If you’re searching for the most upvoted AskReddit questions of all time, you’re in the right place. Below is a verified, manually curated list of real AskReddit questions that received hundreds of thousands of upvotes, along with context explaining why each one went viral.
.png "Most Upvoted AskReddit Questions of All Time (Verified List)")
⚠️ Note: Reddit uses vote fuzzing, so upvote numbers are approximate. Screenshots and Reddit’s “Top → All Time” sorting are used for validation.
1. “People who haven't pooped in 2019 yet, why are you still holding on to last year's shit?”
- Upvotes: ~220,000+
- Year: 2019
- Why it went viral:
- Perfect New Year timing
- Absurd humor Reddit loves
- Short, shocking, and instantly understandable
This question is widely cited as one of the most upvoted AskReddit posts ever.
2. “Would you watch a show where a billionaire CEO has to go an entire month on their lowest paid employee’s salary?”
- Upvotes: ~200,000+
- Year: 2019
- Why it went viral:
- Taps into income inequality debates
- Feels like a real TV experiment
- Encourages long-form discussion
3. “What if God came down one day and said ‘It’s pronounced Jod’ then left?”
- Upvotes: ~195,000+
- Year: 2020
- Why it went viral:
- Unexpected philosophical humor
- Extremely concise
- Safe but clever shock value
4. “What are the best free online certificates you can complete that will actually look good on a resume?”
- Upvotes: ~180,000+
- Year: 2018
- Why it went viral:
- Massive real-world usefulness
- Evergreen topic
- High save/share rate
5. “Redditors with less than a year left to live, what’s on your bucket list and how can we help?”
- Upvotes: ~170,000+
- Category: Emotional / Human stories
- Why it worked:
- Deep empathy
- Community support
- Extremely powerful storytelling
One of the most emotionally impactful AskReddit threads ever.
6. “Bill Gates said, ‘I will always choose a lazy person to do a difficult job because a lazy person will find an easy way to do it.’ What’s a real-life example of this?”
- Upvotes: ~150,000+
- Year: 2018
- Why it went viral:
- Famous quote hook
- Invites real-life stories
- Appeals to professionals and students alike
7. “What if Earth is like one of those uncontacted tribes in South America, like the whole galaxy knows we’re here but they’ve agreed not to contact us until we figure it out for ourselves?”
- Upvotes: ~145,000+
- Year: 2019
- Why it went viral:
- Mind-bending sci‑fi premise
- Encourages imaginative answers
- Easy to engage without expertise
8. “Anthony Bourdain once said, ‘There’s a guy in my head…’ Who is that ‘guy’ for you, and what do you do to avoid him?”
- Upvotes: ~150,000+
- Year: 2019
- Why it went viral:
- Celebrity quote + mental health angle
- Deeply relatable
- Generates long, personal responses
9. “How is everyone enjoying Reddit while Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp are all down?”
- Upvotes: ~145,000+
- Year: 2021
- Why it went viral:
- Real‑time global event
- Perfect timing
- Collective shared moment
10. “It’s more than likely that COVID‑19 will still be around at Christmas time — how are we going to explain to kids that Santa is still allowed to go into millions of houses?”
- Upvotes: ~145,000+
- Year: 2020
- Why it went viral:
- Pandemic relevance
- Emotional + wholesome
- Encouraged creative answers
Why These AskReddit Questions Get So Many Upvotes
Even though the topics vary, the highest upvoted AskReddit questions share clear traits:
- Extremely short and readable titles
- Broad, inclusive wording (anyone can answer)
- Emotional triggers: humor, empathy, curiosity
- Encourages stories, not one-word replies
This explains why these posts continue to rank at the top years later.
Why You Can’t Find an “Official” AskReddit Ranking
Many people search for:
- most upvoted AskReddit questions of all time
- highest upvoted AskReddit posts ever
However:
- Reddit fuzzes upvote counts to prevent manipulation
- There is no public API endpoint listing exact all‑time rankings
- Scores change slightly over time
The most accurate way is sorting:
r/AskReddit → Top → All Time
Are These Really the Most Upvoted AskReddit Questions?
Yes — with an important caveat.
- Reddit does not publish exact lifetime vote totals
- Upvotes are intentionally fuzzed
- Rankings can slightly change over time
The most reliable method is sorting:
r/AskReddit → Top → All Time
All questions listed above consistently appear at or near the top.
Create High-Engagement AskReddit Questions (Optional)
If you want to write AskReddit-style questions inspired by these viral posts, you can use our free tool:
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Final Thoughts
The most upvoted AskReddit questions are not accidents. They follow clear psychological and structural patterns. By understanding what makes these questions work, you can dramatically increase your chances of writing a post that resonates with millions.
Whether you’re here for research, entertainment, or growth — AskReddit remains one of the most powerful discussion engines on the internet.
Bookmark this page and check back — we update it regularly.
Last updated: January 13, 2026
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Short and easy to understand
- Broadly relatable
- Emotionally engaging (funny, shocking, thoughtful)
- Designed to encourage storytelling rather than yes/no answers