What is the edgebucket cookie?
edgebucket is an HTTP cookie placed by Reddit, usually on the .reddit.com domain. It appears on a third-party site when that site embeds a Reddit widget — for example a post embed, a comment thread, or a share-to-Reddit button.
It is set by Reddit Inc. whenever the visitor's browser loads resources from reddit.com, even if the user has no account or does not actively interact with the content.
What data it stores
The cookie's value is a randomly generated identifier used internally by Reddit to route requests to a specific server or infrastructure segment (an "edge bucket") and to keep the session consistent during the visit. The exact value format is not publicly documented and may vary.
Collected data is sent to Reddit's servers, not to the site hosting the embed. Reddit may correlate this information with its other first-party cookies for traffic analysis and, potentially, targeted advertising.
What it is used for
From Reddit's perspective, edgebucket helps distribute traffic efficiently across its servers and keeps a consistent session for embedded content. It is technically an infrastructure cookie, but it is commonly classified under marketing/tracking because it contributes to behavioral profiling across the various sites where Reddit embeds appear.
For the site owner hosting the widget, the cookie serves no direct purpose — it is generated exclusively by the Reddit script included on the page.
Does it require consent?
edgebucket is classified by CookieFix as a marketing cookie (advertising/tracking). Under Romania's Law 506/2004 (transposing the ePrivacy Directive) and the GDPR, such a cookie requires the visitor's prior consent before being set.
- The site owner must disclose this cookie in the cookie policy, listing provider, purpose, and duration.
- Reddit widgets (embeds, share buttons) should only load after the visitor accepts the marketing category.
- Without consent, any script generating this cookie should be blocked automatically by the banner.
How to block or delete edgebucket
A visitor can delete or block this cookie manually through browser settings (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari — the site-specific cookie management section), or use tracker-blocking browser extensions. Blocking it doesn't affect the host site's core functionality, but it may prevent embedded Reddit content from displaying correctly.
For site owners, the correct approach is to block the Reddit script automatically until consent is obtained. A CMP such as CookieFix can prevent Reddit widgets from loading by default and only activate them once the visitor consents to the marketing category.
Frequently asked questions
It's an HTTP cookie set by Reddit on the .reddit.com domain, used to manage traffic routing within Reddit's infrastructure and associated with tracking users across sites that embed Reddit content.
Yes, CookieFix classifies it as marketing/tracking, meaning it requires the visitor's prior consent under GDPR and Romania's Law 506/2004.
Its typical duration is 1 year from being set, though Reddit may adjust this value over time.
By using a CMP that blocks Reddit scripts (embeds, share buttons) from loading by default and only activates them after the visitor consents to the marketing category.