The Best Free Facebook AlternativesTop Social Networks and other similar apps like Facebook

The best free alternative to Facebook is diaspora*, which is also Open Source. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 100 alternatives to Facebook and loads of them is free so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting free alternatives to Facebook are Mastodon, Minds, Gab and VK.

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Facebook alternatives are mainly Social Networks, but if you're looking for Microblogs or Photo Sharing Apps you can filter on that. Other popular filters include Online, iPhone, Mac, Windows, Free, Open Source and EU. You can also filter by region, for example EU-based alternatives if you prefer software developed in the European Union. These are just examples - use the filter bar below to find more specific alternatives to Facebook.
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Alternatives list

  1. diaspora* icon

    diaspora*

     442 likes
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    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.

    124 diaspora* alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Online
    • BSD
    • Self-Hosted
    • Ruby
    diaspora* screenshot 1
     
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    13
    227
    Comments about diaspora* as an Alternative to Facebook
    Comment summary: Diaspora is praised for its privacy features, decentralization, and open-source approach, allowing users to control their data and avoid ads. It is noted for its focus on security, freedom, and non-censorship compared to Facebook. While some users highlight its self-hosting and flexible functionalities, others miss Facebook's collaboration features, suggesting Diaspora isn't a complete Facebook alternative. Overall, Diaspora appeals to privacy-conscious users but remains smaller in scale.
    Top Positive Comment
    Yrdael
    7

    So many possibilities are available. Respectful. Nice and clear. Can be self-hosted.

    Top Negative Comment
    Guest
    7

    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.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    richardh9935
    Positive
    1

    I value privacy, security and independence. I collaborate using other tools, and I don’t expect one tool to suit all tasks.

    Show more comments
    3 of 13 comments
    Facebook Icon
    diaspora* icon

    • Most users think diaspora* is a great Facebook alternative.

    • diaspora* is the most popular Web-based & Self-Hosted alternative to Facebook.

    • diaspora* is the most popular Open Source & free alternative to Facebook.

    • diaspora* is Free and Open SourceFacebook is Free and Proprietary
    • diaspora* is Privacy focusedFacebook is not according to our users
  2. Mastodon icon

    Mastodon

     567 likes
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    Decentralized and federated social platform with no ads, focusing on personal interaction, and offering 500 character posts, custom emojis, content warnings, and robust moderation tools.

    130 Mastodon alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • F-Droid
    • Cloudron
    • Android Tablet
    Screenshot of the Mastodon web interface
     
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    14
    148
    Comments about Mastodon as an Alternative to Facebook
    Comment summary: Mastodon is praised for being decentralized, open-source, and non-commercial, offering freedom and privacy without ads. Users appreciate its ability to curate following and block unwanted content. However, some view it as more similar to Twitter rather than Facebook, noting it lacks Facebook's extensive functionality. Mastodon is lauded for being federated and supporting OStatus and ActivityPub, yet its smaller user base means it has room for growth.
    Top Positive Comment
    Goldmaster
    2

    No ads, no rubbish and just better than Facebook threads

    Top Negative Comment
    loziniak
    14

    Mastodon is more like Twitter.

    FitikWasTaken
    1

    Mastodon is good, but it's too different from Facebook, it doesn't even have groups, in the Fediverse the Friendica is the closest Facebook alternative

    Show more comments
    3 of 14 comments
    Facebook Icon
    Mastodon icon

    • Almost everyone thinks Mastodon is a great Facebook alternative.

    • Mastodon is the most popular Android, iPhone, iPad & Android Tablet alternative to Facebook.

    • Mastodon is Free and Open SourceFacebook is Free and Proprietary
    • Mastodon is Privacy focused and LightweightFacebook is not according to our users
  4. Minds icon

    Minds

     328 likes
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    An open-source platform for decentralized social networking. Users can monetize posts through ads or monthly support, engaging in various features such as Blogs, Videos, and secure private chats. Minds supports free speech and facilitates sharing across networks and exploring global trends.

    128 Minds alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium (Subscription)
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    Minds screenshot 1
     
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    37
    419
    Comments about Minds as an Alternative to Facebook
    Comment summary: Minds is praised for its open-source nature, freedom of speech, and lack of censorship, providing a refreshing alternative to Facebook. Users appreciate Minds' features for content creators, community engagement, and privacy. However, some note issues with premium content access and annoying notifications. Overall, Minds offers a platform with greater transparency and user involvement, appealing to those seeking a less restricted social media experience.
    Top Positive Comment
    Guest
    18

    Open source, transparent and does not push any particular ideology.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Top Negative Comment
    David Saylor
    0

    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.

    Yousif Adel
    Negative
    0

    Minds keeps sending messages to join groups or discover pages etc. It cannot be disabled and its annoying.

    Show more comments
    3 of 37 comments
    Facebook Icon
    Minds icon

    • Almost everyone thinks Minds is a great Facebook alternative.

    • Minds is Freemium and Open SourceFacebook is Free and Proprietary
    • Minds is Security-focused and Privacy focusedFacebook is not according to our users
  5. Ad
    Screenshot
    Minds icon
    Minds

    An open-source platform for decentralized social networking. Users can monetize posts through ads or monthly support, engaging in various features such as Blogs, Videos, and secure private chats. Minds supports free speech and fa...

    https://www.minds.com
    Learn More
  6. Gab icon

    Gab

     256 likes
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    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.

    120 Gab alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium (Pay once)
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Alerts

    • Warning

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Android
    Gab screenshot 1
     
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    20
    171
    Comments about Gab as an Alternative to Facebook
    Comment summary: Gab is praised for its commitment to free speech and minimal censorship, offering features like user-controlled content and no data harvesting. However, its design resembles Twitter more than Facebook, which some users find unsuitable as a direct replacement for Facebook. Additional highlights include no ads, optional feed control, and the ability to broadcast live with GabTV.
    Top Positive Comment
    Guest
    25

    Free speech. No censoring. Say what you want, mute anyone that you don't like. GabTV so you can live broadcast. Free.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Top Negative Comment
    bird
    11

    Without dabbing into politics and stuff, the architecture of Gab is more like Twitter than Facebook.

    Yousif Adel
    Positive
    1

    This platform has extremely MINIMAL Censorship on posts. Which allows for freedom of speech.

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    3 of 20 comments
    Facebook Icon
    Gab icon

    • Most users think Gab is a great Facebook alternative.

    • Gab is Freemium and Open SourceFacebook is Free and Proprietary
    • Gab is Privacy focusedFacebook is not according to our users
  7. VK icon

    VK

     165 likes
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    VK (originally VKontakte) is a largest social network service from Europe. Available in many languages and highly popular particularly among Russian-speaking users around the world, especially in Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Belarus, and Israel.

    100 VK alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • HUAWEI AppGallery
    • Windows Phone
    • iPad
    • Kindle Fire
    VK screenshot 1
    VK screenshot 2
    VK screenshot 3
     
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    7
    123
    Comments about VK as an Alternative to Facebook
    Top Positive Comment
    Guest
    3

    Not just an advanced messaging service, Downloads can be put into folders (Pictures etc). also a music upload/download player and marketplace.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Top Negative Comment
    grinapo
    -1

    Why anyone would like to use one of the the Russian government's most valuable asset is beyond me.

    Guest
    Positive
    -7

    Because it has tiny bit more respect to privacy than FaceBook.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
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    3 of 7 comments
    Facebook Icon
    VK icon

    • Most users think VK is a great Facebook alternative.

    • VK is Free and ProprietaryFacebook is also Free and Proprietary
  8. Friendica icon

    Friendica

     141 likes
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    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'.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • BSD
    • Self-Hosted
    • PHP
    • Online
    • Docker
    Logo
     
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    7
    56
    Comments about Friendica as an Alternative to Facebook
    Top Positive Comment
    arndtadler
    4

    It's independent, feature rich and decentralized.

    Digital Sorceress
    Positive
    0

    Facebook like for sure but feels very unfinished.. a good start.

    remote man
    Positive
    1

    ActivityPub and open-source

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
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    3 of 7 comments
    Facebook Icon
    Friendica icon

    • Most users think Friendica is a great Facebook alternative.

    • Friendica is Free and Open SourceFacebook is Free and Proprietary
    • Friendica is Privacy focusedFacebook is not according to our users
  10. Hubzilla icon

    Hubzilla

     87 likes
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    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).

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Self-Hosted
    Channel
     
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    3
    37
    Comments about Hubzilla as an Alternative to Facebook
    themagician
    Positive
    4

    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.

    the_real_dvs1
    Positive
    2

    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.

    Net Nut
    Positive
    1

    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.

    Facebook Icon
    Hubzilla icon

    • Most users think Hubzilla is a great Facebook alternative.

    • Hubzilla is Free and Open SourceFacebook is Free and Proprietary
    • Hubzilla is Privacy focusedFacebook is not according to our users
  11. GNU social icon

    GNU social

     98 likes
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    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.

    87 GNU social alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Alerts

    • Discontinued

    Platforms

    • Self-Hosted
    Screenshot of a GNU social website with Swedish localization. Source Wikipedia / FSF
     
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    35
  12. MeWe icon

    MeWe

     34 likes
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    Used to be called Sgrouples, now its MeWe offered by the company Sgrouples Inc. On its homepage their motto is "The World's Private Communication Network" and "Join the privacy revolution".

    76 MeWe alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    MeWe screenshot 1
     
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    6
    28
    Comments about MeWe as an Alternative to Facebook
    Top Positive Comment
    rustyknight07
    2

    No ads, better privacy, better features.

    Ted Curran
    1

    Matches Facebook technologically as a platform, but the loudest voices in the community are conspiracy theories, antiscience, and MAGA types -- the platform actually promotes these people as "You should follow". Example: When you search "news", you only get "alternative news", not y'know NEWS. The platform need to attract and promote truthful content to counteract all the "alternative facts".

    Guest
    Positive
    1

    MeWe looks and feels very similar and has some of the same features like facebook with Pages,Groups & Personal Profiles that look more like a facebook profile then some of the other alternatives It also respects peoples privacy and is also ad free and they also support Free Speech to an extent.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
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    3 of 6 comments
    Facebook Icon
    MeWe icon

    • Almost everyone thinks MeWe is a great Facebook alternative.

    • MeWe is Free and ProprietaryFacebook is also Free and Proprietary
  13. Pleroma icon

    Pleroma

     67 likes
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    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.

    56 Pleroma alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Self-Hosted
    Pleroma screenshot 1
     
  14. Movim icon

    Movim

     51 likes
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    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.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Self-Hosted
    Website
     
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    1
    22
    Comments about Movim as an Alternative to Facebook
    Guest
    Positive
    -2

    Nice looking interface and good chat integration.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Facebook Icon
    Movim icon

    • Almost everyone thinks Movim is a great Facebook alternative.

    • Movim is Free and Open SourceFacebook is Free and Proprietary
  15. Misskey icon

    Misskey

     30 likes
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    A forever evolving, sophisticated microblogging platform.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Self-Hosted
    Timeline in Home mode
     
12 of 143 Facebook alternatives