How to Pick a Mastodon Server

The hardest part of getting started on Mastodon is the first step. We explain how to sign up for Mastodon and pick the right server.

Here are a few things to consider when picking a Mastodon server:

1. Content policies: Different servers have different content policies and moderation rules. Some servers may have stricter policies on hate speech or NSFW content, while others may have more relaxed policies. Make sure to read the server’s content policies before joining.
2. Community: Each server has its own community, and you might want to join a server that aligns with your interests or values. You can look for servers that focus on specific topics like technology, activism, or art.
3. Server size: Mastodon servers come in different sizes, some are small with a few hundred users, while others are large with tens of thousands of users. Joining a larger server may give you more people to interact with, but it can also make it harder to stand out or find specific communities.
4. Server location: Some servers are region-specific and may have a better connection for users in that area. Others may have users from all over the world, but with a specific language as the main language of the community.
5. Server uptime: Some servers may have a better uptime than others. This means that the server is more reliable and less likely to experience downtimes or outages.
6. Features: Some servers may offer additional features like polls, live-streaming, and others.
7. Backups: Some servers may offer backups of your data and content, others don’t.

After you’ve considered these factors, you can use the website https://instances.social/ which allows you to search for servers by language, country, and other criteria. Then you can visit the website of the server and read their rules, community guidelines, and content policies before joining.

It’s worth noting that Mastodon is decentralized, so you can join multiple servers and interact with users from different servers at the same time, this is called “federated” meaning that different instances can communicate with each other.