Open Source Decentralized Facebook Alternatives

The best open source alternative to Facebook is Minds. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 100 alternatives to Facebook and 18 is open source so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting open source alternatives to Facebook are Diaspora, Mastodon, Gab and Friendica.

Facebook alternatives are mainly Social Networks but may also be Microblogs or Encrypted Chat Apps. Filter by these if you want a narrower list of alternatives or looking for a specific functionality of Facebook.

This page was last updated

Facebook

976

Free • Proprietary
Social Network

Windows
Online
Android
iPhone
Blackberry
Android Tablet
Windows Phone
iPad
Tor
KaiOS

Free online social media and network service connecting people with friends, family, classmates and more.

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Minds
Is this a good alternative?
Yes
No
Freemium • Open Source
Social Network
Encrypted Chat App
Blog Publishing Tool
Online
Android
iPhone
Android Tablet
iPad
139 alternatives to Minds
We are a free and open-source platform to launch your digital brand, social network and mobile app. We are also a social network ourselves. It is a global social network of social networks. Available in either decentralized or centralized options.
Suggest and vote on features
Minds Features
1. DecentralizedMinds is based on a decentralized infrastructure with no single entity controlling it.
2. Privacy focusedMinds is considered a privacy friendly alternative.
3. GamificationMinds makes use of game-design elements such as point scoring, competition, achievements, etc.
Free Speech
Security focused
No Censorship
Monetization
Share screenshots
Podcast Hosting
Tokenization
Content Discovery
Point System
Secure Chat
Minds vs Facebook
Almost everyone thinks Minds is a great alternative to Facebook.
all • positive • negative relevance • date
Guest
Open source, transparent and does not push any particular ideology.
Top positive comment• ago

17

MindMunition
It does everything I want to do from Facebook and Twitter and it doesn't censor people.
Top positive comment• ago

16

davidjuniorsaylor
they charge money to see posts that were posted by premium members.. they have none of the features that Facebook has.. literally the only thing it has at this point in time, is a main feed wall to share posts, that's it.
Top negative comment• ago

0

Guest
It's made by people for people ;)
Positive comment• ago

0

Guest
Great ethics and policies. All software should be open source. People get paid to make content and it's scaled
Positive comment• ago

0

Guest
I just started there today - but facebook make to mucht against the free speak, so I hope Minds.com will be a good place
Positive comment• ago

-1

Guest
Privacy focused "facebook"
Positive comment• ago

0

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7 of 36 comments
Diaspora
Is this a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Social Network
Microblog
Linux
Online
BSD
Self-Hosted
Ruby
127 alternatives to Diaspora
Diaspora is a federated social networking service, designed to be a more privacy-aware alternative to Facebook . Share what you want, with whom you want.
Suggest and vote on features
Diaspora Features
1. DecentralizedDiaspora is based on a decentralized infrastructure with no single entity controlling it.
2. No TrackingDiaspora will not track you or use your personal data.
3. Privacy focusedDiaspora is considered a privacy friendly alternative.
4. Ad-freeDiaspora doesn't contain any form of external advertising.
5. Support for ActivityPubDiaspora support ActivityPub, a open and decentralized social network protocol.
6. Support for MarkDownDiaspora supports MarkDown for document formatting.
Federated
Distributed
Encrypted Connection
Fediverse
Self-hosted
Ruby
Diaspora vs Facebook
Most users think Diaspora is a great alternative to Facebook.
all • positive • negative relevance • date
JohnFastman
Diaspora's key advantage is that it's based on open source software that multiple servers can run. It does not put your private information, your likes, your contacts and your photos in the hands of one corporation who then use it to increase their own private profits by selling your privacy. Diaspora is much smaller though. The UI feels more like Google Plus than Facebook.
Top positive comment• ago

7

Yrdael
So many possibilities are available. Respectful. Nice and clear. Can be self-hosted.
Top positive comment• ago

6

Guest
group/collaboration function is absent. not a developer, so im sure i do not understand the difficulties in making this happen. but im pretty sure this is the nr 1 reason diaspora is NOT an fb alternative.
Top negative comment• ago

6

markswiderski
I have less privacy concerns with Diaspora than I have when using FB
Positive comment• ago

0

RemovedUser
Decentralized federated social networks are the only hope for a future internet where discussion is free and private. I doubt most people will use Diaspora or Mastodon, but hopefully the more privacy-conscious of us will help it grow and keep it alive.
Positive comment• ago

8

Guest
Security focused, privacy, open, and without censorship
Positive comment• ago

6

Guest
more privacy-aware, self controll OSS not so dangerus for democracy
Positive comment• ago

1

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7 of 12 comments
Mastodon
Is this a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Social Network
Microblog
Online
Android
iPhone
Self-Hosted
Cloudron
112 alternatives to Mastodon
Mastodon is a Free and Open Source federated social network, made with a focus on more personal interaction.
Suggest and vote on features
Mastodon Features
1. DecentralizedMastodon is based on a decentralized infrastructure with no single entity controlling it.
2. Ad-freeMastodon doesn't contain any form of external advertising.
3. Privacy focusedMastodon is considered a privacy friendly alternative.
4. Support for ActivityPubMastodon support ActivityPub, a open and decentralized social network protocol.
5. Two-factor AuthenticationMastodon supports two-factor authentication (2FA).
6. Dark ModeMastodon supports dark mode for comfortable usage in low light conditions.
7. Support for @mentionsMastodon supports the use of mentions through @ to a particular user, who will be notified personally.
8. No TrackingMastodon will not track you or use your personal data.
Federated
Fediverse
No Censorship
Mastodon vs Facebook
Almost everyone thinks Mastodon is a great alternative to Facebook.
all • positive • negative relevance • date
Guest
free(freedom,ad-free,privacy), decentralized, open source... what more do you want
Top positive comment• ago

6

Guest
Mastodon is decentralized and open to all kinds of people. It is closer to Twitter than it is to Facebook. It doesn't seem to attract the alt right like other Facebook alternatives do. I love the interface. It is very well structured and even though you join up for only one instance, you can interact with the whole world!
Top positive comment• ago

3

tibi97427
Mastodon is more an alternative to Twitter than Facebook
Top negative comment• ago

2

loziniak
Mastodon is more like Twitter.
Negative comment• ago

5

Guest
Non-commercial, allows me to curate a following
Positive comment• ago

0

Guest
It's is decentralized, without owners, free to post whatever you like and to block whatever you dislike.
Positive comment• ago

0

ndlinn
Has only a tiny fraction of the functionality Facebook has.
Negative comment• ago

-1

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7 of 12 comments
Gab
Is this a good alternative?
Yes
No
Freemium • Open Source
Social Network
Microblog
Online
Android
137 alternatives to Gab
Gab Social is an open source and fully decentralized social network powered by the Gab Platform. It is the new social network of Gab.com. This change was made to further Gab's commitment to its users trust and privacy online.
Suggest and vote on features
Gab Features
1. Ad-freeGab doesn't contain any form of external advertising.
2. Privacy focusedGab is considered a privacy friendly alternative.
3. DecentralizedGab is based on a decentralized infrastructure with no single entity controlling it.
4. No registration requiredYou can use most of the features in Gab without registration.
5. Dark ModeGab supports dark mode for comfortable usage in low light conditions.
Free Speech
Community-based
Live topics
Bypass Censorship
Fediverse
Content creators
Live Broadcasting
Ruby
Word filtering
Information aggregator
Warning
Gab is less moderated compared to other social networks and could be offensive to some people

Gab vs Facebook
Most users think Gab is a great alternative to Facebook.
all • positive • negative relevance • date
Guest
Free speech. No censoring. Say what you want, mute anyone that you don't like. GabTV so you can live broadcast. Free.
Top positive comment• ago

24

Guest
No censorship, free, no data harvesting, few bots, friendly and helpful community.
Top positive comment• ago

18

williamnapier
Not a replacement for Facebook. Gab is a Twitter clone. I need something Facebook-ish. Twitter is a bad and confusing format for me personally. Gab being a Twitter clone doesn't fit as a FB alternative.
Top negative comment• ago

6

Guest
Great communities. Free speech. Ability to mute other users.
Positive comment• ago

-1

Kedman
Freedom of SPEACH, for everyone !
Positive comment• ago

0

ikimmybee
I value free speech, not censorship!!
Positive comment• ago

0

retrojedi7
It has free registration, decentralized, Fediverse-compatible.
Positive comment• ago

0

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7 of 19 comments
Friendica
Is this a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Social Network
Microblog
Linux
Android
BSD
Self-Hosted
F-Droid
PHP
124 alternatives to Friendica
Friendica is a distributed social network application. Which allow users to connect with others via their own Friendica server, but may also fully integrate contacts from other platforms including Twitter, diaspora*, Pump.io and StatusNet into their 'newsfeed'.
Suggest and vote on features
Friendica Features
1. DecentralizedFriendica is based on a decentralized infrastructure with no single entity controlling it.
2. Privacy focusedFriendica is considered a privacy friendly alternative.
3. Support for ActivityPubFriendica support ActivityPub, a open and decentralized social network protocol.
Federated
Rsvp
Diaspora integration
Twitter Integration
Commodity hosting support
Team Messaging
Community events
Distributed
Friendica vs Facebook
Most users think Friendica is a great alternative to Facebook.
Guest
Friendica interacts with many other social networking platforms in the fediverse... Diaspora, GNUSocial, Hubzilla etc. You can also make groups and the privacy settings are great.
Top positive comment• ago

3

loziniak
It has groups and events.
Top positive comment• ago

0

Guest
"Facebook-like" in its operation and general feel, and is interoperable with other social networks as well.
Positive comment• ago

1

kylepiira
Federated and focused on keeping in touch with friends and family
Positive comment• ago

0

Guest
Interacts with other social network APIs, is feature rich, and is decentralized.
Positive comment• ago

1

arndtadler
It's independent, feature rich and decentralized.
Positive comment• ago

2
GNU social
Is this a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Social Network
Microblog
Self-Hosted
92 alternatives to GNU social
GNU social is a continuation of the StatusNet project. It is social communication software for both public and private communications. It is widely supported and has a large userbase.
Suggest and vote on features
GNU social Features
1. DecentralizedGNU social is based on a decentralized infrastructure with no single entity controlling it.
2. Ad-freeGNU social doesn't contain any form of external advertising.
3. Privacy focusedGNU social is considered a privacy friendly alternative.
4. End-to-End EncryptionGNU social has E2E Encryption, for entire or parts of the app.
Free Speech
GNU social vs Facebook
Most users think GNU social is a great alternative to Facebook.
Hubzilla
Is this a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Social Network
Blog Publishing Tool
Online
Self-Hosted
76 alternatives to Hubzilla
Hubzilla is a powerful platform for creating interconnected based websites featuring a decentralised identity, communications, and permissions framework built using common webserver technology. Hubzilla is very suitable for communities (of any size).
Suggest and vote on features
Hubzilla Features
1. DecentralizedHubzilla is based on a decentralized infrastructure with no single entity controlling it.
2. Support for ActivityPubHubzilla support ActivityPub, a open and decentralized social network protocol.
3. Calendar IntegrationHubzilla lets you sync your tasks and events with your calendar application.
4. Privacy focusedHubzilla is considered a privacy friendly alternative.
5. Ad-freeHubzilla doesn't contain any form of external advertising.
Free Speech
Federated
Publishing
Wide API Support
OpenID Provider
Wiki
Distributed
Categories
Included wiki
Anticensorship
Hubzilla vs Facebook
Almost everyone thinks Hubzilla is a great alternative to Facebook.
themagician
Feature for feature, Hubzilla is the best decentralized, open source competitor to Facebook.

Compatibility with the Diaspora, OStatus (includes Mastodon), & ActivityPub (includes NextCloud) protocols allows it to communicate with nearly every other existing.

I am happy that after he created Friendica, Mike Macgirvin & friends have continued to push forward by creating and developing Hubzilla.
Positive comment• ago

3

netnut404
Unlike a centralized platform like facebook you can talk to other federated platforms and with a Nomadic Identity you are never locked permanently to one server , yet you can communicate across to other platforms much in the way that email does. In addition to not being locked.. you never need to give out a new address, you keep in communication when you migrate to another server, plus there are many free servers to use, or you can launch your own instance.
Positive comment• ago

0

the_real_dvs1
Every user can make private or public forums, a static webpage, an editable markdown based wiki, categorize posts and format them with BBCode. You choose what hub hosts your data, and you can clone your account on another hub to prevent distruption or data loss.
Positive comment• ago

1
Pleroma
Is this a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Social Network
Microblog
Online
Self-Hosted
33 alternatives to Pleroma
Pleroma is a free, federated social networking server built on open protocols. It is compatible with GNU Social, Mastodon, and many other ActivityPub and OStatus implementations.
Suggest and vote on features
Pleroma Features
1. DecentralizedPleroma is based on a decentralized infrastructure with no single entity controlling it.
2. Support for ActivityPubPleroma support ActivityPub, a open and decentralized social network protocol.
3. LightweightPleroma consumes less device resources compared to similar apps.
4. Privacy focusedPleroma is considered a privacy friendly alternative.
5. No TrackingPleroma will not track you or use your personal data.
6. Ad-freePleroma doesn't contain any form of external advertising.
Fediverse
Distributed
Movim
Is this a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Social Network
Mac
Windows
Linux
Online
Android
Android Tablet
Self-Hosted
72 alternatives to Movim
Our philosophy is that your data are yours and you must always be in control. Movim achieves this through a complete decentralisation of users' data and accounts.
Suggest and vote on features
Movim Features
1. DecentralizedMovim is based on a decentralized infrastructure with no single entity controlling it.
Integrated Chat
Xmpp
Private messaging
Public groups chat
Team Messaging
Movim vs Facebook
Almost everyone thinks Movim is a great alternative to Facebook.
Guest
Nice looking interface and good chat integration.
Positive comment• ago

-2
ZeroMe
Is this a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Social Network
Mac
Windows
Linux
Online
gevent
Self-Hosted
Messagepack
Python
JavaScript
ZeroNet
79 alternatives to ZeroMe
Social network for the distributed P2P network ZeroNet.
Suggest and vote on features
ZeroMe Features
1. DecentralizedZeroMe is based on a decentralized infrastructure with no single entity controlling it.
Peer-To-Peer
Discontinued
The last update is from December 2020.

ZeroMe vs Facebook
Almost everyone thinks ZeroMe is a great alternative to Facebook.