Akkoma vs Sharkey
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted social networks options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Akkoma
Feature-rich fediverse server forked from Pleroma
VS
Sharkey
Feature-rich Misskey fork for the fediverse
| Feature | Akkoma | Sharkey |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Category | Social Networks | Social Networks |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Elixir | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 2,048 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 400 | ★ 600 |
| First released | 2022 | 2023 |
| Replaces | Twitter, Tumblr | Twitter, Mastodon |
What are Akkoma and Sharkey?
Akkoma
Akkoma is a free, open-source fediverse microblogging server forked from Pleroma. It focuses on customization, additional features, and a friendly community while staying lightweight.
- Pleroma-compatible fediverse server
- Extensive customization options
- Mastodon API support
- Bubble timeline feature
Sharkey
Sharkey is a feature-rich fork of Misskey that adds quote posts, improved moderation, and additional customization for fediverse instances. It supports a rich timeline with reactions and drive file storage.
- Quote posts and reactions
- Drive file storage
- Extensive customization
- Improved moderation
Akkoma vs Sharkey: key differences
Akkoma is written in Elixir, while Sharkey is built with TypeScript. Akkoma is the lighter option, starting around 512 MB of RAM against 2,048 MB for Sharkey.
Why pick each one
Choose Akkoma if…
- Lots of configuration options
- Lightweight footprint
Watch out for
- Smaller community
- Hosted on a niche forge
Choose Sharkey if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in TypeScript
Frequently asked questions
Is Akkoma or Sharkey better?
Neither is universally better. Sharkey has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Akkoma and Sharkey free and open-source?
Yes. Akkoma is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Sharkey under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Akkoma and Sharkey with Docker?
Akkoma: yes. Sharkey: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Akkoma or Sharkey?
Akkoma has the smaller minimum footprint at 512 MB of RAM, compared to about 2,048 MB for Sharkey. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.