Instagram

Best Self Hosted Alternatives to Instagram

A curated collection of the 2 best self hosted alternatives to Instagram.

Instagram is a photo and video sharing social networking service that lets users post, edit and share photos, short videos, Stories and Reels, follow accounts, message others, and discover content — used for personal expression, community and brand promotion.

Alternatives List

#1
Pixelfed

Pixelfed

Self-hostable photo sharing network built on ActivityPub, offering Instagram-like publishing, federation with the Fediverse, and moderation/admin controls.

Pixelfed screenshot

Pixelfed is an Instagram-style photo sharing web application that supports federation with other servers via ActivityPub. It lets individuals and communities publish photos, follow accounts, like/comment on posts, and interact across the wider Fediverse (e.g., Mastodon) while remaining under the control of the instance operator.

Key Features

  • ActivityPub federation to follow and be followed by accounts on other Fediverse platforms
  • Media posting with captions, hashtags, and engagement (likes, comments, follows)
  • Timelines/feeds and discovery via tags (instance-dependent configuration)
  • Account privacy controls (public/private profiles and follower approvals)
  • Admin and moderation tooling (instance policies, content/report handling; capabilities vary by version)
  • API support and a web UI optimized for mobile use; many communities use third-party mobile clients

Use Cases

  • Host a community photo network for a club, school, or local group with federation enabled
  • Personal photo publishing with control over retention, domain, and policies
  • Organization-run creative portfolio hub that can interoperate with the Fediverse

Limitations and Considerations

  • Federation behavior and available features can differ by Pixelfed version and instance configuration.

Pixelfed provides a familiar photo-centric social experience while leveraging open federation standards. It is best suited for operators who want a photo-first social network that can interconnect with other Fediverse services and can be customized via instance policy and configuration.

6.8kstars
817forks
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#2
Friendica

Friendica

Self-hostable federated social network for long-form posts, groups, forums, and cross-network connectivity via ActivityPub and other protocols.

Friendica screenshot

Friendica is a self-hostable, decentralized social networking server that lets you run your own community while still interacting with people across the Fediverse. It focuses on privacy controls, rich social features (profiles, groups, events), and broad federation/bridge support.

Key Features

  • Federates with other networks via ActivityPub and additionally supports legacy protocols (where available) such as OStatus/DFRN for wide interoperability
  • Granular privacy controls for posts (public, friends, circles/ACLs) and per-contact permissions
  • Groups and community spaces, including forum-style “groups” accounts for discussions
  • Rich content: long-form posts, attachments/media, link previews, and threading/conversations
  • Built-in directory/discovery features (server/user directories, contact discovery)
  • Extensible via addons/plugins and themes; supports multiple languages

Use Cases

  • Host a private community that can still follow/interact with Mastodon/other Fediverse users
  • Replace centralized social platforms for organizations, clubs, or interest groups
  • Provide a “social hub” server to aggregate conversations across multiple federated services

Limitations and Considerations

  • Interoperability varies by protocol/remote platform features; not every feature maps cleanly across the Fediverse
  • Some bridge/protocol capabilities depend on addons and may require additional configuration

Friendica is a strong option if you want a feature-rich social network with fine-grained privacy controls and broad federation support. It suits both small private communities and public instances that want to participate in the wider Fediverse.

1.6kstars
367forks
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Why choose an open source alternative?

  • •Data ownership: Keep your data on your own servers
  • •No vendor lock-in: Freedom to switch or modify at any time
  • •Cost savings: Reduce or eliminate subscription fees
  • •Transparency: Audit the code and know exactly what's running