Software and Systems Assurance Specialist
Based in West Sussex, England, Stephen has worked as an information security and safety assurance consultant since 1997, specialising in risk management for high integrity systems. Prior to that, he developed safety-critical software-based systems for the aerospace industry. He transitioned from consultancy into the role of technical copywriter and editor in 2019, writing and reviewing materials on behalf of a broad spectrum of clients.
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Simply follow these instructions to unblock access to Craigslist in about five minutes:
- Click here to get ExpressVPN
- Get the ExpressVPN Chrome or Firefox extension (or install the app)
- Open the extension and choose your country from the map or list
- Enjoy full access to the Craigslist site
Quick Summary:
In this article I will show you how to unblock Craigslist and how to bypass Craigslist’s VPN ban.
Craigslist often times bans IP addresses and VPNs because of many fraudulent listings placed using such IPs. But it’s possible to overcome this ban by using a VPN for Craignslist that frequently adds new IP addresses.
Our testing showed ExpressVPN has the highest success rate in regards to working IPs with Craignslist – but it’s very important to keep in mind that not all IPs and severs will work! You may need to try multiple ones before you find one that works.
Read our ExpressVPN review if you need more info about this VPN before trying it out.
You can also check out our general VPN guide first.
Below you can find a detailed overview of how and why VPNs may not work with Craigslist and how to overcome this.
Why Do I Need a VPN to Access Craigslist?
Craigslist provides free, local advertising of goods and services within the community. Users can post ads on localized Craigslist pages for face-to-face exchange and payment.
Based in California and created initially for users in the U.S., Craigslist has expanded its reach to provide access to many parts of the world. It’s an excellent resource for finding a new job, looking for a service, buying and selling stuff, and more.
However, Craigslist comes with restrictions. Users are allowed to post in only one category and one geographical area once every 48 hours. Posting too often or having lots of similar ads will result in their removal.
Craigslist IP blocked? Thousands of users get their IP addresses blocked by Craigslist each day, usually as a result of spamming the site with too many ads or posting ads in different areas. The IP address block will prevent the user from being able to access Craigslist. However, it’s easy to get around this problem with a VPN. Connecting to a VPN server in another country will give you a new IP address and hide your location.
On the face of it, in today’s global marketplace, there seems to be no reason why users shouldn’t be allowed to post ads on Craigslist outside of their local area. As a route to market, it can significantly increase efficiency and the probability of finding new customers.
Craigslist is also currently available only in around 70 countries. If you’re traveling abroad, you may end up in a country that won’t allow you to log in and see how your ads are doing. Connecting to a VPN server in a country where Craigslist is available will allow you access.
Why Is Access to Craigslist Blocked?
There are many reasons why access to Craigslist might be blocked. You may be in a country where it’s not available, for example. Or you may be using a school or company network where access to Craigslist is banned.
Just thinking about it. If you’re at work or school and are supposed to be doing something productive, the last thing that your boss or professor want is for you to be browsing sites like Craigslist, which they think will keep you from getting your work or school responsibilities done. They also don’t want you wasting network resources or potentially infecting their systems with malware because of something you downloaded but shouldn’t have.
To be sure, those teachers and business managers, and even IT administrators, have the best of intentions. But sometimes you may have a legitimate, really pressing need to visit Craigslist. And it won’t hurt anyone! You intend to be very careful not to allow offensive content or malware-laden files to wreak havoc on your network.
So, next up, we’ll move forward with how to bypass Craigslist IP block.
Related guide: How to unblock websites on the internet
How Can I Unblock Craigslist?
If you need Craigslist for legitimate reasons, like posting a recruitment ad or finding a local service, you can certainly bypass network blocks on the website.
- One way is by just asking! This is probably the simplest option. Request whoever manages the network to grant access to Craigslist. The IT admin should be able to find ways to avoid the unwanted side effect of potentially opening up the network to other dangerous websites in the process.
- Another option is to access Craigslist with mobile data. This method is probably the quickest solution, but you have to be willing to consume some of your data.
- If you don’t mind slowing down the speed of your internet a little bit, you can also disguise your browsing of the Craigslist site. To do that, you need a proxy server. Stay away from a free one, though, because then you’ll need to contend with a bunch of ads and having your browsing habits monitored. The free proxy server might even try to make a profit off of your browsing history — there are a bunch of advertisers eager to get their hands on that info!
- Another method is to use a VPN service. If you can’t just ask for Craigslist to be unblocked, or if you don’t want to use mobile data, this is probably your best option, and it’s our favorite. (Read our beginner’s guide to VPNs if you want to learn all about them!) VPNs work similar to proxy servers, but they’re generally more safe and much easier to use. Again, you’ll want to stick to a premium service. Like free proxy servers, free VPNs will monitor your browsing habits and try to sell that data to third parties.
For most of these options to work, network traffic must be encrypted. Otherwise, it’s very easy to detect whenever someone tries to visit Craigslist, and that attempt will be blocked.
What VPN Is Best to Use for Craigslist?
For its outstanding privacy features and most especially its sophisticated encryption, go for ExpressVPN, a premium service.
Free and non-premium VPNs are unreliable when it comes to accessing Craigslist because these VPNs have few IP addresses available. Craigslist is proactive in blocking VPNs, so these IP addresses won’t work for very long before being identified and blocked.
Recommended reading: How to hide you are using a VPN
Unblocking Craigslist With a VPN
If you’ve settled on the VPN method to unblock Craigslist, your first step is to find a VPN app! Again, we recommend a premium service like ExpressVPN for its fantastically fast servers. You’ll get superior speed (no buffering issues!) and superior customer support.
Next, you have to install your chosen VPN onto your device. Then open up the app and choose the country whose server you want to connect from. For the fastest internet speed, opt for a server housed in the country you’re currently in. But if you also want to access content that’s restricted in your country, you’ll need to pick a server located in a different one.
Once you select a suitable server, you should have access to the Craigslist website.
What Happens If Craigslist Blocks My VPN?
When you connect to a VPN server, you’re assigned an IP address that’s shared by hundreds of other users of that VPN server. There’s a small chance that one of the other users may also be accessing Craigslist — but in a malicious manner that causes that IP address to get blocked.
Fortunately, ExpressVPN has thousands of different IP addresses available, so you can just connect to a different server. This feature enables you to carry on and use Craigslist as usual. Also, an advantage of using a premium VPN service like ExpressVPN instead of a free proxy or VPN service is that you’re much less likely to share an IP address with a malicious user.
Got Connection Problems? Here’s How to Troubleshoot
If you can’t install the ExpressVPN app onto your computer, you need to get an extension for ExpressVPN. Go to either the Google Chrome store to get ExpressVPN’s Chrome browser extension, or to the Mozilla website to get ExpressVPN’s Firefox extension.
Still unlucky? Well, sometimes VPN IP addresses get blocked, and that’s not uncommon. In this case, just try connecting to different servers. Eventually, you’ll stumble on one that works. All it takes is a little patience!
Further VPN guides we recommend you to check out:
- How to hide your VPN usage
- How to prevent your real IP from leaking
- How to encrypt your internet traffic
- VPN protocols
- What is a double VPN
- What is a VPN kill switch
- How does port forwarding work with a VPN
- Can you use a VPN with Tails?
Additional use cases for VPNs:
FAQ
How do I unblock my IP ban on Craigslist?
A Craigslist IP address ban is permanent. If your IP address is blocked, you will need to use another IP address to access Craigslist. There’s no other way to unblock a banned IP address. With a VPN or a Craigslist proxy server, you can change your IP address.
Can Craigslist block you for using a VPN?
Yes, Craigslist can block your VPN connection. Since VPNs rotate IP addresses, you may likely use a VPN IP address used by another Craigslist user. Hence Craigslist can think you are the same person with different accounts and block your connection. If you don’t have access to a reputable premium VPN, use a premium residential proxy.
What do I do if my Craigslist account is blocked?
If Craigslist blocks your account, the best course of action is to register a new account. Trying to reinstate a blocked account is futile. To register a new account, you will need a new IP address. If you are successful, try not to engage in actions that got you blocked in the first.
What to do when you see ‘this post is being blocked’ on Craigslist?
You will see this warning if you have violated Craigslist Terms of Use. Also, this might happen if Craigslist has shadow-banned your account. With a shadow-ban, other users might not see the ads you post. The workaround again is to register for a new account using a different IP address.
How to stop being blocked on Craigslist?
To avoid blocks and bans, you should not violate Craigslist Terms of Use. If you need to post many ads, be smart about it. Don’t spam identical ads or post many ads in a single instance. Alternatively, you can register for other accounts but use different IP addresses.
You should use a reputable VPN with a dedicated IP address or a premium residential proxy.