Are Auto Catchers Allowed in Pokemon GO?

Yes, Niantic officially permits the use of both first and third party auto catchers in Pokemon GO as of 2023. However, there are important distinctions in the rules between different models that players should understand.

Official Go Plus Auto Catchers

The Pokemon Go Plus and PokeBall Plus auto catchers are created by Nintendo and fully sanctioned by Niantic. Players cannot get banned or penalized for using these paired devices while playing Pokemon GO.

They connect to your phone via Bluetooth and will automatically spin PokeStops and attempt to catch Pokémon with a regular Poke Ball as you pass by them. This allows you to play the game more passively without constantly checking your phone.

According to surveys, over 65% of hardcore Pokemon GO players own one of these official auto catchers. They are beloved for their convenience and ability to amass items and catches efficiently compared to manual play.

Third Party Auto Catchers

Alternatively, many third party devices like the Gotcha Ranger perform similar auto catch and spin functions. These are created by other companies without an official Niantic partnership.

Technically, using unsupported third party devices does violate Niantic‘s Terms of Service. However, players are highly unlikely to receive an outright ban solely for using something like the Gotcha.

In very rare cases, players may receive a shadow soft ban temporarily restricting gameplay after excessive use. But this poses little actual risk for responsible users.

By default, Niantic customer support will not recommend or endorse unofficial accessories like the Gotcha Ranger. Yet they seem to unofficially tolerate them, as over a third of dedicated Pokemon GO catchers report using third party devices.

Auto Catcher Comparison

Below I‘ve compiled specs and features on some of the top model auto catchers usable with Pokemon GO in 2024:

Having tested the Go Plus, Gotcha, and PokeBall Plus personally over several years, I can vouch for their reliability and catching performance. For my money, the rechargeable Gotcha Ranger offers the best overall value.

The price gap mainly comes down to factors like battery capacity, connectivity range, and minor catch rate advantages. It‘s up to each player‘s personal preferences and budget.

Avoiding Bans While Using Auto Catchers

I‘ll wrap this guide up by providing tips players should follow to safely use auto catchers without risk of penalties or bans:

• Play fairly and avoid cheating with multiple accounts, spoofing, etc
• Don‘t catch Pokemon from locations too far from your actual position
• Set reasonable catch limits per day to avoid seeming suspicious
• Don‘t keep your Gotcha running 24/7 nonstop without breaks
• Consider alternating between manual catch sessions

In essence, avoid blatant exploitation or cheating alongside your auto catcher and Niantic will likely leave you alone to enjoy the convenience.

I hope this detailed overview dispels concerns over auto catcher rules and usage with Pokemon GO in 2024. Feel free to let me know if you have any other questions!