Twitter may still be the world’s largest micro-blogging platform, but it’s no longer the only game in town. Whether you disagree with its current direction, or you’re sick of trolls, extremists, and over-exuberant censorship, you might be thinking of quitting Twitter. But where should you go? Are there any realistic alternatives to Twitter, and if so, which one will suit you? While Twitter has many strengths, the best things about it are also available on other platforms.
Here are the top 10 best Twitter alternatives.
Mastodon is an open-source Twitter alternative that offers greater control over what you see and the conversations you have. The real strength to Mastodon is that it can be used as individual ‘instances’. This means that you can access specialized versions of the site, usually themed by topic. Star Trek fan? There’s a Mastodon for you. And because Mastodon is open source, you can get your own instance, set it up, and essentially run your own social network.
2. Amino
Amino is similar to Mastodon in that it enables users to make and moderate communities centered around specific topics. Most communities have stricter guidelines than Twitter, which is good because the user base tends to be on the younger side. Community moderators can create polls, quizzes, and other neat interactive content. Amino also facilitates voice chat and ‘screening rooms’ where you can watch videos with other users. The platform prioritizes anonymity, and you can use different handles in different communities.
3. Cohost
Cohost was built for sharing whatever you want. The user interface resembles both Tumblr and Facebook, and is ad-free. A monthly or annual subscription affords enhanced access to the site (larger uploads, customization options). While you can create an account and browse the site, you cannot post until your account is fully verified.
On the plus side, this means you have the time to explore conversations and topics, bookmark hashtags, and set up a profile. For those concerned about online privacy, Cohost will never sell your data, sell ads, or sell the company to anyone who might change these policies to make a quick buck.
4. CounterSocial
With a desktop user interface that resembles TweetDeck, CounterSocial aims to offer its community four unique protections. These are:
- Deepfake detection – Uploaded content is analyzed to determine the use of deepfakes
- Botsentinel integration – Intended to detect bots
- Identity breach alerts – A useful way for account holders to find out if their account has been hacked and misused
- Factlayer integration – Color-coded links to demonstrate how reliable a news link is
Accounts have a 500-character limit per post, media can be uploaded, polls conducted, and warnings employed to hide text behind. Pro accounts are also available with enhanced features, such as changing status, and posts that expire and ‘explode’. CounterSocial offers a good experience, although some topics are underserved. If you’re fond of discussing news and topical events, however, it should be high on your list of Twitter alternatives.
5. Plurk
With a 360-character limit, Plurk utilizes a horizontal timeline, with messages summarized by single verbs (“feels”, “loves”, etc.). Media files can be shared, Plurks can be liked, and emoticons used. Engaging with the site grows karma, unlocking more emoticons. Group chat and direct messaging are also featured on Plurk. In many ways, this service is indistinguishable from Twitter, but is overall a friendlier place.
6. Minds
Minds is for social media influencers and creators. Whether you want to direct people to your website or your other social media accounts, the built-in analytics tools allow you to keep track of how many people see your posts over time, giving you guidance on how to increase your exposure. Minds doesn’t use algorithms to determine the types of content users see. Similar to Twitch, Minds uses a token system to decide who gets suggested to other users. Other notable features include encrypted chat, groups, and blogs.
7. Aether
If you go to Twitter to find people with common interests, Aether is another excellent alternative. Aether heavily moderates posts, but individual communities have moderators who are held accountable by all members of the group. Users can make multiple anonymous accounts and post in any community. One significant benefit of Aether is that the comments you make don’t last forever. Someone can always screenshot anything you post, but all content eventually disappears into the aether.
8. Tribel Social
Tribel calls itself the kinder, smarter social network. The layout of the site is simple. Users can select a target audience for posts to maximize engagement, find topic experts quickly and get the opportunity to become a ‘star contributor’ based on the quality of posts and number of likes. You can customise your news feed to easily find the breaking and trending posts you want when you want them – in any topic.
9. Peeks Social
If you use Twitter for making videos, Peeks Social might be a better alternative. It’s perhaps more similar to Twitch in that users can donate to their favorite creators. For that reason, the platform is dominated mainly by gamers. If you’re looking for a playing partner, Peeks Social is an excellent place to find someone.
The only downside to Peeks Social is that it’s challenging to avoid adult-themed content. You have to download a separate app to view 18+ videos, but the regular app sometimes suggests age-inappropriate streams. Fortunately, rooms have a rating system, so you know what to expect before viewing videos.
10. Micro.blog
If you’re looking for a more robust micro-blogging platform, and you don’t mind paying a little each month, Micro.blog might be the perfect home for you. Rather than a replacement for Twitter, Micro.blog is another tool for those who wish to extend their social media reach. Micro.blog supports cross-posting to Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, Mastodon, and more. If you have a WordPress blog, you can directly import and export content between the platforms.
