Everything you need to install, configure, and get the most out of Reddit Sonar.
Reddit Sonar is installed globally via npm. You'll need Node.js 18 or newer.
$ npm install -g reddit-sonar
After installation, launch the app:
$ reddit-sonar
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Node.js | Version 18 or newer (node --version) |
| Chrome | Google Chrome installed, or Chromium via npx playwright install chromium |
| OS | macOS, Windows 10+, or Linux (x64 / arm64) |
| AI Provider Key | An API key from OpenRouter (free tier available) or DeepSeek for AI features. Added in-app (see AI Provider & Key). |
On first launch, the setup wizard runs a short set of diagnostics. Use ↑ ↓ to move, Enter to run the highlighted step, a to run them all, and c to continue once the required checks pass. Each check that fails shows a plain-language fix.
| Check | Required? | What it verifies |
|---|---|---|
| Node.js ≥ 18 | Required | Your Node version supports the app. |
| Playwright + Chrome | Required | A browser can actually launch for automation. |
| Reddit login | Required | Opens a browser to log in to Reddit. Your session is stored locally and reused for every future scan. |
| Licensing backend | Required | The license/trial service is reachable. |
| AI provider key | Optional | Your OpenRouter or DeepSeek key works. You can skip this and add it later in-app with k. |
| Search smoke test | Optional | Runs one real search end-to-end to prove the pipeline works. |
--setup flag.
After you log in, the app opens to a main menu, a list of every section. Use ↑ ↓ and Enter to open a section, or press its number to jump straight there. From any section, Esc walks back to the menu, and Ctrl+C quits.
| Section | What it does |
|---|---|
| Search Reddit | Find posts by keyword and score them as leads |
| Lead Listener | Watch keywords for new leads in the background |
| Subreddit Watch | Scan one subreddit's feed for lead opportunities |
| Competitor Watch | Track competitor mentions with AI sentiment |
| Insights | Lead analytics, trends, and CSV export |
| Profiles | Product profiles used for AI lead scoring |
| Proxies | Route browser sessions through a proxy |
| AI / API Key | Choose your AI provider and set the key |
| Account Status | License, trial, and daily usage |
| Switch account | Run as a different Reddit account |
Open Search Reddit from the main menu to find posts matching any keyword across configurable time windows. Results are loaded through real browser automation, not the Reddit API, so there are no API keys or Reddit rate limits to manage.
Type your keyword, press Tab to cycle the time window (hour, today, week, month, year, all), then Enter to search. Results appear in a scrollable list.
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| ↑ ↓ | Navigate results |
| Enter | Read the selected post in the terminal |
| b | Open the selected post in your browser |
| f | Score all results with AI |
| s | Summarize the selected post |
| c | Draft a comment for the selected post |
| u | Unfilter (show all results, unscored) |
| r | Refresh / re-run the search |
| Esc | Back to the main menu |
Press f on any results list to score every post against your product profile. Each post receives a 0–100 relevance score based on how well the author's intent matches what you sell.
Scoring runs on your active AI provider and model. The default is openai/gpt-4o-mini on
OpenRouter (or deepseek-v4-flash on DeepSeek). You can switch providers or pick any model
from the AI Provider & Key screen. Press k anytime.
Press s on a selected post to get an AI-generated summary. The summary includes:
Press c on a selected post to open the comment composer. Press Ctrl+D to have the AI draft a natural, helpful reply, edit it however you like, then press Ctrl+S to post it to Reddit through your logged-in session. Esc cancels without posting. The AI draft is:
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| Ctrl+D | Generate an AI draft |
| Ctrl+S | Post the comment to Reddit |
| Esc | Cancel without posting |
The listener runs in the background, polling Reddit for your keywords on humanized intervals. Each new post is scored by title against your product profile, and high-intent leads (score ≥ 70) appear in a live feed. The closest posts that fall just short are shown as "near misses" so an empty poll reads as correct filtering, not a broken scan.
crm alternative, lead gen tool), or let the AI suggest keywords from your product profileScans run on a randomized cadence to mimic human behavior, about every 20–30 minutes by default, and never faster than every 5 minutes. The listener keeps running in the background as you move around the app: Esc detaches from the live view without stopping it, and Ctrl+L jumps back to it from anywhere. Paired with residential proxies, scans stay low-profile.
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| ↑ ↓ | Navigate leads |
| Enter / b | Read in the terminal / open in browser |
| s | Star a lead |
| d | Delete a lead |
| n / o | Filter / sort the feed |
| a | Mark all as seen |
| p | Pause / resume scanning |
| x | Stop the listener |
| Esc | Back to menu (keeps running in the background) |
Subreddit Watch scans a single community's feed on demand and scores every post as a potential lead, handy when you know exactly where your buyers hang out. Unlike the listener, it's a one-shot scan you trigger yourself (and re-run whenever you like), not a background poller.
r/smallbusiness)| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| ↑ ↓ | Navigate posts |
| Enter / b | Read in the terminal / open in browser |
| s | Save the post as a lead |
| n / o | Filter / sort the feed |
| r | Re-scan the subreddit |
| Esc | Back to the main menu |
Competitor Watch sweeps Reddit for mentions of the competitor brands you track, then uses AI to judge each mention's sentiment (positive, negative, or neutral) and flag the ones that are an opportunity: someone unhappy with a competitor, comparing tools, or asking for alternatives. Like Subreddit Watch, it's an on-demand scan you re-run whenever you want.
hubspot, salesforce). Your list is saved for next time| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| ↑ ↓ | Navigate mentions |
| Enter / b | Read in the terminal / open in browser |
| s / d | Star / delete a mention |
| n | Filter (e.g., opportunities only) |
| r | Re-scan competitors |
| Esc | Back to the main menu |
The Insights dashboard turns your saved leads into analytics: totals, trends over time, a breakdown by score tier, and your most productive keywords and subreddits. Open Insights from the main menu to review the numbers at a glance.
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| e | Export your leads to a CSV file |
| r | Refresh the analytics |
| Esc | Back to the main menu |
Everything is configured inside the terminal. There is no file to edit by hand. To set up AI features, open AI / API Key from the main menu (or press k from most screens). Choose your provider, paste your key, pick a model, then save.
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| ← → | Switch provider (OpenRouter / DeepSeek) |
| Tab | Move between provider, key, and model fields |
| ↑ ↓ | Cycle suggested models (in the model field) |
| Enter | Save & test the key |
| Esc | Back to the main menu |
| Provider | Default model | Get a key |
|---|---|---|
| OpenRouter | openai/gpt-4o-mini | openrouter.ai/keys (free tier available) |
| DeepSeek | deepseek-v4-flash | platform.deepseek.com |
You can keep both providers configured and switch between them instantly. The new provider and model take effect on your very next AI action, no restart needed. Other preferences (product profiles, proxies, the active Reddit account, listener keywords) are all managed from their own sections in the app and saved for you.
Product profiles tell the AI what you sell, so it can score leads and draft comments tailored to your offering. You can create multiple profiles and switch between them depending on which product you're prospecting for.
In the Profiles list: ↑ ↓ to navigate, Enter to make a profile active, n to add a new one, and d to delete the selected one.
Open Proxies from the main menu. You can add HTTP, HTTPS, or SOCKS5 proxies, including residential, and test them before connecting.
In the list: d deletes the selected proxy and c clears the active one (back to a direct connection). When you have saved proxies, the app also lets you pick which one to route through right before it opens a browser to log in.
You can run the app under several Reddit accounts. Each launch lets you pick which account to run as, and you can switch anytime with Switch account in the main menu. Every account keeps its own isolated browser session (so logins never collide) and can be bound to its own proxy.
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| ↑ ↓ | Navigate accounts |
| Enter | Connect and run as the selected account |
| n | Add a new account |
| d | Delete the selected account |
| x | Bind a proxy to the selected account |
Reddit Sonar is a lead-discovery tool. Its purpose is to help you find people who are already describing a problem you solve, and to make it faster to reach them with a genuine, helpful response. It is not a tool for mass publishing, bulk commenting, or spam of any kind.
Make sure Google Chrome is installed. Alternatively, install Chromium for Playwright:
$ npx playwright install chromium
Press k to open the AI Provider & Key screen and re-enter your key. It's saved and tested on the spot, and the app tells you exactly what's wrong (invalid key, no credits, unknown model, or a rate limit). Free-tier keys have rate limits; if you keep hitting them, add credits or switch to a paid model.
Reddit Sonar starts with a fully-featured free trial of 5 hours per machine, no credit card required. Every feature is unlocked during the trial. The trial is a fixed 5-hour window that begins the first time you run the app on that machine; once it ends, continued full access needs a license.
A license is a one-time $199 USD purchase, valid for 365 days and bound to one machine. It is not a subscription: there is no auto-renew and nothing recurring. Payment is a crypto checkout via Oxapay (BTC, ETH, USDT, and more). If access lapses mid-workflow, contact support and we'll help, or unlock a full year instantly from the pricing page.
Try broader keywords. Reddit search is exact-match by default. Also verify you're logged in to Reddit in the app's browser profile. The setup wizard handles this.
Need help? Visit our contact page or email support@wholesaas.com. We typically respond within 24 hours.