🐘 Mastodon instances overview

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Instances are not restricted to their theme. This list may be useful for new users who wish to choose an instance by theme (better advice: choose instance by looking at its administrator's timeline! and read local rules)

Notable mention

// some are open only to particular audience, i.e., to students of university

• https://social.lab.cultura.gov.br - by FOSS lab of Brazilian Ministry of Culture
• https://mastodon.mit.edu - for the MIT community
• https://mastodon.acc.sunet.se - by Academic Computer Club at Umeå University, Sweden
• https://mastodon.iut-larochelle.fr - by University of La Rochelle
• https://mastodon.redbrick.dcu.ie - by Redbrick, computer networking society of Dublin City University
• https://mastodonevry.ovh - for l'Université d'Evry-Val-d'Essonne students
• https://mastodon.etalab.gouv.fr - for French public servants who are involved in innovative projects

Run by tech-savvy organizations

• https://chaos.social - CCC related
• https://framapiaf.org - by Framasoft, association promoting FOSS, providing privacy-respecting services
• https://mastodon.dotopia.dk - by DO:TOPIA, Denmark based tech activism collective
• https://mastodon.hackerlab.fr - by Hackerlab
• https://mi.pede.rs - by Hacklab-in-Mama hackerspace, Zagreb
• https://social.weho.st - by WeHost, non-profit internet service provider, Amsterdam
• https://m.g3l.org - by G3L, libre software association
• https://mastodon.nzoss.nz - by New Zealand Open Source Society
• https://mamot.fr - by Quadrature du Net, association for the defence of digital rights and freedoms
• https://mastodon.roflcopter.fr - by Roflcopter, CHATONS member
• https://mastodon.zaclys.com - by Zaclys, association offering francophone privacy-respecting services
• https://social.buffalomesh.net - by Buffalomesh, mesh network in Buffalo, NY
• https://social.chinwag.im - by Chinwag project
• https://eunivers.social - by Eunivers online edition
• https://mastodon.freifunk-muensterland.de - by Freifunk Muensterland
• https://unixcorn.xyz - by Unixcorn

Instances for techies

• https://infosec.exchange - infosec and IT security discussions
• https://naos.crypto.church - powers of cryptography and cryptanalysis
• https://zerohack.xyz - hacking centric: programming, Linux, BSD, Ethics, whatever
• https://geeks.one - for humans and geeks
• https://mastodon.technology - for people interested in technology
• https://fosstodon.org - dedicated to Free & Open Source Software
• https://floss.social - for people who support or build Free Libre Open Source Software
• https://tuxspace.net - for Linux lovers, users, sysadmins, and the like
• https://mastodon.horde.net.br - to bring together enthusiasts of free software
• https://miaou.drycat.fr - for geeks, FOSS and cat lovers, CHATONS member
• https://mastodon.partecipa.digital - conversations about IT, Open Source, Linux
• https://pao.moe - cat, FOSS, nix
• https://linuxrocks.online - dedicated to Linux and technologies
• https://functional.cafe - for people interested in functional programming and languages
• https://social.csswg.org - for anyone interested in CSS or general web development
• https://oldbytes.space - for old hardware fans
• https://mathstodon.xyz - for Maths people
• https://cb.ku.cx - all things Technology, hacking, security and reverse engineering
• https://bsd.network - for *BSD users and devs
• https://fasterwhen.red - automotive- and engineering-related topics
• https://recurrent.network - all things artificial neural network-related
• https://idevs.id - home to developer, programmer, coder
• https://vpn.tv - for VPN operators, users and enthusiasts

Gamedev

• https://mastodon.gamedev.place - gamedev and related professions
• https://elekk.xyz - by gamers, for gamers
• https://mastodon.sergal.org - general trends toward tech, games, and everything fluffy
• https://robloxcommunity.social - for those part of or interested in the ROBLOX and RBXDev community
• https://social.noff.co - for tech, gaming, and good times
• https://unityjp-mastodon.tokyo - Unity Japan
• https://gonext.gg - esports-centric with focus on competitive gaming
• https://gamemaking.social - amateur videogame making: game writers, game players welcome

Game / Book / Show theme

• https://tenforward.social - theme Star Trek
• https://moseisley.club - theme Star Wars
• https://wowsdon.xyz - theme World of WarShips
• https://kirakiratter.com - for Aikatsu fans
• https://donphan.social - for Pokémon enthusiasts
• https://inkopolis.cafe - for Splatoon 2 players

Humanities

• https://mastodon.art - for artists
• https://mastodon.cc - for art
• https://paintacu.be - painting community
• https://artalley.porn - for artists and commissioners
• https://baraag.net - freely share all types of art, uncensored, 18+
• https://bookwor.ms - for book-lovers
• https://booktoot.club - for sharing and discussing books
• https://www.bookbeezhive.com - for authors and their readers
• https://writing.exchange - community for poets, writers, bloggers
• https://wandering.shop - science fiction and fantasy community
• https://imaginair.es - for writers, photographers, painters, cartoonists and people with imagination
• https://social.nasqueron.org - for creative people, writers, developers and thinkers
• https://bookwitty.social - dedicated to discovering books
• https://vis.social - for anyone into data, visualization, creative coding, related arts and research
• https://photog.social - place for your photos
• https://music.glitch.pizza - dedicated to talking about and sharing music
• https://linernotes.club - for fans of recorded music
• https://ausglam.space - for Australian galleries, libraries, archives, museums and records people
• https://spooky.pizza - for linguists and linguist-adjacent people

Sciences

• https://scholar.social - for researchers, undergrads, journal editors, librarians, administrators
• https://scicomm.xyz - discussions for scientists and science enthusiasts
• https://mastodon.huma-num.fr - dedicated to the higher education and research
• https://tusk.schoollibraries.net - to help educators improve the School Libraries Resource Network

Hobbies

• https://makestuff.club - for people that make stuff
• https://pod.social - for podcast creators, listeners, and enthusiasts
• https://radiosocial.org - for radio amateurs, DXers and anyone interested to geek out about radio
• https://smusi.ch - for musicians, by musicians
• https://metalhead.club - for metal friends
• https://electro.social - for electronic music enthusiasts, and electro music makers
• https://mastodon.flights - focused on travel, world affairs and jet setting lifestyles
• https://boardgames.social - for board gamers and the games they love
• https://pipes.social - hobby of pipe collecting and pipe smoking
• https://mastodon.beerfactory.org - for beermakers
• https://mastd.racing - dedicated to motosports
• https://2ndamendment.social - have the freedom to discuss, share and show off your guns
• https://onthesecond.com - for those who Love liberty, guns, and independence
• https://digipres.club - conversations about digital preservation
• https://newtype.institute - anime-centric community
• https://weebs.moe - anime, manga
• https://occult.camp - focused on spitituality, witchcraft and various shades of woo
• https://witchcraft.cafe - for witches
• https://witchey.club - for anyone curious about witchcraft
• https://hodl.social - place to discuss Stellar, cryptocurrencies and blockchain

Language specifics

• https://esperanto.masto.host - for those interested in Esperanto
• https://masto.pt - for people speaking Portugese
• https://tooot.im - main instance language is Hebrew
• https://persadon.com - for Persian speaking folks
• https://the.wired.sehol.se - for Hungarian speakers
• https://toot.si - Slovenian (multilingual) instance
• https://tootcn.com - Chinese instance
• https://mamut.social - primarily for Spanish speaking people

Regional

• https://bonn.social - Bonn, Germany
• https://toot.berlin - Berlin, Germany
• https://muenster.im - Münsterland, Germany
• https://ruhr.social - Ruhr area, Germany
• https://ps.s10y.eu - like-minded people in Brussels, Belgium
• https://mastoton.fi - Finland
• https://snabeltann.no - Norway
• https://www.sosial.eu - Norway
• https://mastodon.se - Sweden
• https://gr.social - Greece
• https://babelut.be - Belgium
• https://mastodont.cat - Catalonia
• https://occitanie.social - Occitania
• https://bne.social- Queensland, Australia
• https://mastodon.uy - Uruguay
• https://mastodon.scot - Scotland, or who identify as Scottish
• https://mastodon.me.uk - UK tech community
• https://manx.social - the Isle of Man
• https://masto.donte.com.br - Brazil
• https://mastodon.floripa.br - companies and startups in Florianópolis, Brazil
• https://mastodonchile.club - users latinos, especially from Chile
• https://pnw.social - citizens of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Western Montana, and Alaska
• https://riverwest.xyz - Riverwest neighborhood of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
• https://toot.memtech.website - Memphis tech community, USA
• https://techandbeer.social - tech and beer in Orlando, USA
• https://valleypost.us - residents and stakeholders in the Valley, USA
• https://mspsocial.net - Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
• https://kokomo.space - community of Kokomo city, Indiana, USA
• https://opensocial.africa - for Africa, by Africans

Political and social views

• https://todon.nl - for leftists, socialists, anarchists, Marxists, social democrats, social liberals
• https://hispagatos.space - for hackers, social anarchists, and anarchist hackers
• https://libertarian.chat - a community driven instance for people who love liberty
• https://voluntary.world - for voluntaryists, anarcho-capitalists, non-aggression centered activists
• https://anarchism.space - for social anarchists
• https://insoumis.social - for comrades, combatants, fighters
• https://sosh.network - for freedom of thought, of opinion, of conversation
• https://roughseas.xyz - for libertarians, classical liberals, right-of-center thinkers, gun owners
• https://thepeanut.farm - for center-leftists worldwide
• https://sunbeam.city - focusing on the solarpunk aesthetic (anarchist, anti-capitalist, utopian)
• https://anticapitalist.party
• https://cheeky.red

Economics, business

• https://social.outsourcedmath.com - discussing finance and investing
• https://hiddan.net - a safe space for entrepreneurs

Ecology, animal lovers

• https://mastodon.latransition.org - francophone movement for ecological transition
• https://toot.cat
• https://pets-in.space

Safe spaces

• https://trans.town - all trans people welcome
• https://queer.party - for queer folk and non-queer folk alike
• https://queer.town - space for queer people to be positive and have fun
• https://social.wxcafe.net - for social justice activists, LGBTQIA+ people
• https://lgbt.io - for LGBT+ and allies
• https://tech.lgbt - for tech workers, academics, students, and others in tech who are LGBTQA+ or allies
• https://instance.business - a safe place for nonwhite people on the fediverse
• https://pipou.academy - emphasis on kindness
• https://biscuit.town - feminist movement and queer/lgbt+
• https://eldritch.cafe - for queer, feminist and anarchist people

For people with a sense of self-irony

• https://i.write.codethat.sucks
• https://sleeping.town - for people who like to sleep
• https://bibeogaem.zone - "nice place for silly people"
• https://society.oftrolls.com - mild trolling encouraged, but not required
• https://ephemeral.glitch.social - toots are ephemeral and disappear after a while
• https://dolphin.town - instance where you can only say the letter 'e'
• https://botsin.space - for bots

Characters

• https://dragon.style - for dragons, and people who like dragons
• https://monsterpit.net - for monsters, demons, aliens, strange creatures, and those who love them
• https://equestria.social - for pony fans

Subcultures

• https://yiff.rocks - for furries, by furries

Notable generalistic

// biased personal choosing of small-to-medium sized instances that may be happy to have new users

• https://projectx.fun - will be open for up to 100 users, for sanity and sustainability
• https://nulled.red - refuses to block or silence any instances
• https://waifu.one - no censorship, no instances are blocked
• https://ieji.de - no logs, has Tor .onion address
• https://inscope.social - for those who help to get us onto the best possible future
• https://tootplanet.space - beautiful landing
• https://assortedflotsam.com - instance committed to truth in discourse
• https://bigdoinks.online - a small community for jokes, goofs, and bits
• https://social.wiuwiu.de - powered by 100% clean energy
• https://mstdn.fr - by sysadmins, with a goal to provide robust experience for tens of thousands of users
• https://sn.angry.im - wise recommendation to set up own node, if possible, for healthy ecosystem
• https://scifi.fyi - runs glitch-soc, a version of Mastodon with experimental new features
• https://mastodonten.de - an instance for nice people
• https://mstdn.gnous.eu - instance francophone
• https://mcr.cool - for good and fun times
• https://7nw.eu - always running on the last tagged release
• https://social.openalgeria.org
• https://social.datensturm.net
• https://mastodon.fun
• https://nicepeople.social
• https://trillion.social
• https://toot.chat
• https://tootme.de
• https://kyot.me

Disclaimer

Following instances skipped: closed registration at the moment of checking, running old code, theme / description not understood due to language barrier or scarce description, long blocklists, experimental servers.

Add your own themed Mastodon instance by opening an issue or via MR. If your server already has many users, it will be nice of you to let other instances grow, for a healthier decentralization.

Other research links

• Friendica world overview
• Fediverse pirate servers
• Mastodon server distribution research by Leah