Whalebird

About Whalebird

Whalebird is a desktop client for the fediverse with a single-column layout similar to Slack. It supports Mastodon, Pleroma, Friendica, Firefish, GoToSocial and Pixelfed, lets you switch between several accounts, and keeps timelines current through streaming. New notifications appear as desktop notifications.

It includes several color themes, among them a dark theme like Mastodon's web interface, and collapses the side menu on narrow windows. The same developer makes Fedistar for people who prefer a multi-column layout. Whalebird is free software funded by sponsorship rather than advertising.

Details

Pricing

FreeFree software with no advertising, supported by GitHub Sponsors donations.

License

Open source, license not stated

Developer

Akira Fukushima

Platforms

Windows, macOS, Linux

How it runs

Downloadable app

Account

Required

Works offline

No

Best suited for

Fediverse users who want a native-feeling desktop app instead of a browser tab

Categories

Social networks

Last verified

September 24, 2026

Added

September 24, 2026

Provenance

Facts checked against the developer's own pages and store listings, 1 sources on file.

Software that can replace Whalebird for an important use case, and what changes if you switch.

• 

  Tokodon

  KDE's client for Mastodon and other fediverse servers, for Linux and Windows.

  FreeOpen sourceWindowsLinux

  Tokodon is KDE's native client for Linux and Windows with options to hide boosts and replies, but it has no macOS build and focuses on Mastodon-compatible servers.

• 

  Tuba

  A GTK desktop client for browsing and posting on Mastodon and the wider fediverse.

  FreeOpen sourceWindowsLinuxAndroid

  Tuba is a GTK client for Linux, Windows and Android with scheduled posts, polls and admin tools, and it drops macOS support.

• 

  Elk

  A lightweight open-source web client for Mastodon that runs in the browser.

  FreeOpen sourceWeb

  Elk runs in any modern browser as an open-source Mastodon interface, replacing a desktop app with a web client focused on Mastodon accounts.

• 

  Phanpy

  A minimalistic, opinionated web client for reading and posting on Mastodon from a browser.

  FreeProprietaryWeb

  Phanpy is a minimal, opinionated web client for Mastodon that runs in the browser rather than as a native desktop app.

• 

  Ice Cubes

  An open-source Mastodon client for iPhone, iPad and Mac, written in SwiftUI.

  FreeOpen sourcemacOSiOS

  Ice Cubes is a native SwiftUI Mastodon client for Mac, iPhone and iPad, adding mobile apps but dropping Windows and Linux.

• 

  Ivory

  A Mastodon client for iPhone, iPad and Mac from the makers of Tweetbot.

  PaidProprietarymacOSiOS

  Ivory is a closed-source Mastodon app for Mac, iPhone and iPad with synced timeline position, and it is paid after the trial.

Whalebird as an alternative

Listings that name Whalebird as an alternative.

• 

  Raccoon for Friendica

  An open source Kotlin Multiplatform client for Friendica and Mastodon accounts.

  FreeOpen sourceAndroidiOS

  Whalebird is an open-source desktop client for Windows, macOS and Linux supporting Friendica, Mastodon and others, with no mobile version and a single-column layout.

Similar software

Related functionality, not necessarily a direct replacement.

• 

  Mastodon

  Federated microblogging server with no algorithmic feed.

  FreeOpen sourceWebSelf-hosted
• 

  Pleroma

  Lightweight fediverse server that runs on very modest hardware.

  FreeOpen sourceWebSelf-hosted
• 

  Friendica

  Federated social platform that bridges to Mastodon, diaspora*, email and RSS.

  FreeOpen sourceWebSelf-hosted
• 

  GoToSocial

  A lightweight self-hosted ActivityPub social network server written in Go.

  FreeOpen sourceSelf-hosted
• 

  Fedilab

  A multi-account Android client for Mastodon, Pleroma, Friendica, Pixelfed and PeerTube.

  FreeOpen sourceAndroid