What is Mastodon?
Mastodon is a decentralized social network. The original server operated by Mastodon gGmbH nonprofit in Germany. Free and open-source. ActivityPub federation for interconnected instances. No ads, no tracking, no algorithm manipulation. Chronological timeline. 500-character posts (toots). Content warnings. Moderation at instance level. Join existing instances or run your own.
Key Features
- ✓Decentralized
- ✓Federated (ActivityPub)
- ✓No ads
- ✓No tracking
- ✓Chronological timeline
- ✓500-char posts
- ✓Content warnings
- ✓Custom emojis
- ✓Lists
- ✓Polls
- ✓Self-hosted option
- ✓German nonprofit
🔒 Privacy & Data Protection
Mastodon is developed by German nonprofit Mastodon gGmbH. No ads, no tracking, no data selling. Decentralized means no single point of control. For users wanting Twitter alternatives with privacy, Mastodon delivers European values.
Best For
Decentralized socialTwitter alternativeCommunity buildingPersonal instanceOrganization social mediaFediverse presence
💰 Pricing
Mastodon is completely free and open-source under AGPLv3.
Ready to try Mastodon?
Review the product profile, hosting details, and company location before switching.
Get Started with Mastodon →