Twitter vs. Mastodon: Which Platform to Pick (+ a Better Alternative) |
Twitter was launched in the year 2006 and over the years that followed, it tweets its way into the mind and hearts of over 400 million people. Twitter was made up of famously short, text-based posts that were compiled in "tweets." Long-time users of the site will recall the kerfuffle when tweets expanded beyond the 140 characters limit to 280 characters and the short outrage that followed.
In the wake of Elon Musk's $40 billion Twitter acquisition of the company in the month of the month of October, 2022, lots of people are leaving the platform. Some object to Musk himself, whether it's his political views or his manner of leadership. There are some who don't like his idea of the company's platform.
Another of Twitter alternatives that has been making headlines recently is Mastadon. Created in 2016 as an open-source, free-of-cost social network, Mastodon touts (or we should call it "toots") its services as the best option for long-time Twitter users. With celebrities such as Kathy Griffin and Stephen Fry switching to Mastodon and you're probably thinking that it's the right appropriate to test this too.
In this article, we'll talk about Twitter vs. Mastodon, showing how the wooly mammoth is similar with the blue-colored bird. We'll also introduce a better option.
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In this article...
An alternative to both Twitter and Mastodon
Actual ownership = monetization
What exactly is Mastodon
Mastodon is a decentralized social network , located on what's known as to the "fediverse" which basically implies that the network is on separate servers which can talk to each other. This creates a kind of a local-to-social network feel. The site was founded in the year 2016 by Eugen Rochko, Mastodon feels a bit like independent social networks that have the same language.
However, if the personal server portion of Mastadon is a source of anxiety Let's take this for example. After you have gotten past the host server (ie. which is where your personal information is), the user experience can be compared to Twitter, maybe with some Discord thrown in. Instead of a "tweet" it's a "toot." instead than "liking," you "favorite" things. Long-time users of Twitter are likely to identify Mastodon as a type of brand that is similar to Twitter - although with 500 characters.
Mastodon can help you set up an account, where you can upload a profile picture, a link to your site, or other options that users can include on their Twitter bios. Like Twitter it also gives you an overview of your followers and the people who follow you. You're able to respond, boost (AKA "retweet"), or star (favorite) an item and bookmark tweets.
Pros and cons Mastadon
Pros
- Mastadon has the same feel as Twitter. The usability will be a lot like Twitter which will allow you to create an account up and running in a matter of minutes. Making posts, uploading images and videos, as well as polls are almost the same.
- It's got similar interactive functions too. You can send direct messages to individuals, track them down, block them, or mention them with an @.
- Its decentralised experience gives you MORE options than Twitter in building something that resembles an area, or a dedicated server that allows users interested in a specific topic could meet.
- There are no ads available on Mastodon. People have been creating servers either through a cash payment or using crowdfunding. This has some issues to it, which we'll talk about in the future, but it's nice in theory.
- The software that powers Mastodon is open-source. This can be an excellent thing as people are able to adopt the code and utilize it to tailor the way they talk. In addition to the Mastodon official applications, users have utilized Mastodon's open source code to develop their own social applications.
- There is no limit to the number of people on your own server. It is possible to follow users all over the world, no matter what server they happen to live on. Servers can be marked that are open for join or invite potential members to request to join.
Cons
- There's no algorithm. The users see their posts according to the order in which they were posted. At first, this sounds wonderful but it actually hinders the user-friendliness of the platform.
- There is a cost to paying. It's wonderful not having ads on Mastodon however there may be an issue. Building your following on a server is a requirement that has to pay for it or else you'll have to pay yourself or you'll be operating using a server that someone is paying for. This is fine if it lasts for long, but if someone decides it's not worthwhile to spend their money for the server, it may go away.
- Mastodon is a bit difficult to setup when you are looking to launch an own YouTube channel. It is important to determine the best way to manage your own hosting and install security protocols. If you're not a programmers You'd probably need to find one.
- There are many security problems in the manner this system is structured. The requirement that users "apply" to the server can help a bit as can the "block" functions. There's not any actual moderation and anyone can be seen by anyone anywhere, no matter the server on which they're. And since it's grassroots it's impossible to fix the culture when it's eventually controlled by bots and Trolls.
- There's nothing that can be done to monetize on Mastodon. Not only that, but it's not completely free. Anyone hosting the site has to pay for it and there's no advertising. In the moment the network is funded by donors, raising serious concerns about the longevity of these networks.
- It's an open-source and open-source community engine that is decentralized. Open source is good because it allows users to edit and repair problems, but it's also a problem and has been used to create controversy-making networks such as Gab.
An alternative to both Twitter AND Mastodon
In terms of a Twitter alternative to Twitter, the Mastodon can do a lot of the same features. However, it's more difficult to use, requires self-hosting in order to establish a server as well as, in truth, lacks some of the excellent attributes Twitter provides. It's easy to ignore an algorithm, but on a traditional social network, the algorithm helps you see content that you want to see. If your feed becomes unorganized and never-ending information dump, it makes difficult to engage in conversations and to build community. One could imagine Mastodon as a kind of forum, but it doesn't work the same way as reddit that has up-voting and down-voting, which ensures that users have access to relevant content.
So let's talk about alternatives. is a cultural software platform designed to help build lively communities. However, where Twitter is a massive social network , and Mastodon is a vast collection of servers, Mighty lets you build a community that is dedicated to people who have similar views and goals.
Here are a few advantages to establishing a Mighty Network instead.
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True usability
In contrast, Mastodon requires coding as well as hosting to setup an individual server. Mastodon it gives you a powerful community right out of the box. Anyone is able to easily build, grow, and even create a thriving community that blows Twitter and Mastodon over the head with its powerful community features.
Real content is a feature of HTML0.
280 characters? 500? Why bother? A Mighty Network gives you actual content features. Create posts if you want you, or write long-length articles (blog posts). You can create polls and discussions, set up discussions, live stream or add events to build courses. Mighty is a community platform that was created to make community work and to bring a group of strangers together and help people become friends for life.
Spaces, not servers
Contrary to Mastodon which is a platform where people live in servers, but are able to connect over the entire platform and connect to other users, the Mighty Network is an enclosed community. Instead of having to connect different servers, discussions and activities can be organized by spaces instead. Each space provides you with the opportunity to offer access to events, host them or add content, join a group chat or even live streaming or courses.
Actual ownership = monetization
If you've gone to the effort of building a community and you want to generate revenue from it, then there's nothing wrong with doing that. Instead of fretting about the presence of ads on your platform or not - as Mastodon has - why not create a platform that lets you turn community into a thriving company?
It has built-in payments, which makes it possible to charge your members either a one-time or monthly fee for access (or make it free in the event you want to keep it free). Or, some Hosts monetize free communities with paid live events, which charge for access to premium areas or even offering a course. There's no limit to what you can do, and you can't do any of this on either Twitter as well as Mastodon.
Securer
The Mighty Network gives you way greater options in terms of security and moderation. It is as flexible similar to Mastodon for getting members to sign up or apply to join. Moderators can manage content as well as invite other hosts to serve as moderators. And since users belong to an individual community rather than the entire network, you'll feel comfortable in the privacy of your personal Network.
Access and apps
It comes with an excellent app with a great app for every device. With Mighty Pro it is possible to also get a custom-built, brand-named app which gives users the Mighty Network totally with your own branding. We do the building and support for the long-term. Contact us today to discuss the possibilities.
Are you ready to begin?
If you're looking for an alternative to Twitter and Mastodon, then the software reviews site G2 ranks as the #1 most rated platform for community. With Mighty, you get a powerful community engine to connect people for fantastic discussions. But add in the tools like events, courses as well as monetization and you've got the tools to build your own powerful social network.
Do you want to give the program a go? You can try it for absolutely free for 14 days and we'll not ask for the credit card details of your. Your own social network up and running in the next 20 minutes, no coding is required.
Ready to start building your community?