Mastodon vs Smithereen
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?
Mastodon
Decentralized open-source microblogging server
VS
Smithereen
Federated social network with a familiar layout
| Feature | Mastodon | Smithereen |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Social Networks | Social Networks |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Ruby | Java |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 2,048 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 50,177 | ★ 547 |
| First released | 2016 | 2020 |
| Replaces | Twitter, X | Facebook, VK |
Why pick each one
Choose Smithereen if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in Java
Frequently asked questions
Is Mastodon or Smithereen better?
Neither is universally better. Mastodon has the larger community, while Smithereen is simpler to set up (medium difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Mastodon and Smithereen free and open-source?
Yes. Mastodon is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Smithereen under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Mastodon and Smithereen with Docker?
Mastodon: yes. Smithereen: yes.