Mastodon

Free, open-source, decentralised microblogging across thousands of independently run servers.

Open sourceSelf-hostableSocial networks

Verified facts: 5 of 5
Alternatives ranked: 6
Approved reviews: 0
Visits sent from here: 0

About Mastodon

Mastodon is the best-known part of the fediverse, a network of independent servers that talk to each other through the ActivityPub standard. You join a server run by a community, company or individual, or host your own, and can follow and talk to people on any other server, including other fediverse apps and Threads users who opt in. Timelines are chronological with no ads or engagement algorithm, posts allow content warnings, and moderation is handled by each server's admins under their own rules. You can move your account to another server and keep your followers. The software is free and open source, developed by a non-profit that started in 2016 and is funded by donations and sponsors; individual servers may ask for donations. Official apps exist for Android and iPhone, plus a web interface and many third-party clients. Picking a server and finding people takes more effort than on centralised networks.

Best for: People who want ad-free, chronological social media without a single corporate owner.

What works

No ads or engagement algorithm
Move servers without losing followers
Open source and self-hostable

Why people leave

Choosing a server confuses newcomers
Discovery and search are weaker than on big platforms
Moderation quality varies by server

Top Mastodon alternatives

See all 6

1
Bluesky
Easier sign-up and custom feeds, on an open protocol run mainly by one company.
66.5
2
Misskey
Fediverse microblogging with emoji reactions, drive storage and more customisation.
62.6
3
GoToSocial
A lightweight fediverse server for running your own single-user instance.
59.6
4
Akkoma
A faster, more expressive fediverse server that still supports Mastodon apps.
57.2
5
Ivory
A polished third-party client for using Mastodon on iPhone and Mac.
55.3

Why people left Mastodon

In reviewers' own words, from reviews of the apps they moved to. These are their opinions, not ours.

No switching stories yet. If you moved away from Mastodon, review the app you switched to and tell us why.

Reviews

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Mastodon: common questions

Is Mastodon free?

Yes. Mastodon is free, open-source software that you can host yourself.

Is Mastodon open source?

Yes. The source code is on GitHub at mastodon/mastodon. You can also run it on your own server.

What platforms does Mastodon run on?

Mastodon is available for Web, iOS, Android and Self-hosted.

What are the best alternatives to Mastodon?

The highest-ranked Mastodon alternatives right now are Bluesky, Misskey and GoToSocial. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.

See all 6 Mastodon alternatives

Mastodon facts

5 of 5 verified

License: AGPL-3.0; Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab); “License: AGPL-3.0 (GNU Affero General Public License v3.0).”
Organisation: Non-profit, started 2016; Checked Oct 25, 2026joinmastodon.org(opens source in a new tab); “Mastodon is a non-profit that develops the Mastodon software. Mastodon started in 2016”
Ads and algorithms: None; Checked Oct 25, 2026joinmastodon.org(opens source in a new tab); “No algorithms or ads to waste your time.”
Account migration: Keep your followers; Checked Oct 25, 2026joinmastodon.org(opens source in a new tab); “With Mastodon, you can easily move your profile to a different server at any time without losing any followers.”
Official apps: iOS and Android; Checked Oct 25, 2026joinmastodon.org(opens source in a new tab); “our official iOS and Android apps, but many third-party apps are also available below.”