Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Gab.ai VS Mastodon

Compare Gab.ai VS Mastodon and see what are their differences

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Gab.ai logo Gab.ai

Gab is an ad-free social network dedicated to free speech.

Mastodon logo Mastodon

Mastodon is a decentralized, open source social network. This is just one part of the network, run by the main developers of the project It is not focused on any particular niche interest - everyone is welcome!
  • Gab.ai Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-04-22
  • Mastodon Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-20

Gab.ai features and specs

  • Free Speech Advocacy
    Gab emphasizes its commitment to offering a platform with minimal content moderation, promoting freedom of expression and allowing users to discuss a wide range of topics without excessive censorship.
  • User Autonomy
    Users have considerable control over their own content and how they engage with others. This autonomy can be appealing to those who feel overly restricted by other social media platforms.
  • Alternative to Mainstream Platforms
    Gab provides an alternative for users who are dissatisfied with mainstream social networks like Twitter and Facebook due to their policies on content moderation, privacy, or other issues.
  • Decentralized Infrastructure
    Gab uses decentralized and open-source software solutions (such as Mastodon), enhancing privacy and reducing reliance on any single company or server.

Possible disadvantages of Gab.ai

  • Content Moderation Concerns
    Minimal content moderation can lead to the platform becoming a haven for hate speech, misinformation, and other forms of harmful content, raising ethical and safety concerns.
  • Reputation Issues
    Gab has gained a reputation as a platform for extremist views and controversial figures, which can deter mainstream users and advertisers.
  • Risk of Deplatforming
    Both app stores and service providers have previously deplatformed Gab due to content on the site, leading to potential accessibility issues for users.
  • Limited Network Effect
    Compared to mainstream social media platforms, Gab has a smaller user base, which can limit the reach and engagement opportunities for its users.

Mastodon features and specs

  • Decentralization
    Mastodon is based on a federated network, meaning it's composed of multiple servers (or instances) that communicate with each other. This reduces the risk of a single point of failure and offers more control over data.
  • User Control
    Users can choose from various instances with different rules and themes, offering more control over the kind of community they want to be part of.
  • Ad-Free
    Mastodon does not rely on advertising for revenue, which means users can enjoy a social media experience without intrusive ads.
  • Open Source
    Mastodon is open-source software, allowing for greater transparency and the opportunity for the community to contribute to its development.
  • Privacy Features
    Mastodon offers comprehensive privacy features, including granular post visibility options and the ability to block and report users.

Possible disadvantages of Mastodon

  • User Base Fragmentation
    Because Mastodon is decentralized, users are spread out over many instances, leading to smaller, fragmented communities that might reduce the reach and variety of interactions.
  • Complexity
    New users might find the federated nature of Mastodon confusing, as they need to choose an instance and understand how different instances interact.
  • Scalability Issues
    Some instances may experience performance issues or downtime, especially smaller ones with limited resources, affecting reliability.
  • Content Moderation
    Each instance sets its own moderation policies, which could lead to inconsistencies in how harassment, spam, and inappropriate content are handled.
  • Feature Parity
    Mastodon might lack some features available on more mainstream social networks, such as advanced search capabilities or integrated multimedia tools.

Gab.ai videos

The Meltdown of Gab - Hypocrisy Overload

More videos:

  • Review - Gab Review
  • Review - Conservative social network Gab shut down

Mastodon videos

Mastodon - Emperor of Sand ALBUM REVIEW

More videos:

  • Review - MASTODON Emperor of Sand Album Review | Overkill Reviews
  • Review - A Closer Look at Mastodon, The Twitter Killer!
  • Review - Mastodon App: The Social Media Alternative to Twitter? | Tech News Briefing Podcast | WSJ
  • Review - 5 Reasons to DITCH TWITTER For Mastodon!
  • Review - No, Mastodon Will Not Replace Twitter

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Gab.ai and Mastodon)
Social Network
35 35%
65% 65
Social Networks
32 32%
68% 68
Decentralized Social Network
Social & Communications
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Gab.ai and Mastodon

Gab.ai Reviews

We have no reviews of Gab.ai yet.
Be the first one to post

Mastodon Reviews

  1. Coralie Davis
    Account Suspension Without any Proper Reason

    The social networking sites that will ban your account without mentioning any reason.

    👍 Pros:    Worst support

Top 12 Alternative Social Media Platform to Consider: An Overview
Imagine a Twitter fuelled by independent communities, not a tech giant. That's Mastodon. It's not one platform, but a network of servers, each with its own vibe, from artists and journalists to cat lovers and techies. You choose your server, connect across them, and post "toots" with longer text, images, and videos. Think open-source Twitter with more freedom and...
The 10 Best Twitter Alternatives if You’re Thinking of Quitting X
However, the segmented nature of its network means it can take time to find and build your niche, and it won’t have the immediate, global reach of Twitter. Regarding features, Mastodon mirrors Twitter with timelines and @mentions, but it’s ad-free.
4 Twitter alternatives for brands considering leaving Twitter in 2024
You won't find an algorithm on Mastodon. Instead, it shows users posts that the people they follow repost or comment on. This dynamic means it's really important to engage with your community and build organic reach.
Source: zapier.com
15 Best Reddit Alternatives in 2024: Find Your New Online Community
The best overall alternative depends on your specific needs. Discord offers versatile communication options, while Mastodon provides a decentralized approach. For a more Reddit-like experience, Lemmy or Voat might be suitable choices.
10+ Top Facebook Alternatives That Value Your Privacy in 2024
It is ad-free and the system does not track you or collect your data. Only servers that agree to the “Mastodon Server Covenant” (a commitment to integrity) are listed on the main site.

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Mastodon seems to be a lot more popular than Gab.ai. While we know about 721 links to Mastodon, we've tracked only 4 mentions of Gab.ai. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Gab.ai mentions (4)

  • Inflection-2.5: meet the best personal AI
    If you want uncensored.. https://gab.ai. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
  • This dude made an alternative Reddit on a blockchain. Crazy
    I don't understand how you can stop spam yet not have the structures in place to censor forbidden views or opinions. Without admin moderation you get 50 million flavours of porn (like old Usenet servers) some of which will be illegal porn, a massive slice of QAnon and conspiracy (like Odyssee and gab.ai), information and propaganda useful to terrorists (like the old totse.com) and dark web drug markets. Source: about 3 years ago
  • Bring back Internet comment sections!
    This already exists in the "Dissenter browser" made by the folks over at gab.ai. This could work as a third party extension, but direct support from Brave would instantly draw controversy as it's perceived that the only reason Dissenter exists is to support toxic radical right wingers. Source: over 3 years ago
  • I agree with them, but I can see liberals hate for the second season in this post
    I feel that there is still space for a platform for content creators which is away from any restrictions. I was talking to a lawyer friend of mine about drafting a user agreement which makes it impossible for anyone to sue any content creator or the platform, or for any government or group to force removal of content. but in the end we figured that we would need a back to back agreement with our service... Source: almost 4 years ago

Mastodon mentions (721)

  • Someone at YouTube Needs Glasses
    I wish PeerTube had a "flagship" instance like mastodon.social [0] for Mastodon or lemmy.world [1] for Lemmy. The lack of a generalist instance with open sign-ups hinders the adoption. [0] https://mastodon.social/ [1] https://lemmy.world/. - Source: Hacker News / about 18 hours ago
  • Try Switching to Kagi
    In comments on Mastodon he also finds a way to twist this into an anti-EU rant: https://mastodon.social/@gruber/114418346006131728. - Source: Hacker News / 2 days ago
  • Ask HN: What are you working on? (April 2025)
    For awhile I've been working on an MPE MIDI controller called the Mosaichord. It uses a tuning system called just intonation, where the frequencies of all the notes are related to each other by whole number ratios. I'm using a scale that has 28 notes per octave. Keys are pressure sensitive. A few weeks ago I got a video of one of my friends playing it at a show: https://mastodon.social/@DesiderataSystems... - Source: Hacker News / 3 days ago
  • Exercise before bed is linked with disrupted sleep
    According to this book foxes are light weight because they jump to capture prey https://mastodon.social/@UP8/114389122128299887 So far as my fox is concerned [1] I know it puts a lot of stress on my hindquarters (wants to be pronograde?) and to express itself wants to use a range of postures and motion wider than I find comfortable. [1] https://yokai.com/kitsunetsuki/. - Source: Hacker News / 6 days ago
  • Don't make it "like Google"
    I think I meant the same thing as you, see https://mastodon.social/@UP8/110417985807049704 Notably the Google app icons commit the same sin that many multi-colored designs make in that they don't prefer any part of the color wheel over other parts in a particular symbol which makes all the symbols look effectively grey. I think of Scott McCloud's critique of the use of color in Stan Lee-era Marvel Comics and how... - Source: Hacker News / 7 days ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Gab.ai and Mastodon, you can also consider the following products

X (Twitter) - Connect with your friends and other fascinating people. Get in-the-moment updates on the things that interest you. And watch events unfold, in real time, from every angle.

Friendica - Decentralisation - Privacy - Interoperability

Facebook - Connect with friends, family and other people you know. Share photos and videos, send messages and get updates.

Diaspora - The online social world where you are in control.

PixelFed - PixelFed is a federated image sharing platform, powered by the ActivityPub protocol.

Reddit - Reddit gives you the best of the internet in one place. Get a constantly updating feed of breaking news, fun stories, pics, memes, and videos just for you.