Reddit Ads vs Pinterest Ads: Platform Comparison
Reddit ads vs Pinterest ads represents a choice between two discovery-focused platforms with very different approaches. Pinterest is a visual discovery engine where users plan and shop, while Reddit hosts community discussions where users research and recommend. Both platforms reach users before purchase intent fully forms, but in fundamentally different ways.
This guide compares both platforms to help you choose the right fit.
Platform Overview
Pinterest Ads
- User base: 500M+ monthly active users
- Content: Visual pins (images, video, collections)
- Discovery: Search, recommendations, boards, home feed
- Strengths: Purchase intent, visual discovery, longer content lifespan
- Best for: E-commerce, home, fashion, food, wedding, DIY
Reddit Ads
- User base: 850M+ monthly active users
- Content: Text, images, video in community context
- Discovery: Subreddit subscriptions, home feed, search
- Strengths: Engaged communities, authentic discussions
- Best for: B2B, tech, gaming, considered purchases
Audience Comparison
Pinterest Audience
- Demographics: Skews female (60%+), affluent, planning-oriented
- Behavior: Saving, planning, shopping, visual browsing
- Engagement: Saves, clicks, purchases
- Mindset: Aspiration, planning, discovery
- Intent: Often commercial—users plan purchases
Reddit Audience
- Demographics: Skews male (60%+), tech-savvy, research-oriented
- Behavior: Reading, discussing, voting, participating
- Engagement: Upvotes, comments, discussions
- Mindset: Research, community, authenticity
- Intent: Research and recommendation seeking
Cost Comparison
Average CPM
| Platform |
Average CPM |
Range |
| Pinterest |
$5-15 |
$3-25 |
| Reddit |
$2-8 |
$1-15 |
Reddit offers lower CPMs on average, particularly for niche audiences.
Average CPC
| Platform |
Average CPC |
Range |
| Pinterest |
$0.50-2.00 |
$0.20-5.00 |
| Reddit |
$0.30-1.50 |
$0.10-3.00 |
Both platforms offer competitive CPC, with Reddit trending slightly lower.
Cost Per Conversion
Pinterest often delivers strong ROAS for visual, shoppable products due to high purchase intent. Reddit typically delivers lower CPA for B2B and considered purchases.
Content and Creative
Pinterest Creative
Requirements:
- High-quality vertical images (2:3 ratio)
- Product photography and lifestyle imagery
- Video pins for higher engagement
- Rich pins with product data
- Keyword-optimized descriptions
What works:
- Aspirational lifestyle imagery
- Step-by-step tutorials
- Product collections and lookbooks
- Seasonal and event content
- DIY and how-to content
Reddit Creative
Requirements:
- Authentic, native appearance
- Strong copy and headlines
- Community-relevant messaging
- Multiple format options
What works:
- Educational content
- Problem-solution framing
- Discussion starters
- Less polished, more authentic
- Detailed explanations
Pinterest demands visual polish; Reddit rewards authenticity.
Shopping and Commerce
Pinterest Shopping
- Product pins with pricing
- Shopping catalog integration
- Checkout on Pinterest
- Collections and shop tabs
- Visual search and recommendations
- Try-on AR features
Reddit Commerce
- Product ads (e-commerce focused)
- Link to external stores
- Growing commerce features
- Less mature shopping infrastructure
Pinterest has significantly more developed commerce capabilities with direct purchase behavior.
Use Case Comparison
E-commerce
Pinterest advantage: Shopping intent, visual product discovery, catalog integration, higher ROAS for visual products.
Reddit value: Authentic product discussions, recommendation culture, research-phase influence.
Recommendation: Pinterest for visual products and direct shopping; Reddit for research-phase and community validation.
Home and Decor
Pinterest advantage: Dominant category on platform, planning behavior, visual inspiration.
Reddit value: r/HomeImprovement, r/InteriorDesign for advice and recommendations.
Recommendation: Pinterest primary; Reddit for community engagement and advice.
Fashion and Beauty
Pinterest advantage: Core platform strength, shopping integration, trend discovery.
Reddit value: r/SkincareAddiction, r/femalefashionadvice for authentic discussions.
Recommendation: Pinterest for brand building and shopping; Reddit for community credibility.
B2B/SaaS
Reddit advantage: Technical communities, professional discussions, authentic expertise.
Pinterest limitation: Not natural for B2B, though some visual B2B content works.
Recommendation: Reddit for B2B; Pinterest only for highly visual B2B categories.
Food and Recipes
Pinterest advantage: Dominant recipe platform, meal planning behavior, visual format.
Reddit value: r/Cooking, r/MealPrepSunday for authentic discussions and recommendations.
Recommendation: Pinterest primary; Reddit for community engagement.
Targeting Comparison
Pinterest Targeting
- Interest targeting (based on saves and searches)
- Keyword targeting (search intent)
- Actalike audiences (similar to lookalikes)
- Customer list matching
- Website visitor retargeting
- Engagement retargeting
- Demographic targeting
Reddit Targeting
- Subreddit targeting
- Interest categories
- Custom audiences (retargeting)
- Basic demographics
- Geographic targeting
Pinterest offers shopping-intent signals; Reddit offers community-based targeting.
Content Lifespan
Pinterest Content
- Pins have long lifespan (months to years)
- Evergreen content continues driving traffic
- Seasonal content resurfaces annually
- Investment compounds over time
Reddit Content
- Posts have shorter prominence (days)
- Evergreen value through search
- Continual new content needed
- More frequent creative refresh
Pinterest offers better content longevity; Reddit requires more ongoing effort.
Integration Strategy
Complementary Approach
Pinterest for:
- Visual product discovery
- Planning-phase users
- Shoppable content
- Lifestyle brand building
- Evergreen content investment
Reddit for:
- Community engagement
- Research and recommendation phase
- Authentic product validation
- B2B and technical audiences
- Discussion-based marketing
Cross-Platform Strategy
- Use Pinterest for visual discovery and shopping
- Use Reddit for authentic community validation
- Cross-reference platforms (Reddit discussions about Pinterest-discovered products)
- Retarget across platforms via pixel data
Budget Allocation
| Business Type |
Pinterest |
Reddit |
| Fashion/Beauty |
70% |
30% |
| Home/Decor |
70% |
30% |
| Food/Recipe |
60% |
40% |
| Tech products |
20% |
80% |
| B2B/SaaS |
10% |
90% |
| Gaming |
15% |
85% |
Audience Overlap
Pinterest and Reddit have relatively low audience overlap:
- Pinterest: Planning-oriented, visual-first, purchase-ready
- Reddit: Research-oriented, discussion-first, validation-seeking
This makes them complementary rather than duplicative for most advertisers.
For more comparisons, see Reddit Ads vs Instagram Ads and Reddit Ads vs Facebook Ads.
FAQs
Which platform is better for e-commerce?
It depends on your product category. Pinterest excels at visual products (fashion, home, beauty, food) where users plan purchases. Reddit works better for considered purchases where users research and seek recommendations (tech, gaming, specialty products). Visual products favor Pinterest; research-driven products favor Reddit.
Can I use Pinterest creative on Reddit?
The highly polished, aspirational creative that works on Pinterest often underperforms on Reddit. Reddit users prefer authentic, native-looking content. If repurposing, consider adapting the tone and presentation to feel more community-appropriate.
Which platform has better ROAS?
Pinterest typically delivers stronger direct ROAS for visual, shoppable products due to high purchase intent. Reddit may deliver lower immediate ROAS but influences purchase decisions through authentic recommendations. Measure both platforms with appropriate attribution windows.
Key Takeaways
- Pinterest excels at visual discovery with shopping intent; Reddit excels at research and community discussion
- Pinterest content has longer lifespan; Reddit requires more frequent creative
- Visual product categories favor Pinterest; B2B and tech favor Reddit
- Low audience overlap makes platforms complementary
- Match platform choice to product category and purchase behavior
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