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Dating & Social · head to head

Mastodon vs BeReal

Mastodon logo

Mastodon

Dating & Social

Social networking that's not for sale

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
BeReal logo

BeReal

Dating & Social

Your friends for real

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Mastodon the App Store listing (publisher Mastodon gGmbH) states the official app is free with no subscription tier; as a federated non-profit network there is no vendor-hosted enterprise plan or SLA available to purchase.; BeReal app is free to download with no paid tier disclosed in its App Store listing
  • They diverge on capability: Mastodon covers Decentralization, BeReal covers Daily Photo Prompt.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Mastodon and BeReal actually diverge.

Attributes where Mastodon and BeReal differ
AttributeMastodonBeReal
PlatformsIos, Android, WebIos, Android
Founded20162020

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Dating & Social).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Mastodon

  • Decentralization
  • Custom Servers
  • No Ads
  • Chronological Feed
  • Content Warnings
  • Federation
  • ActivityPub
  • Fediverse

Only in BeReal

  • Daily Photo Prompt
  • Dual Camera Capture
  • RealMojis
  • Discovery Tab
  • Memories
  • Late Posts Tracking

Both cover

  • Ios support
  • Android support

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Mastodon

  • The App Store listing (publisher Mastodon gGmbH) states the official app is free with no subscription tier; as a federated non-profit network there is no vendor-hosted enterprise plan or SLA available to purchase.

BeReal

  • App is free to download with no paid tier disclosed in its App Store listing

Pricing, plan by plan

Mastodon

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Toots
    • Federation
    • Custom Instances

BeReal

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Daily BeReal
    • RealMojis
    • Friends Feed

Which should you pick?

Choose Mastodon if

  • You need decentralization.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Ios, Android, Web.
  • You also want custom servers.
Mastodon review

Choose BeReal if

  • You need daily photo prompt.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Ios, Android.
  • You also want dual camera capture.
BeReal review

Questions people ask

Is Mastodon or BeReal better?
Neither clearly leads. Mastodon starts at Free and BeReal at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Mastodon or BeReal?
Mastodon starts at Free and BeReal at Free.
Does Mastodon or BeReal run on more platforms?
Mastodon runs on Ios, Android, Web. BeReal runs on Ios, Android.
Can I use Mastodon for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What can Mastodon do that BeReal cannot?
Mastodon covers Decentralization, Custom Servers, No Ads, Chronological Feed. BeReal covers Daily Photo Prompt, Dual Camera Capture, RealMojis, Discovery Tab. Both handle Ios support, Android support.
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Related pages

More on Mastodon

More on BeReal

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