Elgg vs Mastodon
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted social networks options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Elgg
Framework for building social networks
VS
Mastodon
Decentralized open-source microblogging server
| Feature | Elgg | Mastodon |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Social Networks | Social Networks |
| License | GPL-2.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | PHP | Ruby |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 2,048 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,680 | ★ 50,177 |
| First released | 2004 | 2016 |
| Replaces | Facebook Groups, Yammer | Twitter, X |
Why pick each one
Frequently asked questions
Is Elgg or Mastodon better?
Neither is universally better. Mastodon has the larger community, while Elgg is simpler to set up (medium difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Elgg and Mastodon free and open-source?
Yes. Elgg is licensed under GPL-2.0 and Mastodon under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Elgg and Mastodon with Docker?
Elgg: yes. Mastodon: yes.