Social Media Marketing

Mastodon Statistics 2024

Is Mastodon the next big social media platform? Explore here to uncover key Mastodon user statistics and valuable insights to inform your decision.

Article By Harshita Sharma
Reviewed by Malav Warke
Last Updated On - Nov 5, 20246 min read
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Mastodon, a name that evokes thoughts of prehistoric giants, has emerged as a challenger in the social media world.

But is it just a fad, or a real contender? 

Let's delve into the numbers and see if Mastodon is more than just a buzzword.

Stable release

May 30, 2024

Platforms

iOS, Android, Linux, BSD, Sailfish OS, macOS, Microsoft Windows

Available in

93 languages

Type

Microblogging

Website

joinmastodon.org

Mastodon, the decentralized social network, has been gaining traction in recent years. But with a federated structure and unique functionalities, how big is Mastodon exactly? 

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Mastadon Audience Demographics

Audience composition can reveal a site's current market share across various audiences. 

Mastodon's social audience is 71.61% male and 28.39% female. 

The largest age group of visitors are 25 - 34 year olds.

Source: SimilarWeb

Mastodon Statistics 2024

Latest Mastodon user count 2024

Monthly Active  users:-

Feb, 2023

1,366,993

Mar, 2023

1,246,292

Apr, 2023

1,204,341

May, 2023

1,136,021

June, 2023

1,141,149

July, 2023

2,094,949

Aug, 2023

1,814,400

Sept, 2023

1,671,429

Oct, 2023

1,746,458

Nov, 2023

1,614,879

Dec, 2023

1,540,509

Jan, 2024

1,499,987

Feb, 2024

994,944

Source: Mastadon-analytics 

As of June 2024, the platform boasts over 10 million registered users across various instances. This number is continually increasing as more people seek alternatives to mainstream social networks.

Approximately 1.5 million users are active on Mastodon monthly. This active user base highlights the platform's ability to retain users and foster ongoing engagement

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Mastodon User Base and Growth

Mastodon's user base experienced a dramatic surge following Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter (now known as X) on October 27, 2022. On October 28 alone, the platform saw an influx of 70,000 new users.

Over the ensuing months, this trend continued, resulting in Mastodon gaining over five million users and nearly ten thousand instances by late 2023.

By June 2024, Mastodon boasted over 10 million registered users across its various instances. This growth trajectory underscores a noteworthy migration of users seeking alternatives to mainstream social networks, driven by concerns over centralized control and data privacy.

Mastodon Usage Statistics

1. Posts and Interactions

On average, Mastodon users generate over 10 million posts (or "toots") per month. This high level of activity indicates a vibrant and engaged community. User interactions, such as likes and re-toots, further amplify content reach and engagement.

2. Content Diversity

The content on Mastodon is as varied as its user base. Popular topics include technology, privacy, social justice, art, and hobbies. The platform's open-source nature allows for the creation of custom instances tailored to specific themes, contributing to the diversity of content.

Users by Country:-

Distribution of Mastadon.Social Website traffic is shown below and it speaks volumes about users of Mastadon. 

Country

Audience %

All devices

Desktop

Mobile

United States

30.35%

1M

47.7%

52.3%

Japan

23.15%

765.2K

3.34%

96.66%

Qatar

9.48%

313.22K

100.0%

0%

Germany

4.55%

150.54K

78.44%

21.5%

France

2.89%

95.55K

27.18%

72.82%

The majority

The majority of the Mastodon audience comes from the US followed by Japan and Qatar

3. Number of Instances

Mastodon operates on a federation model, meaning there is no single server but rather a network of interconnected servers (instances). There are currently over 4,000 active Mastodon instances, each with its own rules, moderation policies, and community guidelines.

4. Instance Size

Instances vary in size from small communities with a few hundred users to large, general-purpose instances with tens of thousands of users. The largest instances include mastodon social and mstdn.jp, which host over 100,000 users each.

5. Geographical Distribution

Mastodon instances are distributed globally, with a significant presence in North America, Europe, and Asia. This global distribution ensures a diverse range of perspectives and content, enriching the user experience.

Mastadon Vs Twitter

Mastodon, which shares similar micro-blogging features to Twitter, gained roughly 500 thousand users within ten days of Elon Musk's Twitter takeover on October 27th, 2022.

When comparing Twitter and Mastodon, the differences are stark. 

Twitter, with its centralized model, boasts approximately 450 million monthly active users generating around 500 million tweets per day. Its content spans a broad spectrum, moderated by global policies, which sometimes leads to controversy regarding censorship.

In contrast, Mastodon, a decentralized platform, has over 10 million registered users and about 1.5 million active monthly users, producing around 10 million toots per month.

Posts and Interactions

Twitter users generate a vast amount of content, with 500 million tweets per day, driven by high engagement through likes, retweets, and replies.

 Mastodon's community-focused interactions within niche communities result in approximately 10 million toots per month. This difference underscores Mastodon's emphasis on quality over quantity and more meaningful interactions.

Twitter's content spans a broad spectrum, including news, entertainment, sports, and more, moderated by global policies that sometimes lead to controversy regarding censorship. 

Mastodon's diverse topics reflect its varied user base, with niche communities focusing on specific interests like technology, privacy, and art. The decentralized moderation approach of Mastodon allows for rules and guidelines, providing a more personalized user experience.

Content Moderation

Twitter's centralized moderation with global policies often leads to uniform enforcement that may not suit all users. Mastodon's decentralized moderation, with instance-specific rules, allows for more granular control, making it possible for each instance to enforce its community standards. 

Server Distribution

Twitter's centralized server model contrasts sharply with Mastodon's federation model, which consists of over 4,000 independent instances. This federated approach offers enhanced data privacy and greater control over content, aligning with growing concerns about data security and platform control.

Metric

Twitter

Mastodon

Total Users

450 million monthly active users (MAUs)

1.5 million users monthly active

Posts and Interactions

500 million tweets per day

10 million toots per month

Text-based character limit 

500 Characters

280 Characters

Engagement Metrics

High likes, retweets, replies

Community-focused likes and re-toots

Topics and Trends

Broad spectrum: news, entertainment, sports, etc.

Diverse, with niche communities (tech, privacy, art)

Content Moderation

Centralized moderation with global policies

Decentralized moderation with instance-specific rules

Server Distribution

Centralized server model

Federation model with over 4,000 instances

Data Privacy

Concerns due to data collection for ads/analytics

Enhanced privacy, user control over data

Control Over Content

Limited by Twitter’s policies and algorithms

Granular control, instance-specific policies

Mastadon with Creatosaurus

Mastodon, the decentralized social network, offers a unique platform for creators and thinkers to connect with their audience. But standing out in a sea of long-form content can be challenging. Here's how Creatosaurus can make your work easy:-

Mastodon Statistics 2024
  • Even seasoned writers face creative slumps. Creatosaurus' AI-powered content generation features can help you brainstorm engaging post ideas and overcome writer's block. 
  • Generate captivating headlines, introductions, or even outlines for your in-depth Mastodon posts.

 Long-form content can be overwhelming for readers. Use Creatosaurus' design tools to visually structure your Mastodon posts, breaking them down into digestible sections and using visuals to enhance clarity

Conclusion on Mastodon Statistics

Despite the dip in active users, Mastodon remains a viable alternative for those seeking a social media experience with more control and user ownership. 

Whether you're a privacy-conscious social media veteran or simply curious about a new platform, Mastodon offers a unique experience. However, be prepared for a different approach compared to traditional social media.

Further Readings on Mastodon Statistics

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Snapchat Statistics 2024: Stats Marketers Must Know

Pinterest Statistics: 2024 Key Insights

Bluesky Social Statistics (bsky): 2024 Key Insights & Trends

1. How many users does Mastodon have?

Ans: Mastodon reports the total number of registered accounts, which was over 10 million in March 2023. 

2. Why is there a difference between registered and active users?

Ans: Unlike platforms like Twitter, Mastodon doesn't require a central server. This makes it harder to track active users definitively. Some users might sign up but never become active, while others might use multiple accounts.

3. Is Mastodon growing or shrinking?

Ans: The total number of registered accounts shows impressive growth. However, active user numbers seem to be declining after an initial surge.

Article byHarshita SharmaI am Proficient in problem solving with Writing & Research. Also, I am helping people to boost their SERP Rankings grow 2x faster with my Web Content Writing Skills.

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