Subreddit comparison

r/science vs r/askscience

Last updated June 2026

A side-by-side look at two of Reddit's communities - size, focus, and which one is the better fit for you.

r/science

31.2M members

The Science subreddit is a place to share new findings. Read about the latest advances in astronomy, biology, medicine,

r/askscience

24.6M members

Ask a science question, get a science answer.

Which should you join?

r/science is the larger community at roughly 31.2M members, so it moves faster and surfaces more content and breaking discussion. r/askscience is more focused, which usually means higher signal and a tighter community. If you want volume and the broadest range of posts, start with r/science; if you want depth and less noise, r/askscience is the better home. Many people simply join both and mute whichever gets too noisy.

Frequently asked questions

Is r/science or r/askscience bigger?
r/science is the bigger community, with approximately 31.2M members compared with r/askscience. Size is not everything, though - a larger subreddit means more posts and faster conversation, but also more noise and lower-effort content, while a smaller community is often more focused and higher-signal. The right choice depends on whether you value breadth and activity or depth and quality. Member counts here are approximate and refreshed periodically; for the exact current numbers, open each community on Reddit, where the subscriber count is shown in the sidebar.
Should I join r/science or r/askscience?
r/science is the larger community at roughly 31.2M members, so it moves faster and surfaces more content and breaking discussion. r/askscience is more focused, which usually means higher signal and a tighter community. If you want volume and the broadest range of posts, start with r/science; if you want depth and less noise, r/askscience is the better home. Many people simply join both and mute whichever gets too noisy. There is no cost to trying both for a week and seeing which one fits how you actually use Reddit - the feeds will quickly tell you which community's tone, rules, and post style you prefer.