Mastodon
A free and open-source social network that prioritizes user control, privacy, and chronological feeds without ads or algorithms. Join any server or host your own.
Mastodon is an open-source alternative to:
Mastodon is a free and open-source decentralized social media platform that puts users in control of their experience. Unlike traditional social networks, Mastodon offers chronological feeds, no ads, and no algorithmic manipulation—just authentic connections.
Key Features
- Decentralized Network: Operates across independent servers (instances) that communicate with each other, allowing users to choose or host their own community.
- Chronological Feeds: No algorithmic curation—see posts in real-time order as they were published.
- Privacy & Control: Users own their data and can moderate their own communities with custom rules.
- Cross-Server Following: Follow anyone on any Mastodon server from a single account.
- Customizable Experience: Tailor your home feed to show only what matters to you.
- Open Source: Fully transparent codebase available on GitHub for self-hosting or contributions.
- No Ads or Tracking: Completely ad-free and designed to respect user privacy.
- Moderation Tools: Each server sets its own rules, allowing for flexible and community-driven moderation.
Tech / Self-Hosting
Mastodon is built with Ruby on Rails and PostgreSQL, making it easy to deploy on your own infrastructure. The platform supports Docker for simplified installation and scaling. Documentation and guides are available for hosting on various cloud providers or bare-metal servers. Multiple language clients and mobile apps are available for a seamless experience across devices.