Mastodon AlternativesOnly apps categorised as Photo Sharing Apps

The best Photo Sharing alternative to Mastodon is Pixelfed, which is both free and Open Source. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 100 alternatives to Mastodon and ten of them are Photo Sharing Apps so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting Photo Sharing App alternatives to Mastodon are Bluesky, Tumblr, VK and Facebook.

filter to find the best alternatives

Mastodon alternatives are mainly Photo Sharing Apps, but if you're looking for Social Networks or Microblogs you can filter on that. Other popular filters include Open Source. These are just examples - use the filter bar below to find more specific alternatives to Mastodon.
More about Mastodon
Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard
Get a badge for your siteMastodon alternatives page was last updated

Alternatives list

  1. Pixelfed icon

    Pixelfed

     290 likes

    Federated image-sharing platform with privacy, safety, no tracking or ads, algorithm-free chronological timelines, open-source code, comprehensive moderation, supports self-hosting, ActivityPub protocol, hashtag discovery, responsive mobile access, and ethical data control.

    139 Pixelfed alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • F-Droid
    • Cloudron
    Pixelfed screenshot 1
     
    |
    3
    Pixelfed vs Mastodon Comments
    social-remodeler
    Negative
    2

    Pixelfed is a good combination and addition to Mastodon as both have different purposes.

    Pixelfed replaces Instagram and Tumblr in the fediverse.

    Kelson V
    Positive
    0

    If Mastodon is like Twitter, Pux3lfed is like Instagram. Depending on how you want to use your social media, they can be complementary

    Guest
    Negative
    3

    Pixelfed is an alternative to Tumblr or Instagram, not to a microblogging platform like Mastodon

    • Pixelfed is Free and Open SourceMastodon is also Free and Open Source
    • Pixelfed is Security-focusedMastodon is not according to our users
  2. Bluesky icon

    Bluesky

     124 likes

    An open social network that gives creators independence from platforms, developers the freedom to build, and users a choice in their experience.

    86 Bluesky alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source (MIT)

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Android
    • Android Tablet
    • iPhone
    • Self-Hosted
    • Cloudron
    Bluesky screenshot 1
     
    |
    2
    Bluesky vs Mastodon Comments
    R C
    Positive
    1

    Lot of big name power users and a massive community make Blue Sky good. Blue Sky has a lot of really cool features like "Feed" and "Labels" that will only continue to grow.

    hfVgd_
    Negative
    2

    While both are open source and decentralized, Bluesky promotes algorithmic timelines and is currently only compatible with the Bluesky website and client apps.

    Mastodon instances are decentralized, allowing communication between multiple social networking services which are part of the Fediverse.

    • Bluesky is Free and Open SourceMastodon is also Free and Open Source
  4. Tumblr icon

    Tumblr

     468 likes

    Tumblr is a place to express yourself, discover yourself, and bond over the stuff you love. It's where your interests connect you with your people.

    123 Tumblr alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    Tumblr screenshot 1
    Tumblr screenshot 2
    Tumblr screenshot 3
     
    |
    1
    Tumblr vs Mastodon Comments
    Mano
    Negative
    1

    Proprietary microblogging platform, currently owned by Automattic. You can't run your own server and all you post on tumblr stays there.

    Notable for doing a NSFW content purge in 2018, being sold for 3 million USD in 2019 and still not being profitable to the current owner, who claims it drains 30 million dollars per year.

    • Tumblr is Free and ProprietaryMastodon is Free and Open Source
    • Tumblr is a Blog Publishing Mastodon is a Social Network
  5. VK icon

    VK

     168 likes

    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.

    103 VK alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Android
    • Android Tablet
    • HUAWEI AppGallery
    • Windows Phone
    • Kindle Fire
    VK screenshot 1
    VK screenshot 2
    VK screenshot 3
     
    |
    1
    VK vs Mastodon Comments
    Mano
    Negative
    0

    This is essentially just another facebook

    • VK is Free and ProprietaryMastodon is Free and Open Source
  7. Facebook icon

    Facebook

     1003 likes

    A comprehensive social network for connecting with friends and family, sharing photos, videos, and updates, organizing events, forming groups, and accessing business pages. Offers messaging, live streaming, privacy settings, and a marketplace on both web and mobile platforms.

    161 Facebook alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Tor
    • KaiOS
    Facebook new login page
     
    |
    4
    Facebook vs Mastodon Comments
    John Fastman
    Negative
    37

    Facebook makes money by using people's private information for their profit. Your privacy - everyone you know, message, what you like and discuss - is the basis of their money-making. You are the product. Additionally, FB likes can be used to guess with high accuracy people's political preferences. Facebook have also experimented with manipulating peoples' emotions using the news feed. Mastodon does NONE of this; it's free, non-profit and open source.

    Guest
    Negative
    9

    Mastodon: Open-source, decentralized/federated, can even be done p2p... Facebook: closed-source/proprietary, centralized, owned and operated by a company that gets raging hard-ons whenever there's a chance for them to molest your privacy and sell your data to anyone from shops to downright evil governments... If these two have any similarity beyond that they're both on the internet, then I'm guessing a submarine and a jetfighter are also similar.

    Mano
    Negative
    0

    Facebook pushes whatever content Mark Zuckerberg desires. It's designed to spy on the users and sell ads.

    3 of 4 comments
    • Facebook is Free and ProprietaryMastodon is Free and Open Source
  8. Gridsky icon

    Gridsky

     9 likes

    Gridsky brings the visual charm of Instagram to Bluesky, offering a delightful client with a grid-based interface and easy scrolling. Focused on photo content, Gridsky creates a minimal, immersive experience with innovative ways to interact with feeds and profiles. Accessible online for seamless photo sharing.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Online
    Gridsky screenshot 1
     
    |
    1
    Gridsky vs Mastodon Comments
    Mano
    Negative
    0

    Gridsky is an alternative frontend for Bluesky only

    • Gridsky is Free and ProprietaryMastodon is Free and Open Source
  10. FineFriends icon

    FineFriends

     4 likes

    FineFriends is a social media website that is built for the users and their privacy. Clear privacy policy and settings, no spam and completely free.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Online
    Feed
     
  11. OVBE.Club icon

    OVBE.Club

     Like

    OVBE.Club is an online community that gives people the power to share, learn, network, and become an entrepreneur if they choose.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Windows Mobile
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Blackberry
    • Chrome OS
    • Android Tablet
    • Windows Phone
    • iPad
    • Blackberry 10
    OVBE.Club Home Page
     
  12. Mirror Island icon

    Mirror Island

     3 likes

    Quickly send and share messages and files, in private, public, or in groups. You can edit conversations collaboratively, and attach files and photos to posts.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Self-Hosted
    Mirror Island screenshot 1
     
10 of 10 Mastodon alternatives