Reddit Post Optimizer CLI - Developer-Friendly Reddit Automation Startup Idea

The Problem (Pain Level: 7/10)

“Posting time on Reddit makes a 10x difference in upvotes” - content marketers know this too well.

Current pain points:

• Expensive SaaS: RedUp.pro, Later cost $29-99/mo for Reddit tools
• Not Developer Friendly: All tools are GUI-based, no CLI/API
• Overpriced for Simple Needs: Just need scheduling but forced to buy full package
• No Automation: Hard to integrate with CI/CD or scripts
• Manual Time Calculation: Manually check optimal times per subreddit

Target Market

Primary Target: Indie hackers, content marketers, DevRel, developers

Market Size:

• Social media scheduling market: $1.5B (2024) → $4.2B (2033)
• Reddit monthly active users: 1.5B+
• Reddit marketing tools market: $50M+

Pain Intensity: Weekly recurring posting work

What is Reddit Post Optimizer CLI?

An open source CLI tool that uses Reddit API directly for scheduled posting and optimal time analysis.

Core Concept:

# Install
npm install -g reddit-cli

# Authenticate (once)
reddit-cli auth

# Analyze subreddit optimal times
reddit-cli analyze r/SideProject
# Output:
# 📊 r/SideProject Optimal Posting Times
# ┌─────────────┬──────────────┬───────────┐
# │ Day         │ Time (UTC)   │ Avg Upvotes│
# ├─────────────┼──────────────┼───────────┤
# │ Tuesday     │ 14:00-16:00  │ 127       │
# │ Thursday    │ 13:00-15:00  │ 98        │
# │ Sunday      │ 18:00-20:00  │ 85        │
# └─────────────┴──────────────┴───────────┘

# Schedule post
reddit-cli schedule \
  --subreddit SideProject \
  --title "I built a CLI for Reddit scheduling" \
  --url "https://github.com/..." \
  --at "next-optimal"  # Auto-select next optimal time

# GitHub Actions integration
# .github/workflows/reddit.yml
on:
  workflow_dispatch:
jobs:
  post:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - run: npx reddit-cli post --config reddit.yaml

How It Works:

1. Authenticate via Reddit OAuth (token stored locally)
2. Analyze subreddit historical data for optimal times
3. Store schedule in SQLite
4. Execute via cron or GitHub Actions

Differentiators:

• Open Source: Core features free, community contributions welcome
• CLI Native: Use directly from terminal
• GitHub Actions Integration: Workflow automation
• Direct API: No SaaS subscription, just Reddit API
• Local Data: Analysis data stored locally

Competitive Analysis

Opportunity: No CLI-based open source Reddit tool

Competition Level: BLUE - Different approach

MVP Development

Estimated Timeline: 3 weeks

Tech Stack:

• Language: TypeScript/Node.js
• CLI: Commander.js
• Reddit API: snoowrap or direct implementation
• Storage: SQLite
• Scheduler: node-cron or GitHub Actions

MVP Features:

1. Reddit OAuth authentication flow
2. Subreddit analysis (last 100 posts)
3. Optimal time calculation algorithm
4. Scheduled posting (cron-based)
5. GitHub Actions template

Future Features:

• Multi-subreddit simultaneous posting
• Post performance tracking
• A/B testing (titles)
• Web dashboard

Revenue Model

Model: Open Core + Freemium

Pricing:

• Free (Open Source): All CLI features, self-hosted
• Cloud ($9/mo): Hosted scheduler, web dashboard
• Pro ($19/mo): Team features, analytics dashboard, API

Revenue Projection:

• 6 months: $1K-3K MRR (open source word of mouth)
• 12 months: $3K-8K MRR (Cloud conversion)

Risk Analysis

Key Risk: Reddit API policy changes (recent restrictions trending)

Who Should Build This

• Those with Reddit content marketing experience
• Node.js developers familiar with CLI tools
• Those interested in running open source projects
• Active participants in indie hacker community
• Those with DevRel or content marketing experience

If you’re starting a side project with this idea, or have other thoughts, share in the comments!