Hatsu 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?
Hatsu
Bridge that interacts with Fediverse on behalf of your static site
VS
Mastodon
Decentralized open-source microblogging server
| Feature | Hatsu | Mastodon |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Social Networks | Social Networks |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Rust | Ruby |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 2,048 MB |
| Deployment | docker | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 257 | ★ 50,177 |
| First released | 2025 | 2016 |
| Replaces | — | Twitter, X |
Why pick each one
Choose Hatsu if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in Rust
- Lightweight — runs in 512 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Hatsu or Mastodon better?
Neither is universally better. Mastodon has the larger community, while Hatsu is simpler to set up (medium difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Hatsu and Mastodon free and open-source?
Yes. Hatsu is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Mastodon under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Hatsu and Mastodon with Docker?
Hatsu: yes. Mastodon: yes.