After the recent changes to Twitter, we’re sure you’ve seen this rise of competing social platforms emerging onto the social landscape. Since purchasing the company in December 2022, Elon Musk has implemented major changes to the social media platform’s policy and user experience. From the introduction of Twitter Blue, daily tweet and viewing restrictions, to feature limitations, the social media platform has had many users seeking an alternative. With what seems like a new platform launching each week, it can be overwhelming to determine which one will work best for you or become another forgotten app on your phone.

Let’s get into what you need to know about some of the most recent Twitter alternatives: 

Threads

We’re sure you’ve been seeing the rapid rise of this next Twitter alternative. So, let’s get into everything you need to know about Twitter vs Threads. With over 70 million downloads within the first few days of its launch, Meta’s new platform lets you connect your Instagram account directly to the app to set up your profile in seconds. Similar to Twitter, you can experience the micro-blogging, real-time conversation that you know and love as you can post photos, videos, pictures, and links within a 500-character limit. The biggest difference between the two apps is the target audience and user content. Threads is based on a younger target audience that wants to have real-time conversations concerning topics that are relevant to them, while Instagram has a slightly higher demographic and is often used by older generations.

Can there be Threads without Instagram? Due to the way Threads is integrated with Instagram, users cannot delete their accounts without deleting their Instagram profiles. While the app pulls information such as your username from your Instagram account, you can customize your bio, links, and profile image rather than importing it straight from your account. Users can set up new Instagram accounts to get around this feature, but the inability to change their username can be a major privacy concern for users that prefer to stay anonymous, such as those within certain in-app communities. Ultimately, the platform is still in the working stages as it lacks well-known features such as hashtag support, bookmarking posts, and access to personal likes or saved posts.

Bluesky
With functionality most similar to Twitter, Bluesky was created by former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey. This is another decentralized platform but with a similar Twitter interface and algorithm. What sets this app apart from many others is its use of AT Protocol, an open-source framework that allows anyone, not just developers, to see how the app was developed and its functions. This allows individuals or organizations to host Bluesky servers for social networking means.

Just like Spill, if you’d like to download the app, you’ll need an invite from an existing user. The app appears to be missing commonly-used features, such as a direct messaging function and the ability to add accounts to lists.