Spell
2022
Why
Added machine-learning infrastructure talent.
Impact
Added machine-learning infrastructure talent.
Outcome
Supported Reddit's work on recommendations, safety and ad ranking.
Reddit, Inc.
Social media and digital advertisingFounded 2005- HQ today: San Francisco, California
Reviewed by Swet Parvadiya
Company data updated: October 2026
Acquisitions
Reddit Acquisitions
3
Major Deals Covered
What are Reddit's biggest acquisitions?
This page covers 3 major deals from 2014 to 2022, each with its price where disclosed and the reason behind it.
- Major deals covered
- 3
- First deal
- 2014
- Most recent
- 2022
| Company | Year | Price | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alien Blue | 2014 | Undisclosed | Added mobile app capability and helped Reddit move from a desktop-centered experience toward official mobile distribution. |
| Dubsmash | 2020 | Undisclosed | Added video product talent and short-form media capability. |
| Spell | 2022 | Undisclosed | Added machine-learning infrastructure talent. |
- What companies has Reddit bought?
- Major acquisitions by Reddit documented here include Spell (2022), Dubsmash (2020) and Alien Blue (2014).
- What is Reddit's most recent acquisition?
- The most recent Reddit acquisition documented here is Spell, in 2022.
Dubsmash
2020
Why
Added video product talent and short-form media capability.
Impact
Added short-form video talent and creator tools.
Outcome
Reddit folded Dubsmash's team and technology into native video; the standalone Dubsmash app was later shut down.
Alien Blue
2014
Why
Added mobile app capability and helped Reddit move from a desktop-centered experience toward official mobile distribution.
Impact
Gave Reddit an established iOS client and its developer as a starting point for an official mobile app.
Outcome
Reddit later launched its own official apps and retired Alien Blue.
Reddit, Inc.'s Growth & Acquisition Strategy
Reddit's growth plan has three parts. First, deepen ad products for performance marketers: Dynamic Product Ads, conversation ads, better measurement and integrations with tools like Smartly. Second, grow outside the U.S. using machine translation of posts into languages such as French, Spanish, German and Portuguese; international revenue rose 84% to $167M in Q2 2026. Third, make Reddit a destination for search and answers through Reddit Answers and on-platform search, reducing dependence on Google referrals while continuing to license data to AI developers.
How Reddit, Inc. Makes Money
Reddit makes money mainly from advertising. In Q2 2026, ad revenue was $762M of $805M total (about 95%), sold as promoted posts, video, conversation and search placements, and catalog-based Dynamic Product Ads targeted by community and interest. The remaining 'other' revenue ($43M in Q2 2026) comes chiefly from data licensing deals that give companies such as Google and OpenAI structured access to Reddit content, plus Reddit Premium and other user products. Volunteer moderators curate most communities, which helps keep Reddit's GAAP gross margin above 90% (91.3% in Q2 2026).
Reddit Acquisitions FAQ
What was Reddit's acquisition of natural language search startup MeaningCloud in 2022?
In July 2022, Reddit acquired MeaningCloud, an enterprise Natural Language Processing (NLP) and text analytics pioneer based in Spain, integrating MeaningCloud's semantic AI models directly into Reddit to enhance machine learning safety, ad targeting, and multi-language translation.
What was Reddit's acquisition of machine learning audience platform Spiketrap in 2022?
In September 2022, Reddit acquired Spiketrap, an AI-powered contextual intelligence platform specializing in gaming and online conversation analysis, strengthening Reddit's contextual advertising relevance for major corporate brands.
What was Reddit's acquisition of short-form video platform Dubsmash in 2020?
In December 2020, Reddit acquired short-form video creation platform Dubsmash, integrating Dubsmash's video editing tools, audio sync technology, and diverse creator infrastructure natively into the Reddit mobile video player.
What was Reddit's acquisition of popular third-party iOS app Alien Blue in 2014?
In October 2014, Reddit acquired 'Alien Blue', the premier unofficial third-party iOS client built by developer Jase Townsend, hiring Townsend and utilizing Alien Blue's codebase as the foundational starting point for Reddit's official mobile iOS app.
How does Reddit integrate acquired technology startups into its platform?
Reddit integrates acquired engineering teams directly into core product pods (Search, Ads, Machine Learning, Safety), using acquired IP to accelerate internal product roadmaps while preserving a unified, smooth user interface.
What strategic technology and search partnerships does Reddit maintain with Google and OpenAI?
Reddit established multi-year strategic commercial partnerships with Google (combining Data API licensing with Vertex AI cloud infrastructure) and OpenAI (integrating Reddit content into ChatGPT while building Reddit AI features on OpenAI models).
What is Reddit's forward M&A and capital allocation strategy following its IPO?
Reddit held $2.79 billion in cash and securities at mid-2026. It has prioritized organic product investment and a $1 billion share repurchase program announced in February 2026, with past acquisitions mostly small technology and talent deals.
What was Reddit’s major acquisition of Dubsmash in 2020?
In December 2020, Reddit acquired short-form video creation platform Dubsmash, integrating its video creation and editing tools into Reddit’s native apps to accelerate video consumption across subreddits.
Why did Reddit acquire natural language processing company MeaningCloud in 2022?
In July 2022, Reddit acquired MeaningCloud, an AI-based text analytics and natural language processing (NLP) firm, to enhance contextual ad targeting, language translation, and automated content moderation.
What was the acquisition of Spiketrap in 2022?
In September 2022, Reddit acquired Spiketrap, an AI-powered contextual advertising intelligence company, enabling advertisers to target relevant conversations across subreddits with brand safety verification.
How did Reddit acquire its first official mobile app (Alien Blue) in 2014?
In October 2014, Reddit acquired Alien Blue, the most popular third-party iOS Reddit client built by developer Jase Townsend, re-releasing it as the official Reddit app before building its current modern codebase.
What was the acquisition of MemSQL/Opirator-related push messaging startup Timbr?
Reddit made targeted talent and technology acquisitions to upgrade its real-time push notification and feed recommendation algorithms, driving higher user retention and app open rates.
Does Reddit acquire large competing social networks?
No, Reddit focuses on tuck-in technology acquisitions that enhance machine learning, natural language understanding, video infrastructure, and automated advertising tools.
How does Reddit integrate acquired teams?
Reddit typically absorbs engineering teams into core infrastructure squads, deprecates standalone apps (such as sunsetting Dubsmash in 2022), and redeploys the underlying video and AI technology into Reddit core.
What is Reddit’s future M&A outlook as a public company?
Armed with over $1.7 billion in cash post-IPO, Reddit evaluates strategic acquisitions in generative AI search tools, machine translation platforms, and conversational commerce technologies.
Related M&A Histories
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Explore Reddit
Core profile pages, founders and related research hubs for this company.