Mastodon vs Microblog.pub
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted apps from related categories — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Mastodon
Decentralized open-source microblogging server
VS
Microblog.pub
Self-hosted single-user microblog for the fediverse
| Feature | Mastodon | Microblog.pub |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Social Networks | Blogging Platforms |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Ruby | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 2,048 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 50,177 | ★ 1,156 |
| First released | 2016 | 2018 |
| Replaces | Twitter, X | Twitter, Tumblr |
Why pick each one
Frequently asked questions
Is Mastodon or Microblog.pub better?
Neither is universally better. Mastodon has the larger community, while Microblog.pub is simpler to set up (medium difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Mastodon and Microblog.pub free and open-source?
Yes. Mastodon is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Microblog.pub under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Mastodon and Microblog.pub with Docker?
Mastodon: yes. Microblog.pub: yes.