Although there is no 100% substitute for TwitterYes, there are plenty of social apps that could serve as a substitute for your timeline. The current state of Twitter presents an opportunity to see for ourselves what we really want from a social network.
As we see what comes next, here are some options to keep in mind.
Mastodon
Mastodon it has become the most discussed home for users fleeing Twitter, and with good reason.
The service is designed to decentralize moderation power and decisions, preventing a single person from setting the rules of the platform as they please.
Mastodon works much like Twitter, allowing users to share their thoughts on one account in real time and re-share the posts of others. But there the similarities end. Unlike traditional social networks, Mastodon is an open source option, which means that instead of all users being in one big basket with one set of rules, you will have to select a server (smaller basket) to join. .
If you get fed up or disagree with the moderation decisions, you can migrate to another site. You can follow and interact with people on other servers, so you don't have to worry too much about that choice, but that decentralized ethos influences the whole experience.
Like the choice of the server, you will also be able to choose which application to use to use the service on your mobile. The open source nature of Mastodon means you have more options, but the downside is that the extra steps might put off people who want a simpler sign-up process.
That being said, if you're tired of Twitter, the atmosphere at Mastodon is pretty chill right now. If any of this sounds interesting to you, it's worth checking out.
Discord
Discord It doesn't really work like Twitter, but it is one of the best social apps out there.
The app was originally created to offer gamers a better way to chat, but has since expanded well beyond that initial vision. Like Mastodon, Discord doesn't offer a giant "public square," but rather topic- and interest-based servers that anyone can join and hang out with. Discord offers text chat within its server-based channels, as well as seamless voice chat, and a few other experiences like streaming gameplay to friends or queuing up YouTube videos together. Some of the most popular servers have hundreds of thousands of members, but you can also create one for your friends or family.
Through the servers, Discord offers some of the advantages of federation, like Mastodon, without the open source that scares some people off during integration. Unlike other options on this list, Discord is not going away anytime soon as it is a mature company with a thriving user base and a sustainable business based on paid subscriptions. That kind of stability is very important for social apps, which historically tend to disappear overnight.
The downside is that Discord is more focused on chatting than posting. The app's Slack-like interface updates in real time, and on a busy Discord, or even one with a few hundred active members, it's easy to quickly lose the thread of conversations. The company knows this and is creating more tools that allow asynchronous interactions, so we will have to be vigilant.
Post
Post is an alternative to Twitter that has little in common with more open platforms like Mastodon. The platform launched in private beta to take advantage of the recent chaos on Twitter and has just opened up to the whole world. Far from being decentralized, Post offers a more curated experience focused on attracting journalists who usually spend the day on Twitter.
Post allows users to write, post, share, comment, and like, just like we're used to doing on Twitter. But the central idea of the service is totally different. Post wants to help newsgatherers monetize their content, incorporating micropayments and tips and promising the ability to buy "individual articles from different premium news providers" to break out of their information bubble. Far from being an open platform, Post is backed by venture capital and traditional investments from Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) and tech commentator Scott Galloway.
Post's pitch is compelling, but the social network sounds a bit like it was designed in a vacuum. Those of us who work in the news world could visit or hang out on it, but it's hard to imagine many average Twitter users being lured by the promise of paying for journalism, which is unfortunately a hard sell. Post could develop a commenter culture more like Substack's, but even then it's hard to see why Substack's elite would jump ship for a new platform.
Tumblr
Though you may not see Tumblr As an alternative to Twitter, there are some similarities between the two platforms that make it a notable contender.
Although Tumblr is more like a microblogging site than a traditional social network, it features a feed that displays posts from people you follow in a similar way to Twitter. Tumblr allows you to post content with images, GIFs, videos, and much more. You can leave notes on a post, which are similar to comments. You can also like, share and forward content on the platform. Tumblr also has a trending topics section like Twitter. Also, the platform has a chat feature similar to Twitter direct messages.
Tumblr offers more flexibility than Twitter, but it's easy to set up and use. You can use Tumblr for free, or opt for an ad-free experience with additional features for $4,99/month or $39,99/year.
Given Tumblr's ability to stay alive despite its fair share of owner changes, we don't think it's going anywhere, making it an ideal alternative to Twitter. It's also a place with its own unique humor and chaotic culture that's a massive part of Tumblr's unique appeal.
cohost
Although cohost is still in beta, anyone can sign up for the service. If you don't have an invite, you'll have to wait a day or two before you can start posting. The website says that this measure is intended to prevent spam.
Cohost offers a vertical feed that displays posts chronologically, rather than an algorithmic listing. Like Twitter, Cohost has followers, reposts, likes, and comments. At the moment, the interface is quite simple and, since it does not use algorithms, there is no trend section. The platform will not show content unless you actively search for it using hashtags.
You can use the platform for free or pay a monthly fee of $5 to get additional features, such as larger uploads and more customization options. The company affirms that the quota mainly helps it to maintain the light while it continues to grow.
Since Cohost is fairly new and a bit unstable, it may not be the most established alternative to Twitter. But it could appeal to those looking for a simple alternative that resembles Twitter in some ways. We'll have to wait and see if it's able to amass enough users and traction to be considered a worthy alternative.
Wild card: Bluesky
We don't know much about bluesky, but what we do know is intriguing. Bluesky ran parallel to Twitter and was spearheaded by former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey. Like Mastodon, Bluesky is committed to the decentralized social network, that is, to give people the tools they need to form their own communities.
There's been some pushback to Bluesky because of his connection to Dorsey, but we're still interested to see what the project has to offer once it extends its Super Limited Closed Beta. It looks like the Bluesky team is going to release an app alongside the protocol itself, and the result could combine a Twitter-like UI with algorithmic choice, a federated design, and community-specific moderation.
