Comparison of software and protocols for distributed social networking

The following is a comparison of both software and protocols that are used for distributed social networking.

Software

Active

Project Name	Features	Software type	Programming Language	License	Privacy features, if any	Federation capabilities	Instance count	Current status
Bluesky	Microblogging	Client[1]	TypeScript	MIT	None (planned)	AT Protocol (Personal Data Server, opinionated services)[2]	1 AppView, theoretically self-hostable	Active
diaspora*	Status messages, blogging, image sharing	Client/server	Ruby	AGPLv3	Post reach can be controlled via "aspects"	diaspora* network	61 (January 2025)[3]	Active
Friendica	Rich profiles, networking groups, community/group/celebrity pages, richtext status (not specifically length limited), photo albums, YouTube share, location, like/dislike, multiple profiles w/assignment to specific friends, single sign-on to post directly to friend's profiles on co-operating systems. Communications encryption. Fans and one-way relationships. Local and global directory services. Ability to restrict connection endpoints.	Client/server	PHP, JavaScript	AGPLv3	Access controls for content, disappearing messages, private groups	ActivityPub, DFRN, diaspora* network, Email, RSS, third-party connections (Tumblr, Twitter, more via plugins)	345 (January 2025)[4]	Active
Hubzilla[5]	Decentralised identity and community platform, blogging, rich social networking, cloud storage and internet-scale access control/privacy	Client/server	PHP, JavaScript	MIT	Access controls for content, private groups	ActivityPub, diaspora* network, Zot	90 (January 2025)[6]	Active
Lemmy	Social news	Client/server	Rust	AGPLv3	None	ActivityPub	576 (January 2025)[7]	Active
Libervia	Microblogging, group microblogging, file sharing, games, XMPP client	Client/server	Python, C++	AGPLv3	Presence authorization, XMPP groups	XMPP, ActivityPub in beta as of 2022[update].[8]	Demo[9]	Active
Mastodon	Microblogging	Client/server	Ruby, JavaScript	AGPLv3	Access controls for content	ActivityPub	10156 (January 2025)[10]	Active
Micro.blog	Microblogging	Client	Un­known	Proprietary	Access controls for content	ActivityPub, AT Protocol (Bluesky crossposting)	1	Active
Minds	Microblogging	Client/server	PHP	AGPLv3	None	ActivityPub	1	Active
Misskey	Microblogging	Client/server	TypeScript	AGPLv3	Access controls for content	ActivityPub	1244 (January 2025)[11]	Active
Mobilizon	Events, groups, shared folders	Client/server	Elixir	AGPLv3	Access controls for content	ActivityPub	106 (January 2025)[12]	Active
Movim	XMPP client, news aggregation	Client/server	PHP	AGPLv3	Access controls for content, end-to-end encryption for chats	XMPP	16 (January 2025)[13]	Active
PeerTube	Video sharing	Client/server	TypeScript	AGPLv3	Access controls for content	ActivityPub	1302 (January 2025)[14]	Active
PieFed	Social news	Client/server	Python	AGPLv3	None	ActivityPub	14 (May 2025)[15]	Active
Pixelfed	Image sharing, similar to Instagram	Client/server	PHP	AGPLv3	Access controls for content	ActivityPub	543 (January 2025)[16]	Active
Pleroma	Instant messaging, microblogging	Client/server	Elixir	AGPLv3	Access controls for content	ActivityPub	1020 (January 2025)[17]	Active
Plume[18]	Blogging	Client/server	Rust	AGPLv3	Access controls for content	ActivityPub	41 (January 2025)[19]	Active
Socialhome[20]	Microblogging, blogging, home page builder	Client/server	Python, JavaScript	AGPLv3	Access controls for content	ActivityPub, diaspora*	9 (January 2025)[21]	Active

Inactive

Project Name	Features	Software type	Programming Language	License	Privacy features, if any	Federation capabilities	Current status
GNU social	Primarily microblogging, groups	Client/server	PHP	AGPLv3	Access controls for content	ActivityPub (via plugin), OStatus	Stable, last update to both supported major versions circa 2022
Jappix[22]	XMPP client + Microblogging	Client	JavaScript, PHP	AGPLv3	Presence authorizations	XMPP	Stable, inactive
Kune	real-time collaborative edition, XMPP chat, groups, calendar, lists, tasks, blogs, Apache Wave inbox (modern email), wave extensions (gadgets, robots), public webpages, profiles, galleries (photos, videos), maps, federation, usability	Client/server	Java	AGPLv3	Access controls for content	XMPP, Wave Federation Protocol	Stable, last updated 2017
Numaverse[23]	Microblogging	Client (peer-to-peer)	Ruby	MIT	Un­known	Ethereum, IPFS	Beta, last updated 2018
OneSocialWeb[24]	Microblogging	Openfire plugin, clients[25]	Java	Apache 2.0	Presence authorizations, access controls for content	XMPP, XMPP extensions[26]	Alpha
OpenMicroBlogger	User-toggleable "apps" to add/remove functionality. RSSCloud and partial OStatus (PubSubHubbub) federation as well as Open Microblogging 0.1. Local follow/unfollow. Facebook, Twitter, Flickr integration. (partial) Twitter API support. Fully Restful design, user interface consumes Rest API.	Client		MIT	Open Microblogging 0.1, RSSCloud, (partial) OStatus (PubSubHubbub)	Open Microblogging 0.1, RSSCloud, (partial) OStatus (PubSubHubbub)	Alpha
Osada	Microblogging	Server	PHP, JavaScript		Access controls for content	Zot/6, ActivityPub	Stable
postActiv	Microblogging	Client/server		AGPLv3	Access controls for content	OStatus, ActivityPub and Zot support proposed but never implemented	homepage and code forge went offline late 2019
Prismo[27]	Link sharing	Client/server	Ruby	AGPLv3	Access controls for content	ActivityPub	No commits since May 2019
Project Danube	1) Sharing personal data with companies/organizations 2) Sharing personal data with "friends" 3) Use of personal data for "personal applications"					OStatus, OAuth 2.0, WebFinger, hCard, Portable Contacts, XRI, XDI, PubSubHubbub, Salmon	Alpha
Project Nori						OStatus, OAuth, Portable Contacts, WebFinger, and other open protocols	Alpha
pump.io	Microblogging	Client/server	Node.js, JavaScript	Apache 2.0	Access controls for content	ActivityPump	Stable, inactive
SMOB	Microblogging						unmaintained
Social-Igniter[28]	friends, places, status, comments, modular apps (messages, blog, cart, media), themes, mobile themes, 3rd party integration (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube), editable widgets,	Server		GPL		Webfinger, PubSubHubbub, OpenID, OAuth, Activity Streams	alpha
SocialRiver[29]		Client/server		GPL AGPL	Private messaging, access controls	OStatus,[30] OpenID, will add support for OAuth	Unmaintained
SocialZE[31]		Client/server			Access controls for content	OSMP (Open Social Message Protocol)	alpha
Sone[32]	microblogging, media library, decentralized spam protection	Client/server	Java, JavaScript	GPL		Hyphanet	beta

Protocols

Active

Project Name	Features	License	Privacy features, if any	Supported apps	Instance count	Current status
ActivityPub	Activity Streams, WebFinger	Released as a W3C standard	Inbox/outbox access controls	Many	~30,000	Active
ActivityPump	Activity Streams, WebFinger	AGPLv3	Inbox/outbox access controls	Pump.io		Inactive, network still online
AT Protocol	Modular, microservice-oriented protocol architecture	Dual (MIT, Apache 2.0)	None (planned)[33]	Bluesky	~2.4k data servers,[34] few servers for other parts of the protocol (January 2025)	Active
diaspora* network	Status messages, blogging, photo sharing	AGPLv3	Post reach can be controlled via "aspects"	diaspora* (social network)	61 (January 2025)[3]	Active
FOAF	User relationships	CC BY 1.0	None			Active
Nostr	Extensible, based on event objects	Public domain	None	Many	Hundreds of relays	Active, stable
OStatus	OAuth 2, WebFinger, PubSubHubbub, Salmon	AGPLv3	None	GNU social, StatusNet	Less than 100	Inactive, network still online
Peergos[35]	P2P storage, social network, and application protocol	AGPLv3	End-to-end encryption for private messages	Peergos	Un­known	Active, stable
Twister	Peer-to-peer microblogging	MIT and BSD	End-to-end encryption for private messages	Twister	Un­known	Inactive, network still online
twtxt[36]	Microblogging	Varied, based on implementation	None	Text editor	Un­known	Active, stable
XMPP	Microblogging	Varied, based on implementation	Access controls, presence authorization, encryption	Many	Many	Active, stable

Inactive

Project Name	Features	License	Privacy features, if any	Current status
6d[37]	Blog, media library, addressbook, themeable, private messaging	MIT	Post scopes when transmitting	Alpha
Aether[38]	Peer-to-peer, ephemeral, self-governing public communities with auditable and democratic moderation.[39]	AGPLv3	None	Stable, not updated since 2021
Appleseed (Quicksocial protocol)[40][41]	Photos, Journals, Messaging, Groups, Privacy controls, Status Updates, Newsfeeds	GPLv2	Access controls for content	Cancelled
Buddycloud[42][43]	Personal and topic channels, Buddycloud directory, channel search, channel recommender, media server, friend-finder, mobile and email push service, location, messaging	Apache 2.0[44]	End-to-end encryption for private messages	Stable, last update 2015
Cunity[45]	Friends, Photo Album, Filesharing, Messaging, Pinboard, Newsfeed, Memberlist, Forum, Connecting Cunities	PHP	Peer-to-peer transmission	Beta
Diatum[46]	Supports contact and social media apps	Apache 2.0		no commit since 2021, main repository removed, alpha 0.01[47]
DiSo Project[48]	WordPress plugins[49]			beta (v0.6)
Distributed Social Networking Protocol[50]	DSNPd (server daemon), ChoiceSocial (web interface)[50]			beta (v0.6)
Friend2Friend[51]	Strong encryption, XML for all data exchange, Data is digitally signed	LGPL	Only connected to known users	Alpha
Knowee[52]	OpenID Signup, Activity Stream import and export, contact import from Web 2.0 services via XFN and FOAF, automatically updated address book from remote data sources, consolidated profile with RDF/FOAF export, personal SPARQL API	PHP[53]		Dead
Kopal[54]	OpenID, Kopal Connect protocol,[55] Kopal Feed microformat[56]	MIT		alpha
Libertree[57]	Social network	AGPLv3	None	beta (updated: 2015)
Lorea[58]	Profiles, microblogging, streams, groups, plugins, group mailing lists, tasks, calendar, subgroups, tagclouds (lgg,[59] plugins[60])	GPL		stable (seems dead by 2016-12-28)
Mr. Privacy[61]	Email social network		Private messaging	Dead
Multichan [62]	Anonymous textboard / imageboard network[63]	Public domain	None	paused on 2021-07-01, alpha 1.7[62]
Newebe[64]	one user = one node; microblogging, picture sharing, activity stream	AGPLv3		alpha (updated: 2016)
NoseRub[65][66][67]	Custom protocol			Dead
OpenAutonomy[68]	Micro-blogging, RSS aggregation, Cloud storage	MIT	Trusted user list and fine-grained trusted sub-groups	stable (r210)[69] (updated: 2015)
OpenLink Data Spaces (ODS)[70]	Profile Management, Blogs, Wikis, Address Books, Calendars, Feed Aggregation, Discussion Forums (includes NNTP support), File Servers (WebDAV based Briefcase).	Dual (Commercial and GPL for Open Source Edition)	WebID	stable (updated: 2016)
OpenMicroBlogging	Microblogging	AGPLv3	None	Dead
psyced[71]	profiles, chat, microblogging			stable (updated: 2016)
Safebook[72]	Peer-to-peer Facebook replacement	GPL	Untraceable communications	beta[73]
Secure Scuttlebutt	social networking, messaging, games, development tools	Various FLOSS licenses	End-to-end encryption for private messages.	Stable
SONIC[74][75]	Federation protocol for OSN services	MIT		beta (updated: 2018)
Tent[76]	Profiles, Developer-extensible Post and Profile Types, Data Import, Groups, Privacy Controls, Content versioning	MIT (reference implementation)		alpha (0.2)
Thimbl[77]	Microblogging			alpha
Zot/Zap	social network, microblogging, cloud storage	MIT		stable, repository deleted[78]

See also

• Comparison of instant messaging protocols