How to Start a Reddit Stories YouTube Channel (Complete 2025 Guide)

Reddit stories channels are one of the most profitable faceless niches on YouTube. Channels like Reddify and Ask Reddit generate millions of views with simple text-to-speech content. Here's exactly how to start yours.

Why Reddit Stories Work

Reddit is a goldmine of compelling stories. People share their most dramatic, funny, and emotional experiences anonymously. Your job is to curate the best and present them in video format.

• Endless content: New stories posted every minute
• Built-in engagement: Stories are already upvoted by thousands
• Low effort, high retention: Viewers watch until the end for the twist
• No original writing needed: Content is already created

Step 1: Choose Your Subreddit Niche

The best performing subreddits for YouTube:

Step 2: Set Up Your Tool Stack

Here's the exact stack successful Reddit channels use:

For Scripts

• ChatGPT - Clean up Reddit posts, add hooks
• Reddit directly - Sort by "Top" of week/month/year

For Voice

• ElevenLabs - Best quality, natural emotions
• Play.ht - Good alternative with more voices

For Visuals

• Minecraft Parkour - Classic Reddit video background
• Pexels - Stock footage for varied visuals
• Subway Surfers gameplay - Popular for Shorts

For Editing

• CapCut - Auto-captions, effects, free
• Premiere Pro - Professional editing

Step 3: Create Your First Video

Finding Stories

1. Go to your chosen subreddit
2. Sort by "Top" → "This Week" or "This Month"
3. Look for posts with 5,000+ upvotes
4. Read the story - does it have a clear arc and satisfying ending?
5. Check comments for updates or plot twists

Script Preparation

Use ChatGPT to polish the story:

Clean up this Reddit post for a YouTube narration:
- Fix grammar and spelling
- Add a hook at the beginning
- Keep the original voice and emotion
- Remove Reddit-specific references (throwaway account, etc.)
- Add natural pauses with "..."

[paste Reddit story]

Voice Generation

In ElevenLabs:

• Use "Adam" or "Josh" for male stories
• Use "Rachel" or "Bella" for female stories
• Set Stability to 0.5 for more emotion
• Use clarity at 0.7 for natural speech

Step 4: Video Structure That Works

Long-Form (8-15 minutes)

1. Hook (0-5 sec): "This might be the craziest story I've ever read..."
2. Story 1 (3-4 min): Your best story first
3. Transition: "But wait, it gets better..."
4. Story 2-3: Build to most dramatic
5. CTA: "Subscribe for more Reddit stories"

Shorts (30-60 seconds)

• One punchy story with a twist
• Satisfying ending in last 3 seconds
• Minecraft/Subway Surfers background
• Large animated captions

Step 5: Avoiding Copyright Issues

Important: Reddit content has nuanced copyright rules.

What's Generally Safe

• Public posts on Reddit (not private messages)
• Summarizing and adding your own commentary
• Compilations with proper transformation

What to Avoid

• Reading posts word-for-word without any transformation
• Using content from r/nosleep without author permission (they retain rights)
• Showing Reddit usernames without blurring
• Using copyrighted music or clips

Monetization Strategy

Ad Revenue Potential

Additional Revenue Streams

• Affiliate links: Tools you use in video descriptions
• Sponsorships: VPN, mobile games, app promos
• Merchandise: Once you build a brand

Growth Tips

1. Post consistently: 3-5 videos per week minimum
2. Ride trends: Cover viral Reddit posts within 24 hours
3. Optimize thumbnails: Shocked faces, bold text, high contrast
4. Cross-post to Shorts: Repurpose best moments
5. Engage with comments: Builds community and signals to algorithm

Recommended Tools

Check out our Reddit Stories Stack for a complete, tested workflow that successful channels use.