Alternatives to GoToSocial
A lightweight self-hosted ActivityPub social network server written in Go. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.
The original
GoToSocial
A lightweight self-hosted ActivityPub social network server written in Go.
Replacements
Listings that take over the same core job as GoToSocial.
snac
A minimal self-hosted ActivityPub instance written in portable C.
snac is a minimal ActivityPub instance in portable C with a very small footprint for personal use, offering an even smaller feature set than GoToSocial.
Pleroma
Lightweight fediverse server that runs on very modest hardware.
Pleroma is a lightweight AGPL-3.0 fediverse server that runs on modest hardware with a Mastodon-compatible API, though its moderation tooling is less developed.
Akkoma
A self-hostable ActivityPub microblogging server forked from Pleroma, focused on custom expression.
Akkoma is a Pleroma fork adding custom emoji reactions and Misskey-Flavoured Markdown, and it diverges from Pleroma mainline guides.
Mitra
A self-hosted federated micro-blogging server written in Rust that connects to the fediverse over ActivityPub.
Mitra is a Rust micro-blogging server with frequent releases that federates over ActivityPub and works with separate front ends and third-party clients.
Mastodon
Federated microblogging server with no algorithmic feed.
Mastodon is an AGPL-3.0 federated server with more features than GoToSocial, but running it carries real moderation and maintenance cost.
Iceshrimp.NET
A self-hosted ActivityPub microblogging server written in C#, continuing the Iceshrimp project.
Iceshrimp.NET is a C# microblogging server that works with Mastodon client apps and releases regularly, with a focus on performance and stability.
Sharkey
A federated microblogging server forked from Misskey, with added features and a focus on performance.
Sharkey is a Misskey fork with added features and a performance focus, federating with Mastodon, Akkoma and Pixelfed, maintained by a small team.
Misskey
Feature-rich fediverse server with reactions, drive storage and theming.
Misskey offers custom reactions, a built-in file drive and deep theming, but it is heavier to run and most documentation is in Japanese.
Also worth comparing
These listings name GoToSocial as their own alternative, so the relationship runs both ways.
glitch-soc
A friendly fork of the Mastodon server software that adds experimental features on top of upstream.
GoToSocial is a lightweight Go server with safety-focused controls, deliberately offering fewer features than Mastodon and not intended for very large follower counts.
Hometown
A self-hosted fork of Mastodon that adds local-only posting for community-focused instances.
GoToSocial is a lightweight Go server for individuals or small groups, with safety-focused controls but fewer features than Mastodon by design.
Similar software
Related functionality, not a direct replacement.
Feditext
A free, open source iOS client for Mastodon and Mastodon-compatible fediverse servers.
Tusky
A lightweight open-source Android client for Mastodon and other fediverse servers.
Pachli
An open-source Android client for Mastodon and compatible fediverse servers.
Whalebird
A single-column desktop client for Mastodon, Pleroma, Friendica and other fediverse accounts.
Elk
A lightweight open-source web client for Mastodon that runs in the browser.
Phanpy
A minimalistic, opinionated web client for reading and posting on Mastodon from a browser.
