Bluesky and Nostr, two decentralized alternatives to Twitter, are gaining popularity with users seeking more control over their data and content. However, these platforms are not without their challenges, including slow development progress and limited user adoption. Despite these growing pains, many believe that decentralized social media will be an increasingly important part of the digital landscape in the coming years.
Bluesky and Nostr are two decentralized social platforms that have been growing rapidly since Twitter founder, Jack Dorsey, made controversial changes to Twitter. Both platforms are separate from Mastodon and ActivityPub and are backed by Dorsey himself. Recently, Bluesky released its long-awaited Android app, and its user base is accelerating from 1,000 to 2,500 new members per day, surpassing a total of 33,000 this weekend. Nostr, on the other hand, has a more significant number of users, with as many as 16 million users and 780,000 daily active users across a variety of apps such as Damus, Amethyst, and snort.social.
Both platforms use decentralized protocols such as the AT Protocol, which aims to become the basis for a broad network of interoperable apps and services. Nostr, in particular, has a complex ecosystem that operates using public and private key cryptography, making it challenging to join. In contrast, Bluesky has drawn a more diverse user base, including digital artists, political and social activists, and those who enjoy sharing their daily photos.
Bluesky’s decentralized approach allows usernames to be tied to web domain names, ensuring that anyone connected to bsky.team can be considered official members of the Bluesky team. At the same time, newcomers to both platforms often post about the differences and benefits of using the platforms instead of Twitter. Bluesky is working on improving its features, while Nostr has implemented “Zaps” interactions, which generate meaningful value exchange beyond just likes or reposts.
However, both platforms face various challenges, including moderating and ensuring user safety, improving performance and features, and evolving their ecosystems. Nevertheless, many users are already compiling invites and bringing in leaders and influencers from different affinity groups to migrate communities from Twitter to Bluesky in large numbers.
In conclusion, Bluesky and Nostr are two decentralized social platforms that offer a new approach to social networking, with different ecosystems, types of users, and challenges. The future of these platforms and their growth will depend on how well they can improve their features, ecosystem, and user experience.