Tumblr

Blogging and reblogging network beloved by fandoms, artists and niche internet culture.

Verified facts: 3 of 3
Alternatives ranked: 5
Approved reviews: 0
Visits sent from here: 0

About Tumblr

Tumblr sits between a blog and a social network. Each account is a customisable blog where you post text, images, GIFs, audio and video, and the reblog button spreads posts across the network with commentary attached, which is how fandoms, artists, writers and meme culture have thrived there since 2007. You follow blogs and tags, and the dashboard can be shown in chronological order. Blogs can use custom themes and HTML, and even custom domains. Tumblr is owned by Automattic, the company behind WordPress.com. It is free with ads; Tumblr Premium removes ads and adds perks, and creators can receive tips. It runs on the web, Android and iPhone. Its strengths are a distinctive, creative community and strong pseudonymity. On the other hand it is much smaller than in its peak years, the company has repeatedly changed its content rules, and Automattic has scaled back investment, pausing a planned move onto WordPress infrastructure.

Best for: Fandoms, artists and writers who want a creative, pseudonymous blogging community.

What works

Reblog culture spreads creative work quickly
Customisable blogs with themes and custom domains
Chronological dashboard option

Why people leave

Much smaller than at its peak
Content rules have changed repeatedly
Ad-free browsing requires Premium

Top Tumblr alternatives

See all 5

1
Bluesky
Many artists and fandom communities have moved here for an open, Twitter-like feed.
66.5
2
Misskey
A playful, creative fediverse platform popular with artists.
59.6
3
Mastodon
Ad-free, chronological social media on independent servers.
57.2
4
Pixelfed
For image-focused posting without ads or algorithms.
55.3
5
Micro.blog
Blogging at your own domain with a friendly community and cross-posting.
52.2

Why people left Tumblr

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

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Tumblr: common questions

Is Tumblr free?

Tumblr has a free plan and paid plans.

Is Tumblr open source?

No, Tumblr is not open source. Open-source alternatives include Bluesky, Misskey and Mastodon.

What platforms does Tumblr run on?

Tumblr is available for Web, iOS and Android.

What are the best alternatives to Tumblr?

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

See all 5 Tumblr alternatives

Tumblr facts

3 of 3 verified

Owner: Automattic; Checked Oct 25, 2026tumblr.com(opens source in a new tab); “wholly-owned subsidiary of Automattic Inc.”
Ad-free option: Included in Tumblr Premium; Checked Oct 25, 2026help.tumblr.com(opens source in a new tab); “Ad-Free, which lets you browse Tumblr without having to see typical ads, is now a feature within Tumblr Premium.”
Minimum age: 13 (16 in EU, UK, Australia); Checked Oct 25, 2026tumblr.com(opens source in a new tab); “The Minimum Age is (i) thirteen (13), (ii) sixteen (16) for users in Australia, the European Union, or the United Kingdom”