sitealternatives
Social · 9 alternatives

Instead of Facebook, try one of these 9.

Every alternative is lined up against Facebook on what people actually switch for: price, open source, self-hosting, offline use and platforms. Facebook sits in the first row, so you can see what you give up.

Show onlySorted by likes · 9 of 9
Alternative
Price
Open source
Self-host
Offline
Platforms
FacebookWhat you have now
Mainstream network for friends, groups, and business pages.
PriceFree
Open sourceNo
Self-hostNo
OfflinePartial
Platforms
Web · Win · iOS · Android
Mastodon#1
Decentralised microblogging across federated servers.
PriceFree
Open sourceYes
Self-hostYes
OfflineNo
Platforms
Web · iOS · Android
diaspora*#2
Privacy-friendly federated social network you can self-host.
PriceFree
Open sourceYes
Self-hostYes
OfflineNo
Platforms
Web
Minds#3
Open-source social network that pays creators for content.
PriceFreemium
Open sourceYes
Self-hostNo
OfflinePartial
Platforms
Web · Android · iOS
Gab#4
Free-speech social network running decentralized open-source software.
PriceFreemium
Open sourceYes
Self-hostNo
OfflinePartial
Platforms
Web · Android
VK#5
Russian social network with video, music and messaging.
PriceFree
Open sourceNo
Self-hostNo
OfflinePartial
Platforms
Web · Android
Friendica#6
Distributed social network merging many platforms into one feed.
PriceFree
Open sourceYes
Self-hostYes
OfflineNo
Platforms
Web
GNU social#7
Older federated microblogging server, now largely unmaintained.
PriceFree
Open sourceYes
Self-hostYes
OfflineNo
Platforms
Web
Pleroma#8
Lightweight federated microblogging server on open protocols.
PriceFree
Open sourceYes
Self-hostYes
OfflineNo
Platforms
Web
MeWe#9
Private social network with no ads and encrypted chat.
PriceFree
Open sourceNo
Self-hostNo
OfflinePartial
Platforms
Web · Android · iOS

How to read this. “Yes” means fully supported by the maker. “Partial” means it works with caveats. Likes reflect community popularity; vendors can’t pay for them or for placement. How we compare.

Facebook alternatives at a glance

Facebook is a free social app. We compared 9 alternatives: 7 are open source, 7 are completely free, 5 can be self-hosted and 0 work fully offline. The most popular is Mastodon, with 940 likes.

Most liked overallMastodon

Decentralised microblogging across federated servers.

Free · Open source · Self‑hostable
Best free optiondiaspora*

Privacy-friendly federated social network you can self-host.

Free · Open source · Self‑hostable
Best open-source optionMinds

Open-source social network that pays creators for content.

Freemium · Open source
Best to self-hostFriendica

Distributed social network merging many platforms into one feed.

Free · Open source · Self‑hostable

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