4 Of The Best Twitter Alternatives For iPhone And Android
Elon Musk's takeover of Twitter has dramatically changed the app's trajectory. Twitter is breaking away from its roots to become more than just a social media app. Its name and logo were even changed to the letter X to signify this new era. With all of the changes coming to Twitter, it's understandable that many users have become disinterested in the app.
Thankfully multiple Twitter alternatives can fill the void your now-deleted app has left on your phone. These apps offer similar functionality to Twitter, allowing users to view posts on their personalized feeds and interact with them. But that does not mean all of these apps are the same. Notably, social media features vary between apps. Some alternatives, for example, don't offer direct messages or similar features. Customization also differs between apps, as some provide more control than others. So, take a look for yourself at each option and see which one is right for you.
Bluesky
Bluesky, also known as BlueSky Social on iOS, is a fast-growing social media app co-founded by Jack Dorsey, who co-founded Twitter in 2006. Bluesky's biggest draw for many people is that it is decentralized. This means it is not under the control of one authority, as Twitter is. Doing so helps keep your privacy safe as you communicate directly with another user, bypassing a centralized server.
This app allows users to post, reply, or repost content on their page. A What's Hot page also shows what's trending on the app. Additionally, users can search keywords to find what they're looking for in the sea of content. However, Bluesky does not have hashtags or a direct messaging feature.
One of the biggest downsides of Bluesky is you need a reference code to sign up. Each user gets one invite code every two weeks on the app. So, you will need to know someone with the app that also has codes to spare.
Threads
Threads is Meta's answer to Twitter. However, the way Threads presents its text-based content is very different. By default, instead of showing content ordered by the time of publishing, the posts are presented based on algorithm curation. This is almost identical to the way Instagram content is delivered. You can see content that is days old in your feed if the algorithm believes you will enjoy it.
For several weeks, this was the only way to use Threads, making it tough for people who want to see the newest stuff. Meta has now rolled out a chronological feed option, but it's brand new as of July 2023, so be wary of bugs.
What's particularly worrisome about Threads is that although it grew incredibly fast, it declined just as fast. So, finding others to follow on the app may be hard. One of the advantages, however, is that it's fast to set up for users who already have an Instagram account.
Mastodon
Mastodon is another decentralized open-source alternative to Twitter. This app allows users to create profiles, share posts, message users, and use hashtags. Mastodon is organized differently than the rest on this list. Servers, also known as instances, allow users to group up to talk amongst themselves or interact with other instances. Users also have the option to make a server private to stay contained in a little bubble, similar to how Discord servers function.
One of the biggest draws to Mastodon is its simple API. This allows users to create their own third-party apps tailored to their needs and have others join them. Ice Cubes for Mastodon, for example, is a free third-party app for iOS that many believe provides a better user experience than the multi-billion-dollar tech giant Twitter has to offer. This app provides a clean UI without any annoying ads. In addition, it provides customizability, allowing users to organize their timelines, create lists, and pin posts.
CounterSocial
At first glance, CounterSocial looks identical to Twitter. However, the rules in place for the site are very different. Instead of cutting back on banning accounts and deleting posts like Musk did after acquiring Twitter, CounterSocial prides itself on taking out all bad actors before the user can see them. Through its moderation, CounterSocial promises "no trolls, abuse, fake news, or foreign influence ops."
It can provide this experience thanks to its verification services, which, unlike Twitter, cannot be purchased. The app also teamed up with Factlayer to automatically notify the user if certain information is fact or faction, especially concerning politics. It also has a deepfake detector powered by AI that stops deepfake content from spreading.
Notably, CounterSocial does not have ads. The company explains that because of this, it does not need to track users or collect identifying information. It also does not let third-party apps track the user, as it automatically cleans links from tracking parameters.