Best Self-hosted Federated Social Networks tools in 2026

43 self-hosted open source alternatives in this category

Mitra

Federated microblogging server for the ActivityPub network

Lightweight ActivityPub microblogging platform with Mastodon-compatible API, rich post interactions, and optional paid subscriptions via Monero.

Alternative to:

Mastodon (mastodon.social)+6

Yarn.social

Decentralized, privacy-first microblogging based on Twtxt

Yarn.social is a decentralized, self-hosted social network based on the Twtxt format, offering privacy-first microblogging with web and CLI clients and a pod-based model.

Alternative to:

Micro.blog+6

flohmarkt

Federated classifieds platform for local communities in the Fediverse

Self-hostable, ActivityPub-enabled classifieds app where users post small ads that can federate across flohmarkt instances and other Fediverse servers.

Snac

Lightweight ActivityPub server written in portable C

Open-source, minimal ActivityPub server in portable C — multiuser, Mastodon-API compatible, no database required, JavaScript-free web UI for small federated instances.

Alternative to:

Mastodon (mastodon.social)+6

Iceshrimp.NET

ActivityPub-based federated social networking server

Iceshrimp.NET is a performant, maintainable ActivityPub federated social network server with a Blazor WebAssembly frontend and a Mastodon-compatible API.

Alternative to:

Mastodon (mastodon.social)+6

PieFed

Federated forum and link aggregator for the Fediverse

Open source ActivityPub-powered federated forum and link aggregator for running and joining community discussions across the Fediverse.

Alternative to:

Reddit+17

Hubzilla

Federated collaboration and social networking platform

Hubzilla is a federated server platform for social networking, groups, publishing, and file sharing with strong privacy controls, nomadic identity, and SSO across hubs.

Alternative to:

Mastodon (mastodon.social)+11

Noosfero

Web platform for social networking and community portals

Noosfero is a web platform for building community portals and social networks, combining CMS features with profiles, groups, and collaborative publishing.

Alternative to:

WordPress.com+14

Socialhome

Federated, self-hosted social network engine.

Socialhome is a federated, self-hosted social network engine enabling decentralized user profiles and cross-network federation via ActivityPub.

Alternative to:

Mastodon (mastodon.social)+8

Funkwhale

Federated platform for hosting and streaming music and podcasts

Self-hosted, federated audio platform to upload, organize, stream, and share music and podcasts across instances via ActivityPub.

Alternative to:

SoundCloud+17

GoToSocial

ActivityPub microblogging server with Mastodon API compatibility

Lightweight ActivityPub social network server focused on privacy, safety, and customization, with Mastodon API compatibility for many existing clients.

Alternative to:

Mastodon (mastodon.social)+7

Pleroma

Lightweight ActivityPub server for federated microblogging

Pleroma is a lightweight ActivityPub server for the Fediverse, providing a self-hostable social network that federates with Mastodon and other compatible platforms.

Alternative to:

Threads+4

Mobilizon

Federated event and group management platform

Mobilizon is a federated platform to create and discover events and groups, manage attendance, and publish event pages without relying on major social networks.

Alternative to:

Meetup+19