GoToSocial is a free, self-hosted ActivityPub server for running your own fediverse instance. See features, hosting requirements, and alternatives.
GoToSocial is a free, open-source ActivityPub server that lets you run a lightweight, self-hosted social network instance compatible with the broader fediverse, including Mastodon-style clients. It exposes a documented REST API and a minimal web interface, with most users connecting through third-party fediverse apps.
Development began around 2021 under the superseriousbusiness organization and is largely funded by NLnet grants alongside Open Collective and Liberapay community donations, reflecting its status as a community-driven rather than venture-backed project.
GoToSocial offers chronological, algorithm-free timelines, granular post visibility and interaction controls, Markdown formatting, RSS export, and flexible federation modes ranging from fully open to allowlist-only.
Written in Go, it is remarkably lightweight, running on as little as 250-350MB of RAM, making it viable on cheap VPS instances or even single-board computers, a sharp contrast to heavier fediverse servers like Mastodon.
GoToSocial is entirely free and open source under the AGPLv3 license, with no official hosted SaaS tier from the core team.
Running an instance means self-hosting on your own server or VPS, with costs limited to infrastructure and a domain name, though some third-party providers offer paid managed hosting for those who prefer not to self-administer.
GoToSocial is a free, open-source ActivityPub server that lets you self-host your own small, lightweight social network instance compatible with the fediverse.
Yes, GoToSocial is completely free and open source under the AGPLv3 license; you only pay for the server infrastructure you run it on.
Running GoToSocial requires comfort with self-hosting basics like Docker or a VPS, though it does not require writing code.
Yes, GoToSocial implements the ActivityPub protocol and a Mastodon-compatible API, so many existing fediverse client apps can connect to it.
GoToSocial is designed to be lightweight, reportedly running on as little as 250-350MB of RAM, making it suitable for inexpensive VPS instances or small home servers.
Development has been substantially funded by grants from NLnet via the NGI0 Entrust Fund, supplemented by community donations through Open Collective and Liberapay.