What is a Reddit shadowban?
A Reddit shadowban is a stealth sitewide moderation action: your profile, posts, and comments still look normal to you, but other users usually cannot see them. It differs from a subreddit ban (often notified, one community), a restricted account (limited posting), or a full suspension. Use this free checker to evaluate public visibility signals, then confirm with reddit.com/appeal if you are unsure.
How this shadowban checker works
Reddit does not publish a public “am I shadowbanned?” API. Healthy accounts have a publicly resolvable profile that other users can open. When an account is shadowbanned, that public surface often disappears even though you can still log in and see your own content. This free checker evaluates those visibility signals and labels the most likely status so you can decide whether to appeal.
Start with ban vs shadowban vs restricted, then the recovery playbook and glossary on what a shadowban is. Pair the result with the karma / trust calculator before you resume link posts.
What to do if you are shadowbanned
If our tool indicates that your account is shadowbanned, don't panic. It happens to hundreds of innocent accounts every day, particularly if you are logging in from a new location or actively promoting a product.
Step 1: Stop posting
Continuing to post links while shadowbanned can permanently flag your domain as spam. This means even if you create a new account, any post containing your startup's URL will be instantly deleted. Stop all activity.
Step 2: Submit an appeal
Go to exactly one page: reddit.com/appeal. Explain that you are a real person, your account is new, and you believe you were caught in a spam filter. Do not be combative. Humans process these tickets, and they are usually resolved within 24 to 48 hours.
Step 3: Rebuild visibility safely
After the ban lifts, warm the account with helpful comments (no links) for several days. Check subreddit rules before any promotional post, and avoid blasting the same URL across communities.
