Help Center

Everything You Need to Know

Sub Search builds a community-owned index of subreddits. Learn how to run queries, understand the queue, and contribute to growing the dataset.

Quick Start

1
Place Your Order

Open Sub Search, pick a keyword, set your limit + filters, then click "Start Sub Search".

2
Watch the Queue

If others are ahead of you, you'll see live status updates. When it's your turn, we start building.

3
Get Your Results

When done, download your CSV or explore results in All The Subs with filters and sorting.

How the System Works

Priority Queue

Your searches always run first (priority 0). Automated bot searches and auto-ingest run at lower priority (9) only when no users are waiting.

Accumulated Results

Every search adds to the shared database. When you download results, you get ALL matching subreddits ever discovered - not just from your search.

Smart Idle Detection

After 7 minutes of no user activity, the bot automatically runs random keyword searches to continuously grow the database.

Auto-Retry

Failed searches automatically retry every 10 minutes at medium priority. The system self-heals from temporary Reddit API issues.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Sub Search do?

It queries Reddit's official API for subreddits matching your keyword, enriches them with subscriber counts, moderator info, and activity timestamps, then saves everything to the shared database with 227,000+ subreddits.

Why is there a queue?

Reddit has strict API rate limits. The priority queue ensures your searches run immediately while background tasks wait. Each job uses 0.15-second delays between API calls to stay within limits.

How long does a search take?

Typically 2-4 minutes for 2,000 subreddits. You'll see real-time progress with a live count and ETA. Results are saved in batches of 32 as they arrive.

What do I get when I download results?

The CSV includes ALL subreddits in the database matching your keyword - from your search plus everyone else's. That's the power of the accumulated database.

Can I contribute data faster?

Yes! Enable PHONE_HOME in your self-hosted instance or volunteer a node via the Nodes page. Your local searches will sync to the main database automatically.

Is Sub Search free?

Absolutely. The goal is a trustworthy, community-maintained directory. Running searches, exporting CSVs, and browsing All The Subs are all free forever.

Need More Help?

Open a GitHub Issue

File bugs, request features, or ask questions. Every request helps shape the roadmap.

Open Issue

Join the Network

Volunteer a Node

Enable PHONE_HOME in your .env and point it at our ingest endpoint. Each search syncs to the shared dataset.

Learn More