Top 50 Decentralized Social Apps 2026: The DeSoc Index

Q: What is the biggest decentralized social network in 2026?

Bluesky, with about 46 million accounts and roughly 10 million monthly active users. Matrix is bigger by accounts but is a chat network. Mastodon leads the fediverse with close to a million monthly users.

Q: Which decentralized social apps pay creators?

DeHub, Audius, Zora, Hive, Paragraph, Fountain and Stacker News all pay creators natively. Bluesky and Mastodon do not.

Q: Why is DeHub ranked #1 if its user base is small?

Because of the development effort. DeHub has been building decentralized streaming and social since 2020, its community can build the app in real time with a prompt feature, and it shipped more public code in the last 90 days than any other app here. Its audience is still small, which is why it scores 4/10 on users, but it is the only app with top marks on features, dev activity and future.

Q: How was GitHub activity measured?

We cloned each project's main public repositories and counted commits on the default branch between 26 July and 24 October 2026. Closed-source apps get a neutral 3/10.

Q: Is decentralized social media safe to use?

The established apps here are real, working networks, many of them open source. Token rewards carry market risk, so never treat crypto earnings as guaranteed income. For a deeper comparison of the biggest platforms, read our guide to the best decentralised social media platforms.

By DeHub Team — 2026-10-25

Top 50 decentralized social apps 2026, the DeSoc Index by DeHub

Which decentralized social apps are actually being used and built in 2026? We ranked the 50 most active decentralized and crypto social apps on four things: how many people use them, what they can do, how hard their teams are building in public on GitHub, and where they are heading. Every user number below links to its source, and every developer number comes from the projects' own public code.

The DeSoc Index 2026: how we scored 50 decentralized social apps

How we scored the top 50 decentralized social apps

Each app gets up to 10 points in four categories, for a total out of 40.

Users (10): the size of the active user base, using the latest public figure. Up to 2 extra points go to unusually high engagement where the data is public. Where no active figure exists we use installs or profiles and say so.
Features (10): posting, video, live streaming, chat, payments, ownership and open protocols.
Dev activity (10): commits on the main branch of each app's public GitHub repositories between 26 July and 24 October 2026. Closed-source apps get a neutral 3, because their work cannot be checked.
Future (10): momentum, funding, ownership stability and product direction.

Numbers were checked on 24 and 25 October 2026. User figures move fast, so treat them as orders of magnitude.

#1 DeHub: 34/40, our top pick

DeHub, built in public: 6,083 commits in 90 days, the most of any decentralized social app

DeHub is one of the early pioneers of decentralized streaming and social, first appearing on the scene in 2020. The audience is still small, but it is our top pick for the sheer development effort behind it, driven by a community using a first-of-its-kind prompt feature that lets anyone build the app in real time. It has almost every feature you will find on Twitter (X), Facebook, Twitch, Instagram and TikTok, and much more you will not, including hundreds of popular requested features that the likes of YouTube ignore, gathered from blogs all over the web.

Users (4/10): 5,932 accounts and 536 monthly active users. Small, but sticky: 58% of monthly users are active every week. Accounts grew 56% in the last 12 months. Live numbers: dehub.io/stats.
Features (10/10): Video and shorts, Live streaming, Posts, stories and DMs, Build-the-app prompts, Paid DMs, Pay-per-view, Tradable subscription NFTs, Token-gated posts, Tips, Mint uploads on-chain, Up to 90% ad revenue share, Community moderation votes, Stores and listings, Games, AI creator studio, Open source.
Dev activity (10/10): 6,083 public commits in 90 days across the web and mobile apps, more than any other app on this list. Contributors: 4 code authors, plus every community member who has filed a request on dehub.io/features. On DeHub, users shape the roadmap directly, so each one counts as a contributor.
Future (10/10): the only app here with top marks for features, dev activity and future at the same time.

Disclosure: DeHub publishes this index. Every number behind DeHub's score is public at dehub.io/stats and on GitHub.

Who is actually shipping

Users tell you where a network is today. Commits tell you where it will be next year. These are the busiest public codebases in decentralized social over the last 90 days.

Public commits in the last 90 days: DeHub 6,083, Amethyst 4,275, Pixelfed 3,726, Hive 1,780, Damus 1,481

The full top 50 at a glance

DeHub: 34/40. Video, live and creator economy. Users 4, features 10, dev 10, future 10.
Bluesky: 33/40. Microblogging (AT Protocol). Users 10, features 7, dev 8, future 8.
Matrix / Element: 33/40. Encrypted chat protocol. Users 9, features 8, dev 8, future 8.
Mastodon: 29/40. Microblogging (ActivityPub). Users 8, features 6, dev 8, future 7.
Pixelfed: 29/40. Photo sharing (ActivityPub). Users 7, features 5, dev 10, future 7.
Amethyst: 28/40. Nostr client (Android). Users 4, features 8, dev 10, future 6.
Status: 27/40. Messenger + Ethereum wallet. Users 6, features 7, dev 8, future 6.
Audius: 26/40. Music streaming. Users 8, features 7, dev 5, future 6.
Hive: 26/40. Blockchain social (PeakD, Ecency). Users 5, features 7, dev 9, future 5.
PeerTube: 25/40. Video (ActivityPub). Users 6, features 6, dev 7, future 6.
OpenChat: 25/40. Chat on Internet Computer. Users 4, features 7, dev 8, future 6.
Session: 24/40. Private messenger. Users 8, features 5, dev 6, future 5.
Damus: 24/40. Nostr client (iOS + desktop). Users 4, features 6, dev 8, future 6.
Misskey: 23/40. Microblogging (ActivityPub). Users 6, features 6, dev 5, future 6.
Farcaster: 22/40. Crypto social protocol. Users 7, features 8, dev 3, future 4.
Base App: 22/40. Wallet + social super app (Coinbase). Users 6, features 7, dev 3, future 6.
Bridgy Fed: 21/40. Bridge: fediverse ⇄ Bluesky ⇄ web. Users 4, features 4, dev 7, future 6.
Friendica: 21/40. Facebook-style (ActivityPub). Users 3, features 6, dev 8, future 4.
Odysee: 20/40. Video platform. Users 7, features 6, dev 3, future 4.
Skylight: 20/40. Short video on AT Protocol. Users 6, features 5, dev 3, future 6.
Paragraph: 20/40. Web3 newsletters. Users 5, features 6, dev 3, future 6.
Primal: 20/40. Nostr client. Users 4, features 7, dev 3, future 6.
Blacksky: 20/40. Community infra on AT Protocol. Users 3, features 5, dev 6, future 6.
Lemmy: 19/40. Link aggregator (ActivityPub). Users 6, features 4, dev 4, future 5.
Fountain: 19/40. Podcasts + music (Nostr). Users 5, features 6, dev 3, future 5.
Mask Network: 19/40. Browser extension + Lens steward. Users 4, features 6, dev 4, future 5.
Bonfire: 19/40. Modular fediverse app. Users 2, features 6, dev 6, future 5.
Phaver: 18/40. Mobile SocialFi app. Users 6, features 5, dev 3, future 4.
Zora: 18/40. Creator coins on Base. Users 5, features 6, dev 2, future 5.
Stacker News: 18/40. Bitcoin forum. Users 3, features 5, dev 5, future 5.
Minds: 17/40. Social network. Users 5, features 6, dev 3, future 3.
Arena: 17/40. SocialFi on Avalanche. Users 4, features 6, dev 3, future 4.
Lens (Hey): 17/40. Crypto social graph (Lens Chain). Users 4, features 7, dev 2, future 4.
noStrudel: 17/40. Nostr web client. Users 3, features 5, dev 5, future 4.
Cheelee: 16/40. Watch-to-earn short video. Users 5, features 5, dev 3, future 3.
Cyber (CyberConnect): 16/40. Social graph + L2. Users 5, features 5, dev 3, future 3.
DSCVR: 16/40. Crypto community portal. Users 4, features 6, dev 3, future 3.
Orb: 16/40. Lens mobile app. Users 4, features 5, dev 3, future 4.
Coracle: 16/40. Nostr web client. Users 3, features 5, dev 4, future 4.
Iris: 16/40. Nostr web client. Users 3, features 4, dev 5, future 4.
DeSo: 15/40. Social blockchain (Focus, Diamond). Users 4, features 6, dev 2, future 3.
Online+ (ION): 15/40. Social app on ION chain. Users 4, features 6, dev 1, future 4.
zap.stream: 15/40. Nostr live streaming. Users 3, features 5, dev 3, future 4.
UXLINK: 14/40. Telegram group social. Users 5, features 4, dev 3, future 2.
Snort: 14/40. Nostr web client. Users 3, features 4, dev 4, future 3.
Towns: 14/40. Group chat protocol. Users 3, features 6, dev 1, future 4.
Taggr: 14/40. Forum on Internet Computer. Users 2, features 5, dev 3, future 4.
Steemit: 11/40. Blockchain blogging. Users 4, features 4, dev 1, future 2.
YakiHonne: 11/40. Nostr long-form app. Users 2, features 5, dev 1, future 3.
Herocast: 10/40. Farcaster power client. Users 2, features 5, dev 1, future 2.

The four kinds of decentralized social apps

The big open networks

The big open networks: decentralized social apps ranked in the DeSoc Index 2026

Twelve apps on open protocols: the AT Protocol behind Bluesky, ActivityPub behind Mastodon and the fediverse, and Matrix for chat-style communities. These have the biggest audiences in decentralized social, and almost none of them pay creators.

Nostr and Bitcoin social

Nostr and Bitcoin social: decentralized social apps ranked in the DeSoc Index 2026

Nostr is a simple protocol where your identity is a key pair and your posts travel through relays anyone can run. Most of these apps pay creators in bitcoin through Lightning "zaps". The audience is small, about 15,000 trusted monthly users in late 2025, but the builders are some of the busiest in the space.

Crypto social and SocialFi

Crypto social and SocialFi: decentralized social apps ranked in the DeSoc Index 2026

Apps that put tokens, coins or on-chain ownership at the centre. This is where 2026 hit hardest: two protocols changed owners, a hack drained one app, and creator coins drew heavy criticism.

Private chat and communities

Private chat and communities: decentralized social apps ranked in the DeSoc Index 2026

Encrypted messengers and on-chain community chat. Less public than a feed, but often where crypto communities actually live.

Every app in detail, #2 to #50

Here are the other 49 apps in rank order, each with its users, features, GitHub activity and outlook.

#2 Bluesky: 33/40

Twitter-style app built on the open AT Protocol, started inside Twitter in 2019 and spun out as an independent company. Your account can move between servers and anyone can build feeds, moderation services or whole new apps on the same network.

Users (10/10): ~46M accounts · 10.4M monthly active · ~3M daily active. Source: Gigazine / Similarweb, Aug 2026.
Key features (7/10): Posts and threads, Quote posts, Custom feeds, Starter packs, Stackable moderation services, Lists, Portable accounts, Custom domain handles, DMs, Video up to 3 min, Open AT Protocol.
Dev activity (8/10): 978 commits in 90 days (bluesky-social/atproto + social-app).
Strengths: Largest audience in decentralized social by a wide margin. Custom feeds and stackable moderation are genuinely new ideas. A fast-growing ecosystem of apps (Skylight, Blacksky, Flashes) reuses the same accounts.
Weak spots: Active use is down roughly half from the late-2024 peak. No creator payments, tipping or subscriptions. In practice most users still sit on servers run by one company.
Outlook (8/10): Strong. Even if the flagship app plateaus, the protocol is becoming the default plumbing for open social, which keeps Bluesky central.
Website: bsky.app

#3 Matrix / Element: 33/40

Open standard for encrypted chat, with Element as the best-known app. Anyone can run a server, and servers talk to each other the way email does. Used by several European governments and many open-source projects.

Users (9/10): 1.15M monthly active on open federation · 190M known accounts. Source: Matrix.org Foundation annual report 2025.
Key features (8/10): End-to-end encrypted chat, Group rooms and spaces, Voice and video calls, Threads, Bridges to Slack, Discord, WhatsApp and more, Self-hosted servers, Federation, Bots and widgets.
Dev activity (8/10): 1,008 commits in 90 days (element-hq/element-web + synapse).
Strengths: Huge account base, real end-to-end encryption, bridges to other chat apps, and one of the most active engineering communities on this list.
Weak spots: It is chat rather than a public feed, so it competes more with Discord and Slack than with X. Running your own server takes real skill.
Outlook (8/10): Strong and steady. Government and enterprise demand for sovereign chat keeps funding flowing.
Website: matrix.org

#4 Mastodon: 29/40

The flagship app of the fediverse, the network of independently run servers that speak ActivityPub. Run by a German non-profit and funded by donations and sponsors.

Users (8/10): 826k–980k monthly active. Source: Fediverse Observer / FediDB, Jun 2026.
Key features (6/10): Posts with polls and media, Content warnings, Hashtag follows, Lists, Filters and mutes, Self-hosted servers, Federation with Threads and other apps, Account migration, No ads, no algorithm.
Dev activity (8/10): 1,134 commits in 90 days (mastodon/mastodon + mastodon-ios).
Strengths: Almost a million monthly users, no ads, no algorithm by default, and thousands of servers so no single owner can take it down. Very active development.
Weak spots: Picking a server confuses newcomers. Search and discovery are weaker than on big apps, and there is no way for creators to earn.
Outlook (7/10): Stable. It will not explode, but it is not going away, and its connections to Threads and Bluesky widen its reach.
Website: joinmastodon.org

#5 Pixelfed: 29/40

A photo-sharing app for the fediverse, often described as an open Instagram. Posts can be followed from Mastodon and other fediverse apps.

Users (7/10): ~105k monthly active. Source: Fediverse Observer / FediDB, Jun 2026.
Key features (5/10): Photo posts and albums, Stories, Collections, Filters, Hashtags and discover, Direct messages, Federation, Self-hosting, Mobile apps.
Dev activity (10/10): 3,726 commits in 90 days (pixelfed/pixelfed).
Strengths: Around 100,000 monthly users and one of the busiest codebases here, with new mobile apps shipping quickly.
Weak spots: Development leans heavily on one lead developer. Still far smaller than mainstream photo apps.
Outlook (7/10): Good. Users looking to leave Instagram have few open options, and Pixelfed is the clear leader among them.
Website: pixelfed.org

#6 Amethyst: 28/40

The most feature-rich Nostr app for Android. Nostr is a simple protocol where your identity is a key pair and posts are sent through relays anyone can run.

Users (4/10): 100k+ Android installs. Source: Google Play.
Key features (8/10): Nostr posts and replies, Zaps (Lightning tips), Communities, Live streams, Marketplace listings, Private DMs, Long-form articles, Polls, Multiple accounts, Tor support.
Dev activity (10/10): 4,275 commits in 90 days (vitorpamplona/amethyst).
Strengths: Packs in communities, live streams, a marketplace, private messages and Lightning tips. The second most active public codebase on this list.
Weak spots: Android only, and the wider Nostr network is still small, with roughly 15,000 trusted monthly users.
Outlook (6/10): Good for builders and Bitcoin fans. Growth depends on Nostr as a whole reaching more people.
Website: github.com/vitorpamplona/amethyst

#7 Status: 27/40

A private messenger and Ethereum wallet in one app, built by one of the longest-running teams in Ethereum.

Users (6/10): 1M+ Android installs. Source: Google Play.
Key features (7/10): Private chat, Group chats, Token-gated communities, Ethereum wallet, dApp browser, Desktop and mobile apps, No phone number needed.
Dev activity (8/10): 1,333 commits in 90 days (status-im/status-desktop).
Strengths: Large, steady engineering team, communities with token gating, and a wallet built in.
Weak spots: Downloads are modest for its age, and the app has had several big rewrites that reset momentum.
Outlook (6/10): Steady. Its Logos network plans could give it a new purpose, but mainstream adoption is unlikely soon.
Website: status.app

#8 Audius: 26/40

A music streaming platform where artists upload directly and fans stream for free. Now runs on Solana and launched artist coins in 2025.

Users (8/10): Up to 8M monthly active (claimed, 2025). Source: Solana Compass, 2025.
Key features (7/10): Music uploads, Free streaming, Playlists, Artist coins, Gated tracks, Remix contests, Comments, Developer API, Mobile apps.
Dev activity (5/10): 129 commits in 90 days (AudiusProject/apps).
Strengths: Big catalogue, well-known artists, and a real music business through deals such as Friends & Family.
Weak spots: The 8 million monthly user figure is a company claim from 2025 and active use has likely fallen since. It suffered a $6M governance exploit in 2022.
Outlook (6/10): Decent. Artist coins and label partnerships give it a clear model if fans follow.
Website: audius.co

#9 Hive: 26/40

A blockchain built for social content, created in 2020 when the community split from Steem. Many front ends sit on top, including PeakD and Ecency, plus games such as Splinterlands.

Users (5/10): Monthly actives down 8% in Feb 2026 · Ecency 50k+ installs. Source: Hive Statistics (arcange), Feb 2026.
Key features (7/10): Long-form blog posts, Upvote rewards, Curation rewards, Communities, Many front ends (PeakD, Ecency), Free, fast transactions, Games, Built-in DEX, Short video (3Speak).
Dev activity (9/10): 1,780 commits in 90 days (ecency/vision-next; Hive core is on GitLab).
Strengths: Free transactions, rewards for posting and curating, and a loyal community. Ecency alone shipped more than 1,700 commits in 90 days.
Weak spots: Monthly active users have been drifting down. Rewards can encourage low-quality posting, and new users find it complex.
Outlook (5/10): Mixed. Strong builders, but it needs a hit app to bring in new people.
Website: hive.io

#10 PeerTube: 25/40

Self-hosted video platform made by French non-profit Framasoft. Each server hosts its own videos and can follow others, with peer-to-peer streaming to spread the load.

Users (6/10): ~50k monthly active. Source: Fediverse Observer / FediDB, Jun 2026.
Key features (6/10): Video hosting, Live streaming, Peer-to-peer delivery, Channels and playlists, Subtitles, Federation, Plugins and themes, Self-hosting.
Dev activity (7/10): 413 commits in 90 days (Chocobozzz/PeerTube).
Strengths: The most contributors of any video project here, live streaming built in, and no ads.
Weak spots: Video is expensive to host, so most servers stay small. Discovery across servers is limited.
Outlook (6/10): Steady. Popular with schools, public bodies and creators who want their own home for video.
Website: joinpeertube.org

#11 OpenChat: 25/40

A chat app that runs fully on the Internet Computer blockchain and is owned and governed by holders of its CHAT token.

Users (4/10): Not independently verified. Source: DFINITY forum.
Key features (7/10): Group chat, Communities, Video calls, Crypto transfers in chat, Bots, Diamond membership, DAO governance, Fully on-chain.
Dev activity (8/10): 927 commits in 90 days (open-chat-labs/open-chat).
Strengths: Ships almost daily, has communities, bots and in-chat crypto transfers, and is truly on-chain end to end.
Weak spots: Tied to the Internet Computer ecosystem, which is small. User numbers are not independently verified.
Outlook (6/10): Moderate. A strong technical example of a DAO-run app, but it needs users from outside its home chain.
Website: oc.app

#12 Session: 24/40

A private messenger that needs no phone number or email. Messages travel through a network of community-run nodes, similar to Tor.

Users (8/10): 5M+ Android installs. Source: Google Play.
Key features (5/10): No phone or email, Onion routing, End-to-end encryption, Group chats, Voice notes, Calls, File sharing, Desktop and mobile apps.
Dev activity (6/10): 222 commits in 90 days (session-foundation/session-desktop).
Strengths: More than 5 million Android installs and high ratings. Strong privacy story with very little metadata.
Weak spots: Nearly closed in mid-2026 for lack of money, saved by donations in June. No account recovery if you lose your device.
Outlook (5/10): Fragile but alive. Long-term funding is the open question.
Website: getsession.org

#13 Damus: 24/40

The first major Nostr app for iPhone, now joined by Notedeck, a desktop client from the same team.

Users (4/10): Not disclosed (iOS-first). Source: Nostr statistics, Oct 2025.
Key features (6/10): Nostr posts, Zaps, Encrypted DMs, Long-form reads, Relay control, Notedeck desktop app, Multiple accounts.
Dev activity (8/10): 1,481 commits in 90 days (damus-io/damus + notedeck).
Strengths: Simple, well-known brand in Nostr, built-in Lightning tips, and very active work on Notedeck.
Weak spots: Apple's rules on tipping have caused friction before. User numbers are not published.
Outlook (6/10): Good within Nostr. Notedeck could make it the main desktop home for the protocol.
Website: damus.io

#14 Misskey: 23/40

A fediverse microblogging app from Japan with emoji reactions, drive storage and lots of customization.

Users (6/10): misskey.io 450k+ registered (Feb 2024). Source: Wikipedia.
Key features (6/10): Posts, Emoji reactions, Custom emoji, Drive file storage, Channels, Antennas (keyword feeds), Plugins and widgets, Federation.
Dev activity (5/10): 175 commits in 90 days (misskey-dev/misskey).
Strengths: Huge in Japan, with misskey.io past 450,000 accounts in 2024. Active development and a lively culture.
Weak spots: Mostly Japanese-speaking, so growth outside Japan is slow.
Outlook (6/10): Solid in its home market.
Website: misskey-hub.net

#15 Farcaster: 22/40

A crypto-native social protocol with its own app (formerly Warpcast). Known for mini apps inside posts, built-in wallets and token launches.

Users (7/10): <250k monthly active · <60k daily active. Source: KuCoin News, Oct 2026.
Key features (8/10): Casts and replies, Channels, Mini apps (Frames), Built-in wallet, Tipping, Token launches, Direct casts, Developer API (Neynar).
Dev activity (3/10): 44 commits in 90 days (farcasterxyz/snapchain + hub-monorepo).
Strengths: Rich features, a builder-heavy crowd and deep wallet integration. Still one of the most visible crypto social networks.
Weak spots: Founders sold it to Neynar in January 2026 and the $180M raised went back to investors. In October it passed to Network School. Revenue collapsed from about $28M in Q1 to $246k in Q3 2026.
Outlook (4/10): Weak for now. Another change of owner in nine months is a hard reset.
Website: farcaster.xyz

#16 Base App: 22/40

Coinbase's wallet, relaunched in July 2025 as an all-in-one app combining a social feed (built on Farcaster), chat, creator coins and trading.

Users (6/10): Not disclosed. Source: The Defiant, Jan 2026.
Key features (7/10): Smart wallet, Social feed on Farcaster, Creator coins, Mini apps, Chat, Trading, Payments, Onramp from Coinbase.
Dev activity (3/10): Closed source.
Strengths: Coinbase's reach and money, a smooth wallet, and built-in access to Zora and Farcaster content.
Weak spots: Six months after the social rebrand it pivoted to trading-first. No user numbers, and the social side depends on a Farcaster that has changed owners twice.
Outlook (6/10): Uncertain. Huge distribution, but social is no longer the main focus.
Website: base.app

#17 Bridgy Fed: 21/40

A bridge that lets Mastodon, Bluesky and personal websites follow and reply to each other.

Users (4/10): Not published. Source: Not published.
Key features (4/10): Bridges Mastodon and Bluesky, Bridges personal websites, Follow across networks, Replies and likes across networks, Opt-in by design.
Dev activity (7/10): 486 commits in 90 days (snarfed/bridgy-fed).
Strengths: Makes the open networks feel like one. Very active for a small team.
Weak spots: Users have to opt in, and it depends on the goodwill of the networks it connects.
Outlook (6/10): Important plumbing. Grows as the networks it bridges grow.
Website: fed.brid.gy

#18 Friendica: 21/40

One of the oldest fediverse apps, closer to Facebook than Twitter, with long posts, groups and events.

Users (3/10): Small, not published. Source: Not published.
Key features (6/10): Long posts, Groups, Events, Photo albums, Private posts, Federation with Mastodon and Diaspora, Self-hosting.
Dev activity (8/10): 945 commits in 90 days (friendica/friendica).
Strengths: Very active volunteer team for its size and connects to almost every other fediverse network.
Weak spots: Small user base and an older-looking interface.
Outlook (4/10): Stable niche.
Website: friendi.ca

#19 Odysee: 20/40

A video platform that grew out of the LBRY blockchain project. Bought by Forward Research in June 2024 after LBRY lost its case with the US SEC.

Users (7/10): 1M+ Android installs. Source: Google Play.
Key features (6/10): Video uploads, Live streams, Channels, Comments, Tipping, Playlists, Mobile apps.
Dev activity (3/10): 30 commits in 90 days (OdyseeTeam/odysee-frontend).
Strengths: Large video library, more than a million Android installs, and creators who were pushed off YouTube.
Weak spots: Development has slowed, the app has low store ratings, and its blockchain roots have faded after the SEC case.
Outlook (4/10): Uncertain. It works, but new owners have not set out a bold plan.
Website: odysee.com

#20 Skylight: 20/40

A short-video app built on the AT Protocol, backed by Mark Cuban.

Users (6/10): 380k users · ~95k monthly active (Jan 2026). Source: TechCrunch, Jan 2026.
Key features (5/10): Short video, Editor and effects, Curators, Bluesky login, Custom feeds, Comments.
Dev activity (3/10): Closed source.
Strengths: Jumped to 380,000 users in January 2026 when TikTok's US deal closed. Uses Bluesky accounts.
Weak spots: Monthly users were about 95,000, so many sign-ups did not stay.
Outlook (6/10): Good. Video on an open network is a real gap.
Website: skylight.social

#21 Paragraph: 20/40

A newsletter and blogging platform for crypto writers. Took over Mirror in 2024.

Users (5/10): Not disclosed. Source: The Block, 2024.
Key features (6/10): Newsletters, Blog hosting, Collectible posts, Coins on posts, Paid subscriptions, Farcaster sharing, Analytics.
Dev activity (3/10): Closed source.
Strengths: The default home for crypto long-form writing. Posts can be collected or coined, and share well on Farcaster.
Weak spots: Closed source and no public user numbers.
Outlook (6/10): Good, as long as crypto writing keeps an audience.
Website: paragraph.com

#22 Primal: 20/40

A fast, polished Nostr app on iOS, Android and web with a built-in Bitcoin Lightning wallet.

Users (4/10): 50k+ Android installs · Nostr has ~14.8k monthly active trusted users. Source: Google Play.
Key features (7/10): Nostr feeds, Built-in Lightning wallet, Zaps, Trending and explore, Long-form reads, Media hosting, Premium accounts.
Dev activity (3/10): 39 commits in 90 days (PrimalHQ android + ios + web).
Strengths: Probably the easiest way into Nostr, with smooth feeds and tips.
Weak spots: Nostr's total audience is small, around 15,000 trusted monthly users in late 2025.
Outlook (6/10): Good if Nostr grows. Primal is best placed to catch new users.
Website: primal.net

#23 Blacksky: 20/40

Independent infrastructure and a community on the AT Protocol, built by and for Black users of Bluesky.

Users (3/10): Not published. Source: Not published.
Key features (5/10): Own personal data servers, Community moderation, Custom feeds, Bluesky-compatible, Community app.
Dev activity (6/10): 332 commits in 90 days (blacksky-algorithms/rsky).
Strengths: Runs its own servers and moderation, proving the AT Protocol can work without Bluesky the company.
Weak spots: Small, focused community.
Outlook (6/10): Good. A model for other communities that want to own their corner of the network.
Website: blacksky.community

#24 Lemmy: 19/40

A federated link-sharing and discussion site, like an open Reddit. Boomed during the 2023 Reddit API protest.

Users (6/10): ~35k–43k monthly active. Source: Fediverse Observer / FediDB, Jun 2026.
Key features (4/10): Communities, Up and down votes, Threaded comments, Moderation tools, Federation, Self-hosting, Mobile clients.
Dev activity (4/10): 54 commits in 90 days (LemmyNet/lemmy).
Strengths: Around 40,000 monthly users across many servers and a familiar community-and-vote format.
Weak spots: Growth has flattened since 2023 and development has slowed.
Outlook (5/10): Steady. Benefits each time Reddit upsets its users.
Website: join-lemmy.org

#25 Fountain: 19/40

A podcast and music app that pays listeners and creators in bitcoin, with social features on Nostr.

Users (5/10): 100k+ Android installs. Source: Google Play.
Key features (6/10): Podcasts, Music, Bitcoin rewards for listening, Clips, Comments on Nostr, Creator payouts.
Dev activity (3/10): Closed source.
Strengths: More than 100,000 Android installs and real payments to creators.
Weak spots: Low store ratings and closed source.
Outlook (5/10): Good niche in podcasting.
Website: fountain.fm

#26 Mask Network: 19/40

A browser extension that adds encryption and crypto tools to X, and since January 2026 the steward of Lens Protocol.

Users (4/10): Not disclosed. Source: The Block, Jan 2026.
Key features (6/10): Encrypted posts on X, Wallet inside your feed, NFT and token widgets, Lens stewardship, Runs a large Mastodon server.
Dev activity (4/10): 89 commits in 90 days (DimensionDev/Maskbook).
Strengths: Experienced team, owns a large Mastodon server, and now controls a major social graph.
Weak spots: Has to prove it can turn Lens into apps people actually use.
Outlook (5/10): Depends on Lens. A turnaround would lift both.
Website: mask.io

#27 Bonfire: 19/40

A modular fediverse app where communities pick the features they want, such as circles for private sharing or custom feeds.

Users (2/10): Early stage. Source: Not published.
Key features (6/10): Custom feeds, Circles for private sharing, Boundaries per post, Extensions, Federation, Self-hosting.
Dev activity (6/10): 355 commits in 90 days (bonfire-networks/bonfire-app).
Strengths: Very flexible and steadily developed by an active team.
Weak spots: Still early, with few users.
Outlook (5/10): Promising for communities that want more control than Mastodon offers.
Website: bonfirenetworks.org

#28 Phaver: 18/40

A mobile social app that posts to Lens and Farcaster and rewards users with points and its SOCIAL token.

Users (6/10): ~250k users (Oct 2023). Source: TechCrunch, Oct 2023.
Key features (5/10): Posts, Points and SOCIAL token, Cross-posts to Lens and Farcaster, Communities, Mobile app.
Dev activity (3/10): Closed source.
Strengths: Built a sizable mobile crowd, about 250,000 users by 2023.
Weak spots: No fresh numbers since, and its fate is tied to Lens and Farcaster.
Outlook (4/10): Uncertain.
Website: phaver.com

#29 Zora: 18/40

An app on Base where every post becomes a tradable coin, and creators can launch their own creator coin.

Users (5/10): ~18k accounts posting daily (Aug 2025). Source: Blockworks, Aug 2025.
Key features (6/10): Every post is a coin, Creator coins, Trading feed, Profiles, Comments, Base App integration, Earn from trading fees.
Dev activity (2/10): 2 commits in 90 days (ourzora/zora-protocol).
Strengths: Simple way for artists to earn from attention, around 18,000 accounts posting daily in 2025, and backed by the Base ecosystem.
Weak spots: Critics call it memetic speculation, since most coins lose value fast. Content coins drew heavy debate after Base promoted them in 2025.
Outlook (5/10): Uncertain. It works best while crypto markets are hot.
Website: zora.co

#30 Stacker News: 18/40

A Hacker News-style forum where every upvote sends real bitcoin to the poster.

Users (3/10): Small community. Source: Not published.
Key features (5/10): Posts and links, Sats rewards for upvotes, Territories, Bounties, Jobs board, Lightning wallet login.
Dev activity (5/10): 117 commits in 90 days (stackernews/stacker.news).
Strengths: Proves micropayments for content can work. Good discussion quality.
Weak spots: Small, mostly Bitcoin-focused audience.
Outlook (5/10): Steady niche.
Website: stacker.news

#31 Minds: 17/40

An open-source social network founded in 2015 as an alternative to Facebook, with a token for boosting posts.

Users (5/10): No recent public figures. Source: DappRadar.
Key features (6/10): Posts, Video, Groups, Boosts, Token rewards, Chat, Open source.
Dev activity (3/10): Not measured (code is on GitLab).
Strengths: Long history, free-speech positioning and video support.
Weak spots: No recent user figures, and its token barely trades. Code lives on GitLab and could not be measured.
Outlook (3/10): Weak momentum.
Website: minds.com

#32 Arena: 17/40

Formerly Stars Arena on Avalanche. Relaunched in 2025 with tipping, a token launchpad and a DEX.

Users (4/10): ~3.6k weekly tippers (Jun 2025). Source: The Block Research, 2025.
Key features (6/10): Posts, Tipping, Paid chat rooms, Token launchpad, DEX, Live stages.
Dev activity (3/10): Closed source.
Strengths: Tips grew more than 340% in the first half of 2025.
Weak spots: Weekly tippers number in the low thousands, and activity tracks token trading.
Outlook (4/10): Moderate while Avalanche backs it.
Website: arena.social

#33 Lens (Hey): 17/40

A social graph where your profile and followers are owned on-chain and shared across apps such as Hey and Orb. Moved to its own Lens Chain in 2025.

Users (4/10): ~650k profiles · ~22k daily active at Lens Chain launch (Apr 2025). Source: thirdweb, 2026.
Key features (7/10): Profiles you own, On-chain follow graph, Collectible posts, Shared across apps, Usernames, Groups, Lens Chain.
Dev activity (2/10): 1 commit in 90 days (lens-protocol/lens-v3 + heyverse/hey).
Strengths: About 650,000 profiles and a clean ownership model.
Weak spots: Daily actives fell sharply after the 2024 peak, public code has nearly stopped, and Mask Network took over in January 2026.
Outlook (4/10): Uncertain until Mask ships.
Website: hey.xyz

#34 noStrudel: 17/40

A power-user Nostr web client built by one developer.

Users (3/10): Not disclosed. Source: Not published.
Key features (5/10): Power-user Nostr feeds, Streams, Lists, Relay tools, Many NIPs supported.
Dev activity (5/10): 135 commits in 90 days (hzrd149/nostrudel).
Strengths: Ships constantly and has many tools.
Weak spots: Not aimed at beginners.
Outlook (4/10): Steady niche.
Website: nostrudel.ninja

#35 Cheelee: 16/40

A TikTok-style feed that pays viewers in tokens for watching, using NFT glasses.

Users (5/10): Not disclosed. Source: Google Play.
Key features (5/10): Short video, Watch to earn, NFT glasses, In-app wallet.
Dev activity (3/10): Closed source.
Strengths: Simple watch-to-earn pitch with big marketing.
Weak spots: Few public numbers and a token-driven model that is hard to sustain.
Outlook (3/10): Uncertain.
Website: cheelee.io

#36 Cyber (CyberConnect): 16/40

Formerly CyberConnect. A social graph with Link3 events and its own Layer 2 chain.

Users (5/10): ~5.1M profiles. Source: thirdweb, 2026.
Key features (5/10): Social profiles, Link3 events, Own Layer 2 chain, Smart accounts.
Dev activity (3/10): Closed source.
Strengths: About 5 million profiles.
Weak spots: Hard to verify how many are active. Closed source.
Outlook (3/10): Weak to moderate.
Website: cyber.co

#37 DSCVR: 16/40

A crypto community portal, started on Internet Computer and later added Solana support.

Users (4/10): Not disclosed. Source: Not published.
Key features (6/10): Portals (communities), Posts, Tipping, NFT gating, Solana and ICP support.
Dev activity (3/10): Closed source.
Strengths: Portals with NFT gating and tipping.
Weak spots: Little news in 2026 and no public user numbers.
Outlook (3/10): Weak.
Website: dscvr.one

#38 Orb: 16/40

A popular mobile app for Lens, organised around clubs.

Users (4/10): Not disclosed. Source: The Block, Sep 2023.
Key features (5/10): Clubs, Posts, Lens profiles, Mobile app.
Dev activity (3/10): Closed source.
Strengths: Clean mobile design.
Weak spots: Its future depends on Lens under Mask.
Outlook (4/10): Uncertain.
Website: orb.club

#39 Coracle: 16/40

A Nostr web client focused on groups and choosing relays.

Users (3/10): Not disclosed. Source: Not published.
Key features (5/10): Feeds, Groups, Relay controls, Web of trust filtering.
Dev activity (4/10): 76 commits in 90 days (coracle-social/coracle).
Strengths: Good for communities.
Weak spots: Small audience.
Outlook (4/10): Niche.
Website: coracle.social

#40 Iris: 16/40

A simple, fast Nostr web client.

Users (3/10): Not disclosed. Source: Not published.
Key features (4/10): Feeds, Chat, Media, Fast web app.
Dev activity (5/10): 156 commits in 90 days (irislib/iris-client).
Strengths: Easy to start with.
Weak spots: Small audience.
Outlook (4/10): Niche.
Website: iris.to

#41 DeSo: 15/40

A blockchain built for social apps, home to Diamond and the Focus app. Once led crypto social by sign-ups.

Users (4/10): ~3M cumulative wallets (Apr 2024). Source: Galaxy Research, Apr 2024.
Key features (6/10): Creator coins, On-chain posts, NFTs, Tipping (diamonds), Messaging, Multiple apps (Focus, Diamond).
Dev activity (2/10): 4 commits in 90 days (deso-protocol/core).
Strengths: About 3 million wallets created by 2024 and creator coins built in.
Weak spots: Core code activity has almost stopped and active users are not published.
Outlook (3/10): Weak.
Website: deso.com

#42 Online+ (ION): 15/40

The flagship social app of Ice Open Network, whose mainnet launched in January 2025.

Users (4/10): Not disclosed. Source: Decrypt, Jan 2025.
Key features (6/10): Posts and stories, Chat, Wallet, Creator tokens, Video.
Dev activity (1/10): 0 commits in 90 days (ice-blockchain/ion-app).
Strengths: A large community from Ice's mobile mining phase.
Weak spots: No user numbers, and public code has been quiet since March 2026.
Outlook (4/10): Uncertain.
Website: ice.io

#43 zap.stream: 15/40

Live streaming over Nostr, paid in bitcoin tips.

Users (3/10): Not disclosed. Source: Not published.
Key features (5/10): Live streams, Zaps, Live chat, Stream clips.
Dev activity (3/10): 12 commits in 90 days (v0l/zap.stream).
Strengths: Real-time Lightning payments.
Weak spots: Small streamer base.
Outlook (4/10): Niche but useful.
Website: zap.stream

#44 UXLINK: 14/40

A Telegram-based group social tool with airdrops and a mini app.

Users (5/10): Not disclosed. Source: The Block, Sep 2025.
Key features (4/10): Group tools, Telegram mini app, Airdrops, Referral rewards.
Dev activity (3/10): Closed source.
Strengths: Large Asian community and Telegram reach.
Weak spots: Lost about $11M in a multisig hack in September 2025.
Outlook (2/10): Weak after the hack.
Website: uxlink.io

#45 Snort: 14/40

A long-standing Nostr web client.

Users (3/10): Not disclosed. Source: Not published.
Key features (4/10): Feeds, Zaps, DMs, Web app.
Dev activity (4/10): 74 commits in 90 days (v0l/snort).
Strengths: Familiar, steady.
Weak spots: Small audience.
Outlook (3/10): Niche.
Website: snort.social

#46 Towns: 14/40

Group chat on its own protocol, with paid memberships, tips and bots. Backed by a16z.

Users (3/10): Not disclosed. Source: Binance Research.
Key features (6/10): Group chat, Paid memberships, Tipping, Bots, Encrypted messages, Own protocol.
Dev activity (1/10): 0 commits in 90 days (towns-protocol/towns).
Strengths: Strong funding and a clear chat-for-communities pitch.
Weak spots: Public code quiet since July 2026 and no user numbers.
Outlook (4/10): Uncertain.
Website: towns.com

#47 Taggr: 14/40

A small DAO-run forum on Internet Computer.

Users (2/10): Small community. Source: Not published.
Key features (5/10): Posts, Realms (communities), Token rewards, DAO governance, On-chain.
Dev activity (3/10): 31 commits in 90 days (TaggrNetwork/taggr).
Strengths: Fully on-chain and community owned.
Weak spots: Very small audience.
Outlook (4/10): Niche.
Website: taggr.link

#48 Steemit: 11/40

The original 'post to earn' blog from 2016. Most of its community left for Hive in 2020.

Users (4/10): Legacy network, no recent public figures. Source: Steemit (Wikipedia).
Key features (4/10): Blog posts, Upvote rewards, Communities, Wallet.
Dev activity (1/10): 0 commits in 90 days (steemit/steem).
Strengths: Pioneer brand.
Weak spots: No public core development since April 2025.
Outlook (2/10): Weak.
Website: steemit.com

#49 YakiHonne: 11/40

A Nostr app for long-form posts and curated collections.

Users (2/10): Not disclosed. Source: Not published.
Key features (5/10): Long-form posts, Curations, Zaps, Videos, Mobile app.
Dev activity (1/10): 0 commits in 90 days (YakiHonne web + mobile).
Strengths: Good long-form tools.
Weak spots: Public repos quiet since October 2025.
Outlook (3/10): Weak.
Website: yakihonne.com

#50 Herocast: 10/40

A power client for Farcaster with multiple accounts, scheduling and analytics.

Users (2/10): Not published. Source: Not published.
Key features (5/10): Multiple accounts, Scheduled casts, Analytics, Keyboard shortcuts, Team tools.
Dev activity (1/10): 0 commits in 90 days (hellno/herocast).
Strengths: Useful tools for teams.
Weak spots: Repo quiet since June 2026 as Farcaster changed hands.
Outlook (2/10): Weak.
Website: herocast.xyz

Who fell off since 2024

Who fell off: friend.tech, Fantasy Top and Farcaster's ownership changes

friend.tech: the 2023 SocialFi hit peaked near $52M in deposits, then the team renounced its contracts in September 2024 with deposits down 92%. Source: DL News.
Fantasy Top: the trading-card game for crypto influencers closed at the end of June 2026 after paying out more than $20M. Source: eGamers.
Farcaster, twice: sold by its founders to Neynar in January 2026, then passed to Network School in October, while the $180M it raised went back to investors. Source: KuCoin News.
Creator coins: the content-coin boom on Zora and Base drew heavy criticism as memetic speculation. Further reading: Fortune and The Ponzi.

Frequently asked questions

What is the biggest decentralized social network in 2026?

Bluesky, with about 46 million accounts and roughly 10 million monthly active users. Matrix is bigger by accounts but is a chat network. Mastodon leads the fediverse with close to a million monthly users.

Which decentralized social apps pay creators?

DeHub, Audius, Zora, Hive, Paragraph, Fountain and Stacker News all pay creators natively. Bluesky and Mastodon do not.

Why is DeHub ranked #1 if its user base is small?

Because of the development effort. DeHub has been building decentralized streaming and social since 2020, its community can build the app in real time with a prompt feature, and it shipped more public code in the last 90 days than any other app here. Its audience is still small, which is why it scores 4/10 on users, but it is the only app with top marks on features, dev activity and future.

How was GitHub activity measured?

We cloned each project's main public repositories and counted commits on the default branch between 26 July and 24 October 2026. Closed-source apps get a neutral 3/10.

Is decentralized social media safe to use?

The established apps here are real, working networks, many of them open source. Token rewards carry market risk, so never treat crypto earnings as guaranteed income. For a deeper comparison of the biggest platforms, read our guide to the best decentralised social media platforms.

Sources

Try the #1 pick

Open dehub.io, browse the feed, go live, or post a feature request on dehub.io/features and watch the community build it. You can also get the app on Google Play.