Short answer: Bluesky has three kinds of list, and which one you're on matters more than how many. A curation list means someone wants to read you. A starter pack means someone is recommending you. A moderation list means some people may have muted or blocked you through it. All three are stored the same way, so they look alike until you check the list's purpose.
The Three Types at a Glance
| Curation list | Moderation list | Starter pack | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purpose value | curatelist | modlist | referencelist |
| What people do with it | Pin it as a feed of posts | Subscribe to mute or block everyone on it | Follow everyone in one tap |
| Effect on your reach | None, or slightly positive | Can hide you from subscribers | Positive: new followers |
| Where it shows in the app | The owner's Lists tab | The owner's Lists tab, marked as a moderation list | The owner's Starter Packs tab |
| Public? | Yes | Yes | Yes |
How to Check a List's Type
In the Bluesky app
Open the list. A moderation list has buttons to Mute or Block the list (or "Subscribe" with those options), while a curation list offers to Pin it to your home screen. Starter packs open on their own page with a Follow all button.
From the API
Every list record has a purpose field. Look up any list URI with:
https://public.api.bsky.app/xrpc/app.bsky.graph.getList?list=at://did:plc:OWNER/app.bsky.graph.list/RKEY&limit=1The response includes "purpose": "app.bsky.graph.defs#modlist" (or #curatelist, or #referencelist), the name, the description, the owner and listItemCount. If you don't know which lists you're on in the first place, start with What Bluesky Lists Am I On?, whose script prints the purpose for you.
If You're on a Curation List
This is the common case. Someone built a topic list (developers, journalists, a sports team) and you're in it. Anyone who pins the list sees your posts in a chronological tab, whether or not they follow you. There's no downside, and it's often where new followers come from.
If You're in a Starter Pack
A starter pack is a list with a front page. Its members live in a referencelist, and new users can follow everyone in it at once. Being in a popular pack is one of the more reliable ways to gain followers on Bluesky. See how to make a starter pack if you want to return the favor.
If You're on a Moderation List
Here it depends on what people do with the list:
- Subscribed as a mute list: subscribers stop seeing your posts. They can still see your profile, and you can still see theirs. Mute subscriptions are private, so you can't tell who has done this.
- Subscribed as a block list: each subscriber blocks you. Neither of you can see the other's posts or reply. List-block subscriptions are public records, and in the app a profile blocked this way can show which list did it.
- No subscribers: nothing happens. A moderation list with no subscribers is just a list.
Look at the name, the description and the owner. A list called "Spam bots" from an account that clearly maintains it is different from a list built because of one argument. Many moderation lists are thematic (crypto spam, engagement farms, a particular controversy) and you may simply have been caught by a broad sweep.
What You Can Do
- Curation list or starter pack: nothing to do. If you'd rather not be on it, ask the owner.
- Moderation list added by mistake: message the owner once, politely, and say why. Large lists are often maintained by people who want them to be accurate.
- Moderation list that's abusive: report the list. In the Bluesky app, open the list, tap the ··· menu and choose Report list. Bluesky's moderators can hide lists with abusive names or descriptions.
- A list owner you never want to deal with again: block them. It's public, but it stops further interaction.
More detail in our guides to getting off a list and moderation lists and blocklists.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a modlist on Bluesky?
A modlist is a moderation list: a public list of accounts that other people can subscribe to in order to mute or block everyone on it at once.
What is a referencelist on Bluesky?
A referencelist is the list that holds the members of a starter pack. Being on one means you're in someone's starter pack.
Does being on a curation list affect my reach?
No, not negatively. People who pin a curation list see your posts in a separate tab, which can only add readers.
Can I tell who subscribed to a moderation list I'm on?
Not for mute subscriptions, which are private. Block subscriptions are public records, so a profile blocked through a list can show which list caused it.
Can I report a Bluesky list?
Yes. Open the list, tap the three-dot menu and choose Report list. Bluesky's moderators can hide lists with abusive names or descriptions.
Lists in Skyscraper
Skyscraper reads, pins and browses Bluesky lists on iPhone, iPad and Mac, alongside your feeds and saved searches, and keeps blocked and muted accounts on their own pages in Settings. If you also use Mastodon, Skyscraper Pro adds Mastodon lists next to your Bluesky ones.