Alas! Twitter was such a massive hit. But since the new leadership took the helm, people have been searching for a new home they could microblog on in the same way. And though all isn’t doom and gloom yet, let’s check out something upfront without waiting for a complete (Twitter) blackout.
Mastodon
This is probably the first one you might have heard about. Mastodon, in a nutshell, is Twitter in countless different parts (servers) that can interoperate. To get started, you need to join a server or create one if no one is letting you in. There are many servers, some readily allowing registrations and others manually approving the participants. One can search servers based on the region or the topic they are interested in to apply. Once signed up, you can follow other servers and people, and it’s mostly like Twitter afterwards.
CounterSocial
The first impression will be–that’s STRANGE! And it is. CounterSocial presents the majority of its anatomy in columns you can scroll individually. You have a TV space in the bottom left, file sharing in the bottom right, and notifications, community updates, and people you follow taking the center. Most of CounterSocial is free, but you can update to Pro for added prowess. CounterSocial also features CounterRealms, virtual reality spaces created by its members. You can check out the existing ones, or create yours to join with or without a VR headset. CounterRealms are similar to Metaverse and useful for remote meet-ups and community events. Overall, CounterSocial has its appeal, although it does present microblogging a bit differently.
GETTR
GETTR is a Twitter lookalike. Free to join, and you can get started even without an email or phone number. The interface is clean, and you already know what to expect coming from Twitter. However, GETTR also has a live stream functionality (currently in beta), which will help content creators do much more than microblog. Overall, GETTR seems a perfect Twitter alternative with added features and an interface we already are used to.
Koo
Koo is another Twitter double. The interface is familiar but with yellow accents this time. You get suggestions about notable personalities and trending hashtags based on your region. A few interesting features include a multilingual interface, profile picture carousel, etc. Overall, it’s another worthy Twitter substitute you can also have in your local language.
Plurk
Plurk might feel like the weirdest Twitter alternative on this list, but it has its fans, nevertheless. Timelines come horizontally, and you’re awarded karma for your activity. You make friends, can follow, and post (Plurk) for others to react. Your timelines consist of your Plurks and those you follow or befriend. Looks aside, I felt Plurk is Twitter but laid down with anime backgrounds.
Minds
Minds is a great place for creators wishing to monetize through this open-source microblogging (and more) platform. This rewards you MIND tokens (ERC-20) for creating popular content. Subsequently, you can tip other content creators or promote your own content with them. However, the real earning potential is locked behind a monthly subscription–Minds Pro. This allows you to get SUPERMIND requests for MIND tokens or a small fee (minimum $10) paid by your fans. With Minds Pro, you can also make your website with a custom domain. Besides, there is Mind+, a community-powered streaming service for users to unlock premium content from their favorite content creators. Notably, Minds Pro includes Minds+, and both of them verify your channel, turn off ads, give a badge, etc., to prove authority. Overall, Minds is more than Twitter (and some of YouTube) and has decent monetization strategies for content creators.
Diaspora
Diaspora is a lot like Mastodon and a Twitter alternative where you host your own servers (pods) or join others. This starts with choosing a pod based on the number of users and uptime or location. Subsequently, you can make a profile depicting your real identity or alias to connect with others. Similar to Mastodon, not all pods are open to new entrants. An interesting feature allows social media integration with Twitter, Tumblr, and WordPress accounts (more to come). This will connect you with your network even if they aren’t on Diaspora.
Tribel
Tribel appears as a blend of Twitter and Facebook with plenty of whitespaces. I liked the interface and the sections dividing the updates from friends, people I follow, the latest Tribel content, and trending posts. In addition, you can customize your feed by selecting specific categories, excluding the ones you don’t like or from a single you want to explore. More likes allow you to earn a star contributor badge if you outpace 90% of the Tribel creators. Moreover, the top 5% will be gold star contributors, while the rest (6-10%) stay with the silver star contributor badge. Finally, Tribel is for people seeking a break from Twitter and Facebook and wanting something in between.
Cohost
Currently, Cohost asks the new participants for a few days waiting period to join or pay for a subscription for instant activation with added features like a greater upload limit, more avatars, etc. You can share, like, and follow but can’t comment or post till confirmation. I found the interface good but not as slick as anyone coming from Twitter would like it to be. Another thing missing is a tab to find the trending content as the newsfeed is just about the people you followed. Still, it’s unique and in the early stages for the users to complain much.
Did you find your Twitter alternative?
The demand for Twitter alternatives will rise till we find a clear winner. To me, GETTR, Koo, and Tribel felt good. Mastodon and Diaspora are also great options for private communities. Finally, you should try Minds for monetization. Anyways, I’ll be on the lookout to add more to this list. See you later! PS: It’s just not Twitter; most of us have many social accounts that aren’t easy to manage separately. However, you can take a look at this list of social media management tools to do the heavy lifting for you.
