Choosing a platform
A guide for communities that haven't yet picked a home online, or are thinking of moving: some of the most common platforms, by the kind of online space they make, and what to look for.
Why it matters
Where a community lives shapes how it can govern itself. It affects how much technical and organizational work you may be on the hook for, how much autonomy and power you're likely to have (can the company behind it change the rules, or close your space?), and what it costs. For each platform we note:
- Software. What exact software is being used? Is it open source or proprietary?
- Protocol. Is the platform based on an open protocol, so it can talk to other servers and apps?
- Open source. Is the software open source, per OSI standards?
- Self-hostable. Can you host your own instance of it (e.g., on your own server)?
- Model. What structural model describes how its infrastructure is organized?
Each of these is defined in the documentation's Reference → Platforms, along with the costs to expect for each kind of platform. Let us know if you believe a platform should be included here.
Platforms by format
Grouped by format, the kind of online space. A row marked (any) stands for any software that speaks that protocol; the rows under it are examples.
Chat group
| Platform | Software | Protocol | Open source | Self-hostable | Model |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Discord | Proprietary | No | No | Centralized | |
| Telegram | Proprietary | Custom (MTProto) | No | No | Centralized |
| Proprietary | No | No | Centralized | ||
| Signal Chat | Signal | Signal Protocol | Yes | No | Centralized |
| Matrix client (any) | Matrix | Varies | Varies | Federation | |
| Matrix client | Synapse | Matrix | Yes | Yes | Federation |
| Matrix client | Dendrite | Matrix | Yes | Yes | Federation |
| Matrix client | Element | Matrix | Yes | Yes | Federation |
Discussion forum
| Platform | Software | Protocol | Open source | Self-hostable | Model |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary | No | No | Centralized | ||
| ActivityPub client (any) | ActivityPub | Varies | Varies | Federation | |
| ActivityPub client | Lemmy | ActivityPub | Yes | Yes | Federation |
| Discourse | Discourse | Yes | Yes | Centralized |
Listserv / email
| Platform | Software | Protocol | Open source | Self-hostable | Model |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Front Porch Forum | Proprietary | No | No | Centralized | |
| Google Groups | Proprietary | No | No | Centralized | |
| Mailman-based lists | GNU Mailman | SMTP / Email | Yes | Yes | Federation |
Social network / media
| Platform | Software | Protocol | Open source | Self-hostable | Model |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary | No | No | Centralized | ||
| Proprietary | No | No | Centralized | ||
| Nextdoor | Proprietary | No | No | Centralized | |
| ActivityPub client (any) | ActivityPub | Varies | Varies | Federation | |
| ActivityPub client | Mastodon | ActivityPub | Yes | Yes | Federation |
| ActivityPub client | Bonfire | ActivityPub | Yes | Yes | Federation |
| ActivityPub client | Pleroma | ActivityPub | Yes | Yes | Federation |
| ActivityPub client | Akkoma | ActivityPub | Yes | Yes | Federation |
| ActivityPub client | Misskey | ActivityPub | Yes | Yes | Federation |
| ActivityPub client | PeerTube | ActivityPub | Yes | Yes | Federation |
| ActivityPub client | Pixelfed | ActivityPub | Yes | Yes | Federation |
| ActivityPub client | Friendica | ActivityPub | Yes | Yes | Federation |
| Diaspora Protocol client (any) | Diaspora Protocol | Varies | Varies | Federation | |
| Diaspora Protocol client | Diaspora* | Diaspora Protocol | Yes | Yes | Federation |
| AT Protocol client (any) | AT Protocol | Varies | Varies | Federation / Relay | |
| AT Protocol client | Bluesky | AT Protocol | Yes | No | Federation / Relay |
| AT Protocol client | Blacksky | AT Protocol | Yes | No | Federation / Relay |
| Roundabout | Roundabout | AT Protocol | No | No | Centralized / Federation |
| Nostr client (any) | Nostr | Varies | Varies | Relay | |
| Nostr client | Damus | Nostr | Yes | No | Relay |
| Nostr client | Amethyst | Nostr | Yes | No | Relay |
| Nostr client | Primal | Nostr | Yes | No | Relay |
Peer production
| Platform | Software | Protocol | Open source | Self-hostable | Model |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zooniverse | Panoptes | Yes | No | Centralized | |
| iNaturalist | iNaturalist | Yes | No | Centralized | |
| Wikipedia | MediaWiki | Yes | No | Centralized | |
| Fandom | MediaWiki (proprietary fork) | No | No | Centralized | |
| Custom wiki | MediaWiki | Yes | Yes | Centralized |
Team
| Platform | Software | Protocol | Open source | Self-hostable | Model |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slack | Proprietary | No | No | Centralized |
Comparing them
- Hosted for you, or self-hosted? A platform someone else runs (a company, or an institution) means no servers to look after, but also less control: its operator sets the terms. Self-hosting gives you control, and the work and costs that come with it: hosting, a domain, backups, updates.
- Open protocol? Platforms built on an open protocol (ActivityPub, AT Protocol, Matrix, Nostr, email) let your members reach people elsewhere, and let you move without losing your connections. See protocol generics and federation.
- Open source? Open source software can be inspected, adapted and run by anyone, so a community isn't tied to one company. See open source.
- What will it cost? The main drivers are whether you host it and whether it carries heavy media; moderation and admin work follows your size and culture whatever you choose. See expected costs.
Once you've chosen, make your community's Card: picking a listed platform fills in its details and the usual costs.