Craigslist IP Blocked? Here’s How to Unblock Craigslist in 2023

Craigslist has a long list of rules, and you can easily get your IP blocked for being unaware of their terms & conditions. Something as simple as posting too many ads or using a public wifi network can already result in a block. This can be annoying for you/your business since it makes it impossible to post on Craigslist with your current IP address.

I use Craigslist all the time, so it was really frustrating when my IP address got blocked. After a lot of trial and error, I found that the easiest way to get back on Craigslist is to use a VPN. This way, Craigslist can’t identify you and prevent you from posting — or block you again in the future.

After testing 100+ VPNs, I highly recommend ExpressVPN as it's the most reliable at masking my IP address — and it’s fast, so you don’t have to wait for ages for Craigslist to load. You can even try it out for free with its 30-day money-back guarantee to see how well it works.

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Why You Need a VPN to Get Around a Craigslist IP Ban

When Craigslist bans you, it blocks your IP from accessing its site. The only solution to this is to get a new IP address that Craigslist doesn’t recognize. After a lot of testing, I found the easiest way to change an IP address is by using a VPN.

A VPN can give you a new IP address that isn’t blocked. Craigslist can’t identify you by your new IP, so it won’t know it’s you — and you’ll be able to access the site again. VPNs with larger server networks could have thousands of IP addresses, so you can rest assured you'll get around the bans.

Easily unblock your IP address from Craigslist with a VPN

Next to giving you full access to Craigslist again, a VPN can also easily unblock other websites that are blocked because of censorship, bans, or geo-restrictions.

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Best VPNs for Unblocking Your IP Address From Craigslist (Updated 2023)

1. ExpressVPN — Thousands of IP Addresses to Easily Bypass a Craigslist Ban

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Tested January 2023

Available on:

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Try ExpressVPN >

www.ExpressVPN.com

ExpressVPN has a vast network of 3,000 servers, giving you 300,000 IP addresses to choose from. I was able to access Craigslist with every server I tested. This means you’ll never experience any issues while unblocking Craigslist.

ExpressVPN reliable server network unblocks Craigslist from anywhere

My DNS and IP leak tests also came back clean — ExpressVPN won’t leak your real IP address, so you can always get around the Craigslist ban easily. It uses military-grade encryption by default, preventing anyone from monitoring or tracking your activity while you browse and post. There is also a kill switch to protect your IP address if you lose your connection to the VPN — so Craiglist can’t find out that you’re using a different IP to access it.

ExpressVPN’s strict zero-logs policy is backed up by TrustedServer technology. Since ExpressVPN servers only store information in RAM, all traces of your browsing activity are completely erased when the server is rebooted. ExpressVPN doesn’t keep any records of what you look at or what you post on Craigslist, so your activity can’t be traced back to you.

The only downside to ExpressVPN is that it can be a bit pricier than some other services — but I took a look at its latest discounts and you can currently get up to 49% off ExpressVPN if you use a coupon. That made a significant difference to the price for me.

You can also try ExpressVPN out completely risk-free (it's backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee). I went through the refund process myself and found it really easy. All you have to do is contact ExpressVPN’s 24/7 live chat team, ask for your refund, and tell them why you want to cancel. The request took just a few minutes, and I got all my money back within 5 working days.

Unblock Craigslist with ExpressVPN

2. IPVanish — 2,000+ Servers to Unblock Craigslist Quickly and Safely

Available on:

Windows Mac Android iOS

Router Smart TV More

Try IPVanish VPN >

www.IPVanishVPN.com

IPVanish has 40,000 IP addresses that can access Craigslist, so you’ll never have to worry about losing access again. Even if the IP you’re using gets blocked, you can easily switch to another by just changing servers. It has watertight IP masking and strong security features so you can safely access Craigslist again without worrying about being banned.

I ran several IPVanish servers through DNS and IP leak testing and couldn’t find any leaks— it detected the VPN server location in Finland rather than my actual location in France. This means Craigslist won’t be able to identify you or block you from posting.

It uses AES 256-bit encryption, which prevents anyone from being able to see what you do online. A quick check of my settings showed me that IPVanish also has an automatic kill switch that cuts off your traffic if you ever get disconnected from the VPN so that your real IP isn’t revealed. This prevents Craigslist from finding out that you've been masking your IP address and banning you again.

You’re well protected against leaks with IPVanish

The VPN also has a no-logs policy to protect your privacy. This feature prevents your online behavior and activity from being recorded, so you can use Craigslist with full anonymity.

A downside is that IPvanish doesn’t accept cryptocurrency payments. However, it does give you several purchasing options like PayPal, Amazon Pay, and Google Pay.

You can try it for free yourself first using its 30-day money-back guarantee. The refund process is straightforward; I asked for my money back using the 24/7 live chat. The representative I spoke to asked me a couple of questions about why I wanted to cancel but agreed to process my refund quickly after that. I got my money back within 3 days.

Unblock Craigslist with IPVanish

3. CyberGhost — Strong DNS Leak Protection Helps You Avoid Craigslist Detection

Available on:

Windows Mac Android iOS

Chrome Router Smart TV More

Try CyberGhost VPN >

www.cyberghostvpn.com

CyberGhost successfully masked my IP address every time. I ran both DNS and IP tests and didn’t detect any leaks. I also noted that it uses 256-bit AES encryption by default and that all of my devices were protected by an automatic kill switch. This prevents Craigslist from seeing your actual IP address even if it goes down.

It also lets you connect 7 devices at once when you’re using Cragistlist. This is useful if you’re trying to post ads in different regions (which you would normally be banned for if you used just one device). Considering you can get a CyberGhost subscription for up to 84% off with its latest deal, I thought that was excellent value for money.

CyberGhost’s secure connections prevents DNS leaks

I was initially disappointed with Cyberghost’s desktop app because I found it to be quite slow and clunky. However, I discovered that you can easily solve this by reinstalling the app, which only takes a few minutes.

If you want to make sure the service is right for you first, test CyberGhost out — for free — using its 45-day money-back guarantee. I went through the refund process myself via CyberGhost’s 24/7 live chat, and you do have to answer a few questions before customer support will agree to your request. After that though, I got a full refund within 10 working days.

Unblock Craigslist with CyberGhost

How to Set Up a VPN to Unblock Craigslist

1. Get a VPN. I recommend ExpressVPN because its reliable server network easily unblocks your IP address from Craigslist.
2. Download a VPN. You can choose to download a desktop version for macOS and Windows or add the VPN as an extension to Google Chrome and Firefox.
3. Connect to a server in your country. Choosing a server nearby gives you the fastest speeds.
4. Go to Craigslist's website. If it doesn’t work on your first go, try clearing your cookies.
5. Get back on Craigslist! You can now freely post on Craigslist again.

Unblock Craigslist with ExpressVPN Today!

Using a VPN but Still Can’t Unblock Craigslist? Try These Tips!

• Clear your browser history and cache
• Connect to a different VPN server If the server you’re using is temporarily not working, this will fix the issue.
• Use an incognito browser window — In Incognito, Craigslist can’t use other information from your browser to identify and block you.
• Connect through a mobile phone — Using your data on your mobile phone could help to unblock Craigslist. When using mobile data, you’ll use a different IP address. However, this might cause higher phone bills.
• Reboot your modem — Turning your modem off for 10-15 minutes will usually trigger your ISP to assign you a new IP address (depending on your ISP, though, you may need to leave your modem off for 24 hours). You’ll be able to bypass the ban with this IP, but you won’t be able to post ads outside your region. Because IP addresses can be reused, there is a small chance that the IP address you’re given may already be blocked due to a previous user. You can check if your IP address has changed using this tool.
• Use Tor Browser — This browser allows you to hide your IP address and unblock Craigslist. The only downside is that you cannot choose your location yourself. Luckily, you can use a VPN in combination with Tor to select a location and maximize your security and privacy.
• If you have a Craigslist account, log out and sign up with a different email address — Craigslist may have banned your account as well as your IP address.

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FAQs About Craiglist IP Bans

Why is my IP address blocked from Craigslist?

There are a few different reasons your IP could get blocked from Craigslist (all of which can be resolved by using a VPN to mask your IP address):

• Posting too much — If you’ve posted more than one listing in the last 48 hours you might get an automatic ban for spamming.
• Posting ads in different regions — Craigslist treats this as suspicious (even if you only wanted to get more coverage for your ad).
• Using a public WiFi network — Since public WiFi users share the same IP address, if one person on your network breaks Craigslist’s rules, everyone will be blocked.
• Posting something that’s on Craigslist’s “Prohibited” list — This list doesn’t just cover posts about illegal items or services. Pets, alcohol, tobacco, and raffle tickets are all prohibited. Lots of posts can be accidentally flagged under these guidelines.
• Violating Craigslist’s Terms of Use — Craigslist will ban you for disobeying its Terms of Use, even if you did it by accident.
• Trying to post from a blocked location — Since you can buy and sell almost anything on Craigslist, places like schools, libraries, workplaces, etc., often don’t allow the use of the website on their network.
• Posting a suspicious link — Posting ads with a link that takes readers to a malicious website, for example, will lead to a permanent ban.
• Posting misleading messages — Posting vague or untrue statements can result in an IP block from Craigslist. Try to keep your message as accurately as possible.
• Posting marketing material — Ads where they purposely try to navigate traffic to a website might result in an IP block. This means that you have to be careful with the use of external links.
• You were part of a data scraping operation — One way that Craigslist protects its users is to ban the IP addresses of people who are caught saving other people’s personal information from their ads.

What does it mean if Craigslist says “This posting is being blocked”?

This error message indicates that Craigslist has (shadow) banned your account (and likely blocked your IP address, as well). This is likely to happen if you’ve violated its Terms of Use or if one of your ads has been flagged by other users. Unfortunately, you cannot get your old account back.

The good news is that you don’t need an account to post ads on Craigslist. Even though there are some benefits to signing up (such as accessing and editing previous posts), I don’t recommend it. Having an account means that Craigslist stores additional information about you, making it harder to overcome blocks in the future.

Instead, I recommend using a VPN to bypass the IP block and then using Craigslist without an account in the future.

How long does Craigslist block your IP for?

Unfortunately, a Craigslist IP ban is permanent. You can’t get an IP address unblocked, so you need to use a VPN to access Craigslist if you’ve been banned.

A VPN can help you replace your blocked IP address with a new IP address that works with Craigslist — giving you immediate access to the site. You can also use your VPN to post ads in other regions (if you try to do this without a VPN, you’ll be blocked).

How do I get unblocked from Craigslist?

To get around a Craigslist ban, you need to change your IP address. This is because Craigslist uses your IP to identify (and block) you.

Use a VPN to change your IP address. VPNs are the quickest and easiest way to unblock Craigslist. In addition to giving you a new IP address, they encrypt your internet traffic to protect the personal information you share on Craigslist (like your contact details and address). Most of the apps have one-click setups, so it only takes 2-3 minutes to install and connect to a server that bypasses Craiglist's blocks.

How can I avoid getting banned by Craigslist in the future?

There are some easy steps you can take to avoid being banned from Craigslist:

• Familiarise yourself with Craigslist’s “Prohibited” list — Not all of the entries refer to illegal items or activities, so you may have been promoting prohibited posts without realizing.
• Stick to posting in one region — Craiglist will automatically ban you if you post ads in multiple areas with the same IP address.
• Limit how often you post — this should prevent you from being accidentally identified as a spammer.
• Don’t try to create multiple accounts using the same IP address — Craigslist automatically blocks you since creating multiple accounts is against their terms & conditions.
• Mask your IP address — Using a VPN to change your IP address regularly will let you post in multiple regions and post as many ads as you’d like without being banned.

Does Craigslist block VPNs?

No, it does not block VPNs. A VPN can give you a new IP address that Craigslist can't detect.

Premium VPNs like NordVPN have large server networks with thousands of IP addresses that can easily get around the bans. During my tests, every server unblocked Craigslist within a matter of seconds. This means you’ll never have to worry about being blocked on Craigslist again.

Can a proxy help me unblock my IP address from Craigslist?

In short, no. Many sites recommend proxies as an alternative solution to getting around Craigslist blocks — but this puts you at risk.

Proxies don’t encrypt your traffic, so they aren’t safe to use — especially when you’re posting your personal information to Craigslist (like your address, email, and phone number). When you use a proxy, you’re vulnerable to hacking, monitoring, and tracking. Besides, I tested many proxies that claim to work with Craigslist, but I kept getting blocked because they didn’t mask my IP address correctly.

A better and safer solution to unblock your IP address from Craigslist is to use a VPN. A VPN will not only give you a new IP address but will also encrypt your traffic and protect you against malware and trackers.

The Bottom Line

More than a thousand people get their accounts blocked on Craigslist every day. Getting banned from Craigslist is frustrating — especially if you don’t know why you got blocked in the first place. You can’t appeal a Craigslist ban — but you can use a VPN to get around it.

Of all the VPNs I tested, ExpressVPN works best with Craigslist. I found it fast and easy to use, plus it has an impressive number of IP addresses that help you unblock Craigslist from anywhere. You can use ExpressVPN’s 30-day money-back guarantee to try it out for free and claim a refund if you’re not impressed.

Unblock Craigslist with ExpressVPN Now!

To summarize, the best VPNs for unblocking Craigslist are…

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1

9.8 /10

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2

9.8 /10

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3

9.6 /10

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