You've been working hard to build your LinkedIn presence and professional network. The last thing you want is to have your account restricted or permanently banned. Yet, as you search for tools to streamline your LinkedIn outreach and lead generation efforts, you may have come across Evaboost.

But is Evaboost safe to use with your LinkedIn account? Let's dive deep into this question by examining LinkedIn's terms of service, user experiences, and potential risks.

What is Evaboost?

Evaboost is a Chrome extension designed to help users extract data from LinkedIn Sales Navigator. According to their website, the tool allows you to "export clean data and find emails from LinkedIn Sales Navigator in just one click with our Chrome Extension" (Evaboot).

The tool is popular among sales professionals, particularly those in outbound sales roles who need to efficiently generate leads from LinkedIn. As one Reddit user mentioned, "This was the easiest tool to set up to scrape my Sales Navigator. I also use the email finder on Evaboot and have had good success so far." (Reddit)

Other positive reviews note that Evaboot "offers several advantages for lead generation. These include time savings, ease of use, and direct integration with LinkedIn Sales Navigator." (Scrupp)

LinkedIn's Terms of Service on Third-Party Tools

Before we assess Evaboost's safety, it's crucial to understand LinkedIn's stance on third-party tools. LinkedIn's User Agreement explicitly prohibits several activities that are common among automation and scraping tools.

According to LinkedIn's help center on prohibited software and extensions:

"LinkedIn is committed to keeping its members' data safe and its website free from fraud and abuse. In order to protect our members' data and our website, we don't permit the use of any third party software, including 'crawlers', bots, browser plug-ins, or browser extensions that scrape, modify the appearance of, or automate activity on LinkedIn's website."

It's important to note that this primarily targets tools that engage in unauthorized data extraction, automated actions that mimic inauthentic behavior, or alter LinkedIn's user interface. Productivity tools designed to help users manage their own activity more efficiently, without violating these core principles, operate differently.

The terms specifically prohibit users from:

• Developing or using software to scrape or copy data from LinkedIn

• Using bots or unauthorized automated methods to access LinkedIn services

• Overlaying or modifying LinkedIn's appearance

• Copying or distributing information obtained from LinkedIn without consent

• Overriding security features or bypassing access controls

How Evaboost May Violate LinkedIn's Terms of Service

Based on LinkedIn's terms and Evaboost's features, there are several areas where the tool likely violates LinkedIn's policies:

1. Data Scraping and Extraction

Evaboost's core functionality is to "export clean data and find emails from LinkedIn Sales Navigator in just one click" (Evaboot). This directly conflicts with LinkedIn's prohibition against tools that "scrape or copy the Services, including profiles and other data from the Services."

The tool's primary purpose is extracting data that LinkedIn intentionally restricts from mass export, which is a clear violation of the terms of service.

2. Automation of Activities

Evaboost also advertises the ability to "create drip campaigns using a variety of LinkedIn & email actions, delays and conditions" (Evaboot). This automation of LinkedIn activities directly violates LinkedIn's terms against using "bots or other unauthorized automated methods to access the Services" or tools that "drive inauthentic engagement."

3. Risk of Spam-Like Behavior

While not explicitly stated in Evaboost's marketing, tools that enable mass automation often lead users to engage in behaviors that LinkedIn considers spamming. As noted by GetProspect, "If you send too many connection requests or spammy messages, you can get your LinkedIn account restricted" (GetProspect).

Real-World Consequences: Account Restrictions

Many LinkedIn users have reported account restrictions after using third-party tools similar to Evaboost. While not specific to Evaboost, these experiences highlight the very real risks of using automation tools with LinkedIn.

One Reddit user reported: "I cant find anything online but I may use Apollo.io for work solely to find client email addresses never to mail shot or spam messages like my colleagues" (Reddit). This user faced account restrictions despite claiming to use the tool only for finding email addresses – a function similar to Evaboost's email finder feature.

Another user shared their experience with automation detection: "The problem that I'm having is that my account keeps getting restricted for using automation after about every 100 profiles or so" (Reddit).

Some restrictions can even be permanent, as one user discovered: "Hello I recently got permanently restricted from LI. I read their user agreement and have found no mistakes from my side. I even provided my verification ID card for proof" (Reddit).

LinkedIn's Detection Capabilities

LinkedIn has sophisticated systems in place to detect unauthorized automation and scraping activities. According to their help page on automated activity:

"LinkedIn is committed to keeping our members' data safe and our platform free from fraud and abuse. In order to protect our members' privacy and keep LinkedIn a trusted platform for authentic interactions, we don't allow the use of third-party software or browser extensions that scrape, modify the appearance of, or automate activity on LinkedIn's website."

The platform actively monitors for patterns that suggest automation, such as:

• Unusually high volumes of profile views in a short time

• Systematic data extraction

• Abnormal patterns of engagement that don't resemble human behavior

• Connection requests or messages sent at inhuman speeds or volumes

LinkedIn's detection capabilities are continuously improving, making it increasingly difficult to use automation tools without triggering account restrictions.

The Business Impact of Account Restrictions

For professionals who rely on LinkedIn for business development, networking, or job searching, an account restriction can have serious consequences:

1. Loss of access to your network: During a restriction, you can't communicate with your connections.

2. Damage to professional reputation: Connections may wonder why you've suddenly disappeared.

3. Missed opportunities: Important messages and opportunities may go unanswered during restrictions.

4. Permanent data loss: In cases of permanent bans, you may lose access to all your connection data and conversation history.

For sales professionals, recruiters, or business owners, these consequences can directly impact revenue and business relationships.

Managing Your LinkedIn Inbox Efficiently and Safely with Kondo

While tools that scrape data or automate outreach carry significant risks, professionals still need efficient ways to manage their LinkedIn communications. This is where tools designed for productivity and organization, while respecting LinkedIn's Terms of Service, become invaluable.

Kondo is a prime example, transforming the cluttered LinkedIn messaging inbox into a streamlined communication hub. It helps users apply principles like 'Inbox Zero' to their LinkedIn DMs without resorting to risky automation. Key features include:

• Labels & Split Inboxes: Categorize conversations with custom labels (e.g., 'Hot Lead', 'Candidate') and view them in separate, prioritized inboxes. This declutters the main view and helps prevent valuable messages from getting lost.

• Reminders (Snooze): Set follow-up reminders for conversations, ensuring timely responses without relying on external tools.

• Keyboard Shortcuts: Navigate the inbox, archive messages, set reminders, and apply labels rapidly, significantly speeding up inbox processing.

• Snippets: Save and reuse common messages with personalized variables, eliminating repetitive typing while maintaining authentic, individual communication.

Crucially, Kondo is built with account safety and compliance with LinkedIn's TOS as a priority. As detailed on their safety page (Is Kondo Safe?), Kondo does not scrape LinkedIn pages, modify their appearance, or automate prohibited activities like bulk messaging or sequenced auto-replies. It uses your browser's active session cookie and caches message data locally on your computer, ensuring your data's privacy and security. This focus allows professionals to enhance their productivity without fearing account restrictions.

Safer Alternatives to Consider

If you're looking for ways to improve your LinkedIn workflow without putting your account at risk, consider these approaches:

1. Productivity tools for inbox management: Tools like Kondo help you manage your LinkedIn DMs more efficiently with features such as labels, reminders, and keyboard shortcuts. They are designed to work within LinkedIn's terms by enhancing user-driven actions, not by automating outreach or scraping data.

2. LinkedIn's native export tools: LinkedIn offers limited but legitimate ways to export some of your data.

3. Manual outreach with diligent tracking: Use CRM systems to log and track your outreach efforts without automating the LinkedIn actions themselves.

4. LinkedIn Sales Navigator's built-in features: Sales Navigator provides robust search, lead list management, and note-taking capabilities within LinkedIn's approved ecosystem.

5. Permission-based email marketing tools: For outreach beyond LinkedIn, focus on building your email list through proper opt-in methods rather than scraping emails.

Conclusion: Is Evaboost Safe?

Based on LinkedIn's terms of service and the experiences of users with similar tools, Evaboost poses a significant risk to your LinkedIn account. While the tool may deliver on its promises to extract data and automate certain LinkedIn activities, these actions directly violate LinkedIn's policies against data scraping and automation.

As one expert assessment concluded: "Evaboost poses a significant risk of violating LinkedIn's Terms of Service due to its features that allow for scraping data and automating actions on the platform, which can lead to user accounts being flagged or restricted. Users should proceed with caution when using such tools."

The potential convenience Evaboost offers must be weighed against the very real risk of temporary restrictions or even permanent bans from LinkedIn. For professionals who rely on LinkedIn for their livelihood, this is a risk that rarely justifies the reward.

If you're currently using Evaboost and concerned about your account, LinkedIn recommends that you:

• "Review and disable the software or extension that automates activities. Your account will then automatically be re-enabled at the time specified on the suspension notification."

• "Change your password on a regular basis to improve the safety of your account and to prevent unauthorized access."

Remember that your LinkedIn profile and network represent years of professional relationship building. Protecting that investment should be your priority when considering any tool that interacts with your LinkedIn account.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What makes Evaboost potentially unsafe for my LinkedIn account?

Evaboost is potentially unsafe because its core features, such as data scraping from Sales Navigator and automating LinkedIn activities, directly violate LinkedIn's Terms of Service. LinkedIn actively prohibits unauthorized data extraction and the use of bots or automated methods, which can lead to account restrictions or bans.

Why does LinkedIn restrict the use of third-party tools like Evaboost?

LinkedIn restricts tools like Evaboost primarily to protect its members' data, privacy, and the integrity of its platform. Unauthorized scraping and automation can lead to data misuse, spam, inauthentic engagement, and a degraded user experience, which LinkedIn aims to prevent.

How does LinkedIn detect the use of unauthorized tools like Evaboost?

LinkedIn detects unauthorized tools by monitoring user activity for patterns indicative of automation or scraping. This includes unusually high volumes of profile views, systematic data extraction, connection requests sent at inhuman speeds, or other abnormal engagement patterns that deviate from typical human behavior on the platform.

Are all third-party tools for LinkedIn banned?

No, not all third-party tools for LinkedIn are banned; tools that do not scrape data, automate prohibited actions, or modify LinkedIn's appearance in unauthorized ways can be safe. Tools designed for personal productivity, like Kondo, which help manage your inbox or organize your existing data without automated outreach or data extraction, generally operate within LinkedIn's guidelines.

What are safer alternatives to Evaboost for managing LinkedIn tasks?

Safer alternatives focus on enhancing your manual efforts or using LinkedIn's approved features, rather than unauthorized automation or scraping. Consider productivity tools like Kondo for inbox management, leveraging LinkedIn Sales Navigator's native capabilities, manual outreach tracked via a CRM, or using LinkedIn's own limited data export options.

What should I do if LinkedIn restricts my account because of tool usage?

If LinkedIn restricts your account due to tool usage, you should immediately stop using the suspected third-party software or extension. LinkedIn usually provides a notification with a specific timeframe for the restriction. Review LinkedIn's User Agreement, disable the problematic tool, and consider changing your password to enhance account security. Your account may be automatically re-enabled after the specified period if you comply.

Ready to Transform Your LinkedIn Messaging Safely?

If you're looking to conquer your cluttered LinkedIn inbox, respond faster, and ensure no opportunity slips through the cracks—all while keeping your account safe—Kondo offers a powerful solution. Designed for professionals who value efficiency and authentic communication, Kondo helps you apply an 'Inbox Zero' philosophy to your LinkedIn DMs.

Discover how features like smart labels, snooze/reminders, keyboard shortcuts, and snippets can help you reclaim hours each week.

Learn more about Kondo and get started today!