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Loops vs Douyin: catalog facts
Loops	Douyin
Free Free to use, with no ads, and the server can be self-hosted.	Free Free to watch; a wallet supports in-app top-ups.
Android, iOS, Web, Self-hosted	Windows, macOS, Web
Federates with Mastodon and other ActivityPub services Following and For You feeds without ads	Large catalogue of Chinese video content Usable in a browser without installing anything
Much smaller creator base than commercial short-video apps Running an instance takes server administration skills	Interface mostly in Chinese Login needed for likes, history and uploads
Downloadable app, Web application, Self-hosted	Downloadable app, Web application
Open source	Closed source
License not stated	License: Proprietary
Not stated if an account is needed	No account needed
Not stated if it works offline	Needs internet
Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 23, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked October 1, 2026

Catalog facts only. Anything “not stated” is unconfirmed. Check full listings for details.