Alternatives to Damus
A Nostr social network client for iOS, Android and desktop that needs no email or phone number. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.
The original
Damus
A Nostr social network client for iOS, Android and desktop that needs no email or phone number.
Replacements
Listings that take over the same core job as Damus.
Primal
A social client for the Nostr protocol on the web and mobile, with a built-in wallet.
Primal is a free Nostr client for Android, iOS and the web with a built-in wallet, and has no paid membership mentioned, unlike Damus Purple.
Nostur
A native Nostr client for iPhone, iPad and macOS with multiple accounts and Lightning zaps.
Nostur is an open-source native Nostr client for iPhone, iPad and macOS with multiple accounts, a guest mode and on-device post export, but no Android version.
Iris
A web client for the Nostr decentralised social network, with a view of your social graph.
Iris runs in a web browser with nothing to install, adding an editable relay list and a social graph view, but has no native mobile apps.
Coracle
A web client for the Nostr decentralised social protocol, aimed at everyday users.
Coracle is a free browser-based Nostr client aimed at newcomers, replacing Damus's native apps with a web interface and publishing little detail on its homepage.
noStrudel
A feature-rich web client for browsing, posting to and exploring the Nostr social network.
noStrudel is an MIT-licensed open-source Nostr web client with a wide feature set that you can self-host with Docker.
YakiHonne
A Nostr client focused on long-form articles, short notes and curated collections of content.
YakiHonne is a Nostr web client centred on long-form articles and curated collections as well as short notes.
Also worth comparing
These listings name Damus as their own alternative, so the relationship runs both ways.
Bluesky
Decentralized Twitter-style network built on the open AT Protocol.
Damus puts you on the Nostr protocol with no email or phone needed to sign up and built-in Lightning tipping, but you must safeguard your private key yourself.
Farcaster
A client app for Farcaster, a decentralised social network where you own your identity.
Damus is a Nostr client for macOS, Android and iOS that needs no email or phone number to sign up, but you must keep your private key safe.
Similar software
Related functionality, not a direct replacement.
strfry
A self-hosted relay server for the Nostr protocol that stores and forwards events for clients.
nostr-rs-relay
A self-hosted Nostr relay written in Rust that stores events in SQLite.
zap.stream
An open-source live streaming site built on Nostr, with Bitcoin Lightning payments to streamers.
Flotilla
A Discord-style community app built on Nostr relays, delivered as a progressive web app.
Openvibe
A mobile app that combines Mastodon, Bluesky, Threads and Nostr timelines into one feed.
