Mastodon Has a New Plan to Make Money: Hosting and Support Services for the Open Social Web
Mastodon has a new plan to make money: Hosting and support services for the open social web. The nonprofit behind the popular decentralized social platform is moving beyond donations and grants, introducing a revenue model designed to support organizations that want to join the fediverse without the technical headaches.
Image Credits:Mozilla
This shift marks an important moment for Mastodon, which has long positioned itself as a community-driven alternative to centralized platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Meta’s Threads.
Why Mastodon Is Launching Paid Hosting
For years, Mastodon relied heavily on donations, Patreon backers, and grants to fund development. While this worked during peak growth moments, it wasn’t a sustainable long-term plan.
By introducing paid hosting, moderation, and support services, Mastodon is giving organizations a way to set up their own servers without deep technical know-how. Think of it like the difference between running your own WordPress installation and using a fully managed service like WordPress.com or Bluehost.
What the Open Social Web Really Means
The “open social web,” also known as the fediverse, is a collection of interconnected platforms powered by ActivityPub. With it, different apps can talk to each other, creating a network that isn’t locked into a single corporate-owned platform.
Mastodon is the best-known ActivityPub platform, but it’s far from alone. Threads, Pixelfed, PeerTube, Misskey, and Lemmy all use the same protocol. Even major platforms like WordPress, Ghost, and Drupal have started integrating ActivityPub through plugins.
Hosting Services Tailored for Organizations
Not every organization wants to rely on public Mastodon servers. Many prefer to run their own instances where they can set their own rules, control moderation, and create unique communities.
The problem? Setting up and maintaining a Mastodon server can be complex. That’s where Mastodon’s new hosting services come in. The platform’s team will handle the technical setup, server management, and even offer moderation support if needed.
This model not only lowers the barrier to entry but also creates a clear path for Mastodon to fund its future.
Why This Move Matters
By offering hosting and support services for the open social web, Mastodon is aligning itself with a broader movement toward decentralization. As more people grow wary of corporate-controlled platforms, interest in independent, community-driven alternatives continues to rise.
For organizations, Mastodon’s new offering makes joining the fediverse less intimidating. For Mastodon itself, it’s a sustainable business model that keeps the platform’s nonprofit values intact while ensuring growth.
The Bigger Picture
Mastodon’s hosting services could help spark faster adoption of the fediverse by making it easier for schools, media outlets, nonprofits, and even small businesses to create their own spaces online.
And with ActivityPub gaining traction across multiple platforms, Mastodon is positioning itself as the go-to service provider for organizations looking to be part of the open social web without technical barriers.
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