What is Bluesky? Everything to know about the X competitor.

Is the grass greener on the opposite aspect? We’re undecided, however the sky is most definitely bluer. It’s been over two years since Elon Musk purchased Twitter, now X, main individuals to arrange store on different platforms. Mastodon, Post, Pebble (two of which have already shuttered operations) and Spill have been offered as potential replacements, however few aside from Meta’s Threads have achieved the pace of progress Bluesky has reached.

As of February 2025, Bluesky has surpassed 30 million users. Its progress stems from a number of coverage adjustments at X, together with a closely criticized change to the block feature and permitting third occasion firms to train their AI on users’ posts, which helped the app soar to the top of the U.S. App Store. Bluesky additionally noticed a giant increase following the outcomes of the 2024 U.S. presidential election (which additionally contributed to an X exodus by Taylor Swift fans). However whereas the quantity is promising, the growth has slowed — and the community has loads of catching as much as do to compete with Threads’ 275 million monthly active users.

Beneath, we’ve compiled the solutions to a few of the most typical questions customers have about Bluesky. And for those who’ve made the change, you may follow TechCrunch here in addition to our crew 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 consumer interface with algorithmic alternative, a federated design and community-specific moderation.

Bluesky is utilizing an open source 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 venture again in 2019 whereas he was nonetheless Twitter CEO. On the time, he mentioned Twitter could be funding a “small impartial crew of as much as 5 open supply architects, engineers, and designers,” charged with constructing a decentralized normal for social media, with the unique objective 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 no longer on Bluesky’s board. Bluesky is now an impartial public profit company led by CEO Jay Graber.

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. If you happen to’re so inclined, you may flip a website title that you just personal into your username — so, for instance, I’m recognized on Bluesky as @amanda.omg.lol.

The app itself features much like X, the place you may click on a plus button to create a put up of 256 characters, which may additionally embody photographs. Posts themselves may be replied to, retweeted, favored and, from a three-dot menu, reported, shared by way of the iOS Share Sheet to different apps, or copied as textual content.

You may seek for and comply with different people, then view their updates in your “Dwelling” timeline. Beforehand, the Bluesky app would function widespread posts in a “What’s Sizzling” feed. That feed has since been changed with an algorithmic and personalized “Discover” feed that includes extra than simply trending content material. 

For brand spanking new customers, Bluesky launched a “Starter Pack” feature, which creates a curated record of individuals and customized feeds to comply with with a purpose to discover attention-grabbing content material proper out of the gate. You will discover TechCrunch’s Starter Pack right here.

Person profiles include the identical kind 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 new video tab to consumer profiles.

There’s additionally a “Uncover” tab within the backside heart of the app’s navigation, which affords extra “who to comply with” options and a operating feed of not too long ago 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 how to use Bluesky here.

Who’s on Bluesky?

By the start of July 2023, when Instagram’s Threads launched, Bluesky topped a million downloads throughout iOS and Android. Notable figures like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Mark Cuban, Quinta Brunson, Dril, Weird Al Yankovic, Guillermo del Toro, Barbra Streisand, and Brazil President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva have migrated to Bluesky.

Bluesky can be dwelling to information organizations like Bloomberg, The Washington Post, and naturally, TechCrunch! Since August 2024, Bluesky can 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 function has since been implemented, even with emoji reactions. However DMs on Bluesky are presently restricted to one-to-one messages, not group messages. Bluesky has additionally mentioned it’s interested by implementing one thing much like X’s Community Notes feature. Moreover, X doesn’t use a decentralized protocol like ActivityPub or AT. Bluesky has additionally been testing a Trending Topics feature and creating its own photo sharing app known as Flashes, which is predicted to be released in beta soon.

In October 2024, Elon Musk introduced that X’s block feature would work differently than it has previously. The brand new block performance permits customers you may have blocked to view your posts and your profile, however not the flexibility to work together along with your posts. Some customers believe this update to be a safety concern, resulting in an inflow in Bluesky sign-ups as its block function is extra conventional.

In one other transfer that separates Bluesky from X, the social community mentioned it has “no intention” of using user content to train generative AI tools as X carried out a brand new phrases of service that enables the platform to train AI models on public posts. However that doesn’t cease third parties from doing so.

Whereas Bluesky was initially kicked off as a venture convened by Jack Dorsey in 2019 when he was CEO of Twitter, the social app has been an impartial firm since its inception in 2021.

Is Bluesky free?

Sure, and it’s now open to the general public.

How does Bluesky earn a living?

Bluesky’s objective is to search out one other means to maintain its community outdoors of promoting with paid providers, so it may well stay free to finish customers. On July 5, 2023, Bluesky announced 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 consumer knowledge for adverts” in order to monetize its platform.

In November 2024, Bluesky introduced it raised a $15 million Series A round and is creating a subscription service for premium options. Bluesky, nonetheless, famous its subscription mannequin won’t comply with within the footsteps of X’s “pay to win” premium offerings. Customers have noticed mockups teasing the subscription feature, dubbed Bluesky+, which may embody options like greater high quality video uploads and profile customizations.

In December 2024, Peter Wang introduced a $1 million fund, dubbed Skyseed, that can provide grants to these constructing on Bluesky’s open supply AT Protocol.

Is Bluesky decentralized?

Sure. Bluesky’s crew is developing 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 countless individually operated communities can exist throughout the open supply community. So, if a developer outdoors of Bluesky constructed their very own new social app utilizing the AT Protocol, Bluesky customers may bounce over to the brand new app and port over their present followers, deal with and knowledge.

“You’ll all the time have the liberty to decide on (and to exit) as an alternative of being held to the whims of personal firms or black field algorithms. And wherever you go, your pals and relationships will probably be there too,” a Bluesky blog post explained.

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 know-how, versus being siloed inside massive tech’s centralized, opaque possession.

Some social apps embody Flashes, a photograph viewing consumer; Spark, a TikTok-like app; and Skylight Social, which is backed by Mark Cuban.

Try our extra comprehensive list at numerous apps constructed inside this ecosystem, together with cross-posting apps, music apps, feed builders, and livestreamers.

Is Bluesky safe?

In October 2023, Bluesky added email verification as half of a bigger effort to enhance account safety and authentication on the community. The addition is a vital step ahead by way of making Bluesky extra aggressive with bigger networks like X, which have extra strong safety controls. In December 2023, Bluesky allowed customers to choose out of a change that may expose their posts to the public web 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 consumer might need to see. You may pin customized feeds that can present up on the high of your timeline as totally different tabs to choose from. The feeds you pin, or save, are situated below 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 with a purpose to foster progress and customization. One of many recipients, SkyFeed, is a customized device that lets anybody construct their very own feeds utilizing a graphical consumer interface. 

Is Bluesky on iOS and Android?

Sure. Bluesky has rolled out to Android users after it was initially launched to iOS customers. Customers can entry Bluesky on the net here.

How does Bluesky sort out misinformation?

After an October 2023 update, 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 provide a “probably deceptive” warning to the consumer to alert them that the hyperlink could also be directing them someplace they don’t need to go.

In December 2024, the Bluesky Security crew posted that the corporate updated its impersonation policy to be “extra aggressive,” including that “impersonation and handle-squatting accounts will probably be eliminated.” The corporate mentioned it’s also exploring alternatives 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 reasonable racist content material. Following a controversy 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 “more advanced automated tooling” designed to flag content material that violates its Neighborhood Tips that can then be reviewed by the app’s moderation crew. Bluesky has moderation options much like ones on X, together with consumer lists and moderation lists, and a function that lets customers restrict who can reply to posts. Nevertheless, some Bluesky customers are nonetheless advocating for the flexibility to set their accounts to personal. 

In March 2024, the company launched Ozone, a device that lets customers create and run their very own impartial moderation providers that can give customers “unprecedented control” over their social media expertise. In October 2024, Bluesky joined Instragram’s Threads app in an effort to courtroom customers who had been annoyed by Meta’s moderation points.

In January 2025, Bluesky revealed its 2024 moderation report that mentioned it noticed a 17x improve moderately experiences following the speedy progress on the platform. The report additionally famous that the biggest variety of experiences got here from customers reporting accounts or posts for harassment, trolling, or intolerance — a problem that’s plagued Bluesky because it’s grown. To satisfy the calls for attributable to this progress, Bluesky increased its moderation team to roughly 100 moderators and can proceed to rent.

Bluesky revamped its Community Guidelines in August 2025, with a few of the adjustments representing an effort by Bluesky to purposefully form its neighborhood and the conduct of its customers.

What’s the distinction between Bluesky and Mastodon?

Although Bluesky’s structure is much like Mastodon’s, many customers have discovered Bluesky to be extra intuitive, whereas Mastodon can come off as inaccessible: Selecting which occasion to hitch appears like an inconceivable activity 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 not too long ago simplified its sign-up circulation, making mastodon.social the default server for brand new customers.

Nevertheless, the launch of federation will make it work extra equally to Mastodon in that customers can decide and select which servers to hitch 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 known as Happening.

In case you have 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 data.