Is the grass greener on the opposite aspect? We’re unsure, however the sky is most definitely bluer. It’s been over two years since Elon Musk bought Twitter, now X, main individuals to arrange store on various platforms. Mastodon, Publish, Pebble (two of which have already shuttered operations) and Spill have been offered as potential replacements, however few other than Meta’s Threads have achieved the pace of progress Bluesky has reached.
As of February 2025, Bluesky has surpassed 30 million customers. Its progress stems from a number of coverage adjustments at X, together with a closely criticized change to the block characteristic and permitting third social gathering corporations to practice their AI on customers’ posts, which helped the app soar to the prime of the U.S. App Retailer. Bluesky additionally noticed an enormous increase following the outcomes of the 2024 U.S. presidential election (which additionally contributed to an X exodus by Taylor Swift followers). However whereas the quantity is promising, the expansion has slowed — and the community has quite a lot of catching as much as do to compete with Threads’ 275 million month-to-month lively customers.
Beneath, we’ve compiled the solutions to a number of the commonest questions customers have about Bluesky. And for those who’ve made the swap, you’ll be able to observe TechCrunch right here in addition to our group with our Starter Pack.
What’s Bluesky?
Bluesky is a decentralized social app conceptualized by former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey and developed in parallel with Twitter. The social community has a Twitter-like person interface with algorithmic alternative, a federated design and community-specific moderation.
Bluesky is utilizing an open supply framework constructed in-house, the AT Protocol, which means individuals outdoors of the corporate have transparency into how it’s constructed and what’s being developed.
Dorsey launched the Bluesky undertaking again in 2019 whereas he was nonetheless Twitter CEO. On the time, he mentioned Twitter can be funding a “small unbiased group of as much as 5 open supply architects, engineers, and designers,” charged with constructing a decentralized normal for social media, with the unique purpose that Twitter would undertake this normal itself. However that was earlier than Elon Musk purchased the platform, so Bluesky is totally divorced from X.
As of Could 2024, Dorsey is not on Bluesky’s board. Bluesky is now an unbiased public profit company led by CEO Jay Graber.
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How do you employ Bluesky?
Upon signing up, customers can create a deal with which is then represented as @username.bsky.social in addition to a show title that seems extra outstanding in daring textual content. In the event you’re so inclined, you’ll be able to flip a website title that you simply personal into your username — so, for instance, I’m identified on Bluesky as @amanda.omg.lol.
The app itself capabilities very similar to X, the place you’ll be able to click on a plus button to create a submit of 256 characters, which may additionally embrace pictures. Posts themselves may be replied to, retweeted, preferred and, from a three-dot menu, reported, shared through the iOS Share Sheet to different apps, or copied as textual content.
You may seek for and observe different people, then view their updates in your “Dwelling” timeline. Beforehand, the Bluesky app would characteristic common posts in a “What’s Scorching” feed. That feed has since been changed with an algorithmic and customized “Uncover” feed that includes extra than simply trending content material.
For brand new customers, Bluesky launched a “Starter Pack” characteristic, which creates a curated listing of individuals and customized feeds to observe to be able to discover attention-grabbing content material proper out of the gate. You will discover TechCrunch’s Starter Pack proper right here.
Person profiles comprise the identical type of options you’d anticipate: a profile pic, background, bio, metrics and the way many individuals they’re following. Profile feeds are divided into two sections, like X: posts and posts & replies. In January 2025, Bluesky additionally added a brand new video tab to person profiles.
There’s additionally a “Uncover” tab within the backside heart of the app’s navigation, which gives extra “who to observe” solutions and a operating feed of lately posted Bluesky updates. In January 2025, Bluesky additionally launched a vertical video feed to compete with TikTok.
We’ve additionally put collectively a useful information on tips on how to use Bluesky right here.
Who’s on Bluesky?
By the start of July 2023, when Instagram’s Threads launched, Bluesky topped one million downloads throughout iOS and Android. Notable figures like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Mark Cuban, Quinta Brunson, Dril, Bizarre Al Yankovic, Guillermo del Toro, Barbra Streisand, and Brazil President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva have migrated to Bluesky.
Bluesky can also be residence to information organizations like Bloomberg, The Washington Publish, and naturally, TechCrunch! Since August 2024, Bluesky can also be now permitting heads of state to enroll and be a part of the platform for the primary time.
In 2025, some outstanding U.S. political figures arrange accounts on the platform, like Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.
Does Bluesky work identical to X?
In some ways, sure. When it first began, Bluesky was rather more pared down and didn’t even have DMs, however this key characteristic has since been carried out, even with emoji reactions. However DMs on Bluesky are at present restricted to one-to-one messages, not group messages. Bluesky has additionally mentioned it’s concerned about implementing one thing just like X’s Group Notes characteristic. Moreover, X doesn’t use a decentralized protocol like ActivityPub or AT. Bluesky has additionally been testing a Trending Matters characteristic and creating its personal picture sharing app referred to as Flashes, which is anticipated to be launched in beta quickly.
In October 2024, Elon Musk introduced that X’s block characteristic would work otherwise than it has prior to now. The brand new block performance permits customers you’ve blocked to view your posts and your profile, however not the flexibility to work together along with your posts. Some customers imagine this replace to be a security concern, resulting in an inflow in Bluesky sign-ups as its block characteristic is extra conventional.
In one other transfer that separates Bluesky from X, the social community mentioned it has “no intention” of utilizing person content material to coach generative AI instruments as X carried out a brand new phrases of service that enables the platform to practice AI fashions on public posts. However that doesn’t cease third events from doing so.
Whereas Bluesky was initially kicked off as a undertaking convened by Jack Dorsey in 2019 when he was CEO of Twitter, the social app has been an unbiased firm since its inception in 2021.
Is Bluesky free?
Sure, and it’s now open to the general public.
How does Bluesky generate income?
Bluesky’s purpose is to seek out one other means to maintain its community outdoors of promoting with paid companies, so it may well stay free to finish customers. On July 5, 2023, Bluesky introduced extra seed spherical funding and a paid service that gives customized domains for finish customers who need to have a singular area as their deal with on the service. Bluesky has additionally emphasised that it doesn’t need to “require promoting person knowledge for adverts” to be able to monetize its platform.
In November 2024, Bluesky introduced it raised a $15 million Sequence A spherical and is creating a subscription service for premium options. Bluesky, nevertheless, famous its subscription mannequin won’t observe within the footsteps of X’s “pay to win” premium choices. Customers have noticed mockups teasing the subscription characteristic, dubbed Bluesky+, which might embrace options like greater high quality video uploads and profile customizations.
In December 2024, Peter Wang introduced a $1 million fund, dubbed Skyseed, that can supply grants to these constructing on Bluesky’s open supply AT Protocol.
Is Bluesky decentralized?
Sure. Bluesky’s group is creating the decentralized AT Protocol, which Bluesky was constructed atop. In its beta section, customers can solely be a part of the bsky.social community, however Bluesky plans to be federated, which means that limitless individually operated communities can exist inside the open supply community. So, if a developer outdoors of Bluesky constructed their very own new social app utilizing the AT Protocol, Bluesky customers might leap over to the brand new app and port over their current followers, deal with and knowledge.
“You’ll at all times have the liberty to decide on (and to exit) as a substitute of being held to the whims of personal corporations or black field algorithms. And wherever you go, your folks and relationships will probably be there too,” a Bluesky weblog submit defined.
What third-party apps are constructed on the AT Protocol?
Many builders are constructing consumer-facing apps on Bluesky or its underlying AT Protocol. These apps are constructed on open expertise, versus being siloed inside huge tech’s centralized, opaque possession.
Some social apps embrace Flashes, a photograph viewing consumer; Spark, a TikTok-like app; and Skylight Social, which is backed by Mark Cuban.
Take a look at our extra complete listing at varied apps constructed inside this ecosystem, together with cross-posting apps, music apps, feed builders, and livestreamers.
Is Bluesky safe?
In October 2023, Bluesky added e mail verification as half of a bigger effort to enhance account safety and authentication on the community. The addition is a vital step ahead when it comes to making Bluesky extra aggressive with bigger networks like X, which have extra strong safety controls. In December 2023, Bluesky allowed customers to decide out of a change that may expose their posts to the general public internet following backlash from customers.
Is Bluesky customizable?
Sure. In Could 2023, Bluesky launched customized algorithms, which it calls “customized feeds.” Customized feeds permit customers to subscribe to a number of totally different algorithms that showcase totally different sorts of posts a person might need to see. You may pin customized feeds that can present up on the prime of your timeline as totally different tabs to choose from. The feeds you pin, or save, are situated underneath the “My Feeds” menu within the app’s sidebar.
In March 2024, the corporate introduced “AT Protocol Grants,” a brand new program that can dole out small grants to builders to be able to foster progress and customization. One of many recipients, SkyFeed, is a customized software that lets anybody construct their very own feeds utilizing a graphical person interface.
Is Bluesky on iOS and Android?
Sure. Bluesky has rolled out to Android customers after it was initially launched to iOS customers. Customers can entry Bluesky on the internet right here.
How does Bluesky sort out misinformation?
After an October 2023 replace, the app will now warn customers of deceptive hyperlinks by flagging them. If hyperlinks shared in customers’ posts don’t match their textual content, the app will supply a “presumably deceptive” warning to the person to alert them that the hyperlink could also be directing them someplace they don’t need to go.
In December 2024, the Bluesky Security group posted that the corporate up to date its impersonation coverage to be “extra aggressive,” including that “impersonation and handle-squatting accounts will probably be eliminated.” The corporate mentioned it’s additionally exploring alternate options to its present area deal with verification course of.
Has Bluesky had any controversies?
Bluesky has been embattled with moderation points since its first launch. The app has been accused of failing to guard its marginalized customers and failing to average racist content material. Following an argument in regards to the app permitting racial slurs in account handles, annoyed customers initiated a “posting strike,” the place they refused to have interaction with the platform till it established guardrails to flag slurs and different offensive phrases in usernames.
In December 2024, Bluesky additionally confronted criticism when author and podcast host Jesse Singal joined the platform. Singal has been cataloged by GLAAD’s Accountability Undertaking for his writings on transgender points and different issues. Bluesky customers have reported Singal’s account en masse, main the corporate to ban him, reinstate him, after which label his account illiberal by its moderation service.
What moderation options does Bluesky have?
In December 2023, Bluesky rolled out “extra superior automated tooling” designed to flag content material that violates its Group Pointers that can then be reviewed by the app’s moderation group. Bluesky has moderation options just like ones on X, together with person lists and moderation lists, and a characteristic that lets customers restrict who can reply to posts. Nonetheless, some Bluesky customers are nonetheless advocating for the flexibility to set their accounts to personal.
In March 2024, the corporate launched Ozone, a software that lets customers create and run their very own unbiased moderation companies that can give customers “unprecedented management” over their social media expertise. In October 2024, Bluesky joined Instragram’s Threads app in an effort to courtroom customers who have been annoyed by Meta’s moderation points.
In January 2025, Bluesky revealed its 2024 moderation report that mentioned it noticed a 17x improve sparsely stories following the fast progress on the platform. The report additionally famous that the biggest variety of stories got here from customers reporting accounts or posts for harassment, trolling, or intolerance — a difficulty that’s plagued Bluesky because it’s grown. To fulfill the calls for attributable to this progress, Bluesky elevated its moderation group to roughly 100 moderators and can proceed to rent.
Bluesky revamped its Group Pointers in August 2025, with a number of the adjustments representing an effort by Bluesky to purposefully form its group and the conduct of its customers.
What’s the distinction between Bluesky and Mastodon?
Although Bluesky’s structure is just like Mastodon’s, many customers have discovered Bluesky to be extra intuitive, whereas Mastodon can come off as inaccessible: Selecting which occasion to affix looks like an unattainable job on Mastodon, and longtime customers are very defensive about their established posting norms, which may make becoming a member of the dialog intimidating. To stay aggressive, Mastodon lately simplified its sign-up circulate, making mastodon.social the default server for brand spanking new customers.
Nonetheless, the launch of federation will make it work extra equally to Mastodon in that customers can choose and select which servers to affix and transfer their accounts round at will.
Who owns Bluesky?
Although Jack Dorsey funded Bluesky, he’s not concerned in day-to-day improvement and not sits on the corporate’s board. The CEO of Bluesky is Jay Graber, who beforehand labored as a software program engineer for the cryptocurrency Zcash, then based an event-planning web site referred to as Taking place.
When you’ve got extra FAQs about Bluesky not coated right here, go away us a remark beneath.
This story was initially revealed in Could 2023 and is up to date frequently with new info.
