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Reddit alternatives: 5 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave Reddit: quality and moderation vary widely by community, and third-party apps largely gone after API pricing changes. We ranked 5 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Reddit, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Lemmy currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Lemmy logoLemmyOpen sourceYesWeb, iOS, Android +14 of 466.5
2PiPieFedOpen sourceYesWeb, Self-hosted3 of 362.6
3Mbin logoMbinOpen sourceYesWeb, Self-hosted4 of 459.6
  1. Lemmy logo

    1. LemmyTop pick

    Best for: Reddit users who want community discussion without ads or a single corporate owner

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWeb, iOS, Android, Self-hosted

    66.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from Reddit

    A federated, Reddit-style forum with votes and threaded comments and no ads.

    Pros

    • Familiar Reddit-style voting and threads
    • No ads or tracking; moderation logs are public
    • Lightweight and self-hostable

    Cons

    • Much smaller communities than Reddit
    • Server choice and defederation confuse newcomers
    • Relies on third-party apps for mobile
    Visit Lemmy Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Lemmy a good Reddit alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    License
    AGPL-3.0
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Ads and tracking
    None
    Checked Oct 25, 2026join-lemmy.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Self-hosting
    Yes, runs on a Raspberry Pi
    Checked Oct 25, 2026join-lemmy.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Apps
    iOS, Android, desktop and web
    Checked Oct 25, 2026join-lemmy.org(opens source in a new tab)
  2. Pi

    2. PieFed

    Best for: Reddit leavers who want a federated forum with better filtering and moderation tools

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Self-hosted

    62.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Reddit

    A fediverse forum with Reddit-like communities plus extra moderation and filtering tools.

    Pros

    • Works with Lemmy and Mbin communities
    • Strong keyword filters and moderation tools
    • No ads, tracking or engagement algorithms

    Cons

    • Fewer servers and users than Lemmy
    • Small development team
    • Federated forums still have a learning curve
    Visit PieFed Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.387
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is PieFed a good Reddit alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    License
    AGPL (Python)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026join.piefed.social(opens source in a new tab)
    Ads and tracking
    None
    Checked Oct 25, 2026join.piefed.social(opens source in a new tab)
    Federation
    ActivityPub
    Checked Oct 25, 2026join.piefed.social(opens source in a new tab)
  3. Mbin logo

    3. Mbin

    Best for: Fediverse users who want forums and microblogging in one account

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Self-hosted

    59.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Reddit

    Combines link aggregation, voting and microblogging on the fediverse.

    Pros

    • Threads and microblog posts in one place
    • Interoperates with Lemmy and Mastodon
    • Community-governed with no single maintainer

    Cons

    • Smaller network than Lemmy
    • Heavier to self-host than some alternatives
    • Mobile use relies on third-party apps
    Visit Mbin Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.377
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Mbin a good Reddit alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    License
    AGPL-3.0
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Origins
    Fork of kbin
    Checked Oct 25, 2026joinmbin.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Interoperability
    Lemmy, Mastodon, PeerTube and more
    Checked Oct 25, 2026joinmbin.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Governance
    No single maintainer
    Checked Oct 25, 2026joinmbin.org(opens source in a new tab)

The best Reddit alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

Lemmy logo

Best Reddit alternative for most people

Lemmy

A federated, Reddit-style forum with votes and threaded comments and no ads.

Pi

Best Reddit alternative for a free option

PieFed

A fediverse forum with Reddit-like communities plus extra moderation and filtering tools.

Tumblr logo

Best Reddit alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Tumblr

Fandom and interest communities organised around blogs and tags.

Mbin logo

Best Reddit alternative for open source

Mbin

Combines link aggregation, voting and microblogging on the fediverse.

Lemmy logo

Best Reddit alternative for self-hosting

Lemmy

A federated, Reddit-style forum with votes and threaded comments and no ads.

Discord logo

Best Reddit alternative for Mac

Discord

Real-time chat for communities that want conversation more than threaded posts.

Discord logo

Best Reddit alternative for Windows

Discord

Real-time chat for communities that want conversation more than threaded posts.

Discord logo

Best Reddit alternative for Linux

Discord

Real-time chat for communities that want conversation more than threaded posts.

Lemmy logo

Best Reddit alternative for iPhone and Android

Lemmy

A federated, Reddit-style forum with votes and threaded comments and no ads.

Lemmy logo

Best Reddit alternative for working in the browser

Lemmy

A federated, Reddit-style forum with votes and threaded comments and no ads.

Reddit alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Reddit?

Lemmy ranks first right now. A federated, Reddit-style forum with votes and threaded comments and no ads. PieFed and Mbin follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to Reddit?

Yes. Lemmy (open source), PieFed (open source), Mbin (open source) and Tumblr (free plan + paid) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to Reddit?

Yes: Lemmy, PieFed and Mbin. Lemmy, PieFed and Mbin can also be self-hosted.

Which Reddit alternatives work on Linux?

Discord runs on Linux.

Why do people switch from Reddit?

The complaints we hear most: quality and moderation vary widely by community; third-party apps largely gone after API pricing changes; ads and promoted posts in feeds.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces Reddit, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.