Banned Hashtag Checker: Reach, SEO and Shadowban Risk

Hashtag audit: score out of 100, risky tags and how many to use

The tool starts at 100 points, removes 30 points for each hashtag on its list of risky tags and penalises lists that are too long (−15 above 10 tags, −35 above 15) or too short (−20 below 3 tags). This score is a heuristic: no platform publishes an official list of banned hashtags or a "shadowban" rule.

How the score is calculated

• Pasted hashtags are split on spaces or commas, the # is removed and duplicates are dropped regardless of case.
• Number of unique tags: none = zero score; more than 15 = −35; 11 to 15 = −15; 1 or 2 = −20.
• Each tag found on the tool's internal list (35 tags, including followforfollow, likeforlike, f4f and adult terms) removes 30 points.
• The score is then kept between 0 and 100: with no hashtag, or as soon as penalties reach 100 points (4 flagged tags, for example), it drops to 0. The "cleaned" list repeats your tags without the flagged ones.

Worked examples

The sample list has 9 unique hashtags, none flagged: 100/100, although the tool still advises staying between 4 and 8 tags. A list of 12 tags containing #followforfollow and #likeforlike gives 100 − 15 − 2 × 30 = 25/100.

Limits

• The list of risky tags is an indicative benchmark: Instagram and TikTok do not publish a list of banned hashtags, and a tag restricted one day can be restored later.
• According to the trade press, since December 2025 Instagram limits post and Reel captions to 5 hashtags (not verified on an official page). The 4-to-8 range suggested by the tool therefore exceeds that cap.
• The platform you pick does not change the score.
• The 3-3-2 rule (3 niche tags, 3 topic tags, 2 community tags) is one way of splitting tags among others, with no guarantee of reach.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many hashtags should I use on Instagram?

According to the trade press, since December 2025 Instagram caps post and Reel captions at 5 hashtags (not verified on an official page). Three to five precise tags is therefore safer; the tool only penalises lists above 10.

Is there an official list of banned hashtags?

No. Instagram and TikTok do not publish one; the tool's list (35 tags such as #followforfollow or #f4f) is an indicative benchmark. Each tag from that list removes 30 points from the score.

Can a banned hashtag cause a shadowban?

Platforms do not officially define a "shadowban". A restricted tag mainly reduces the post's visibility on that tag's page; the tool only spots tags from its list and guarantees no effect on reach.

Why does my list of 12 hashtags lose 15 points?

The tool removes 15 points for 11 to 15 unique tags and 35 points above 15, to flag keyword stuffing. With 12 tags including 2 flagged ones, the score drops to 25 out of 100.

Is this tool really free?

Yes, all tools on Kristools are 100% free and accessible without registration.

Is my data protected?

Yes. All processing is performed directly and securely inside your browser. No personal data is sent to our servers.