication levels, each with different rate limits:
Mode | Rate Limit | Required Credentials | Best For |
Anonymous | 10 req/min | None | Testing, light usage |
App-Only | 60 req/min | Client ID + Secret | Regular browsing |
Authenticated | 100 req/min | All 4 credentials | Heavy usage, automation |
How It Works:
Anonymous Mode: Default mode, no setup required, uses public Reddit API
App-Only Mode: Uses OAuth2 client credentials grant (works with both script and web apps)
Authenticated Mode: Uses OAuth2 password grant (requires script app type)
Important Notes:
Script apps support BOTH app-only (60 rpm) and authenticated (100 rpm) modes
Web apps only support app-only mode (60 rpm maximum)
For 100 requests/minute, you MUST use a script app with username + password
Testing & Development
Testing Your Rate Limits
Reddit MCP Buddy includes comprehensive testing tools to verify your authentication is working correctly:
The rate limit tester will:
Start a local server instance
Make rapid API requests to test rate limits
Display a real-time progress bar
Confirm which authentication tier you're using
Show exactly when rate limiting kicks in
Interactive Authentication Setup (for local testing only)
For local development and testing, you can set up authentication interactively:
This will prompt you for Reddit app credentials and save them locally. Note: This does NOT work with Claude Desktop - use environment variables in your Claude config instead.
Testing with HTTP Mode
To test the server directly in your terminal:
Note: The server runs in stdio mode by default (for Claude Desktop). Use --http
flag for testing with Postman MCP or direct API calls.
Global Install
From Source
Using Docker
Claude Desktop Extension
For one-click installation in Claude Desktop, download the pre-built extension:
š¦
Installation: Simply open the downloaded .mcpb
file - Claude Desktop will automatically install the extension and the Reddit tools will be immediately available.
Build from Source (Optional)
If you prefer to build the extension yourself:
Note: The Desktop Extension format is currently in preview (September 2025). Most users should use the standard npm installation method shown in Quick Start.
Comparison with Other Tools
Feature | Reddit MCP Buddy | Other MCP Tools |
Zero Setup | ā Works instantly | ā Requires API keys |
Max Rate Limit | ā 100 req/min proven | ā Unverified claims |
Language | TypeScript/Node.js | Python (most) |
Tools Count | 5 (focused) | 8-10 (redundant) |
Fake Metrics | ā Real data only | ā "Sentiment scores" |
Search | ā Full search | Limited or none |
Caching | ā Smart caching | Usually none |
LLM Optimized | ā Clear params | Confusing options |
Rate Limit Testing | ā Built-in tools | ā No verification |
Rate Limits
Mode | Requests/Minute | Cache TTL | Setup Required |
Anonymous | 10 | 15 min | None |
App-only | 60 | 5 min | Client ID + Secret |
Authenticated | 100 | 5 min | All credentials |
Why Reddit MCP Buddy?
What others do wrong:
ā Fake metrics - "sentiment scores" that are just keyword counting
ā Complex setup - Requiring API keys just to start
ā Bloated responses - Returning 100+ fields of Reddit's raw API
ā Poor LLM integration - Confusing parameters and unclear descriptions
What we do right:
ā Real data only - If it's not from Reddit's API, we don't make it up
ā Clean responses - Only the fields that matter
ā Clear parameters - LLMs understand exactly what to send
ā Fast & cached - Responses are instant when possible
Examples
Your AI can now answer:
"What are the top posts about GPT-4 today?"
"Show me what's trending in technology"
"What do people think about this article?"
"Analyze the user DeepFuckingValue"
"Get the comments from this Reddit post"
"What's trending across all of Reddit?"
Troubleshooting
Common Issues
"Can't achieve 100 requests/minute"
Ensure your app type is "script" not "web" or "installed"
Script apps created by one account can only authenticate as that same account
Run
npm run test:rate-limit:auth
to verify (requires cloning the repo)If still failing, create a new script app while logged into the authenticating account
"Command not found" error
Rate limit errors
Without auth: Limited to 10 requests/minute
With app credentials only: 60 requests/minute
With full authentication: 100 requests/minute
Solution: Add Reddit credentials (see Authentication)
"Subreddit not found"
Check spelling (case-insensitive)
Some subreddits may be private or quarantined
Try "all" or "popular" instead
Connection issues
Reddit may be down (check https://www.redditstatus.com)
Firewall blocking requests
Try restarting the MCP server
Environment Variables
Authentication Variables
Variable | Description | Required | Rate Limit |
| Reddit app client ID | No | 60 req/min (with secret) |
| Reddit app secret | No | 60 req/min (with ID) |
| Reddit account username | No | 100 req/min (with all 4) |
| Reddit account password | No | 100 req/min (with all 4) |
| User agent string | No | - |
Server Configuration
Variable | Description | Default |
| Run as HTTP server instead of stdio |
|
| HTTP server port (when HTTP=true) |
|
| Disable caching (always fetch fresh) |
|
Technical Details
Smart Caching System
Reddit MCP Buddy includes intelligent caching to improve performance and reduce API calls:
Memory Safe: Hard limit of 50MB - won't affect your system performance
Adaptive TTLs: Hot posts (5min), New posts (2min), Top posts (30min)
LRU Eviction: Automatically removes least-used data when approaching limits
Hit Tracking: Optimizes cache based on actual usage patterns
This means faster responses and staying well within Reddit's rate limits, all while using minimal system resources.
Development
Requirements
Node.js >= 18.0.0
npm or yarn
TypeScript 5.5+
Contributing
PRs welcome! See CONTRIBUTING.md for guidelines.
We keep things simple:
No fake analytics
Clean, typed code
Clear documentation
Fast responses
Support
š Report bugs
š” Request features
ā Star on GitHub
š Related Resources
Official MCP Resources
MCP Registry - Official registry of MCP servers
MCP Specification - Official Model Context Protocol specification
MCP TypeScript SDK - SDK used to build this server
MCP Servers Repository - Collection of official MCP server implementations
Awesome MCP Servers - Community-curated list of MCP servers
Where to Find This Server
MCP Registry Direct Link - Direct API link to v1.1.1
MCP Registry Search - Search for "reddit" to find all versions
NPM Package - Install via npm/npx
GitHub Repository - Source code and issues
View All Versions via API
License
MIT - Use it however you want!
Made with ā¤ļø for the MCP community. No venture capital, no tracking, just a good MCP server.
remote-capable server
The server can be hosted and run remotely because it primarily relies on remote services or has no dependency on the local environment.
Enables AI assistants to browse Reddit, search posts, analyze user activity, and fetch comments without requiring API keys. Features smart caching, clean data responses, and optional authentication for higher rate limits.
- Reddit Browser for Claude Desktop and AI Assistants
- š¬ See It In Action
- Table of Contents
- What makes Reddit MCP Buddy different?
- Quick Start (30 seconds)
- What can it do?
- Available Tools
- Authentication (Optional)
- Testing & Development
- Comparison with Other Tools
- Rate Limits
- Why Reddit MCP Buddy?
- Examples
- Troubleshooting
- Technical Details
- Development
- Contributing
- Support
- š Related Resources
- License