Lemmy Explorer helps users browse Lemmy instances and communities through an instance and community directory.
instances.social vs Mastodon instances
How do instances.social and Mastodon instances compare? Here are the facts side by side: pricing, platforms, open-source status and what each one is for.
| Directory detail | instances.social | Mastodon instances |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | instances.social asks users about their preferences to help choose a Mastodon instance. | Browse a directory of Mastodon instances; the supplied page provides no additional details about selection or listings. |
| Website | ||
| Type | Website | Website |
| Topic | ||
| Pricing | Not confirmed | Not confirmed |
| Platforms | Web | Web |
| Open source | Not stated | Not stated |
| Language | — | — |
| Alternatives |
Other options to consider
Sites similar to both instances.social and Mastodon instances.
Masto.host hosts Mastodon instances and lets communities choose service plans, with options that can be upgraded as needs change.
Fetch missing replies and posts from other Fediverse instances and add them to your Mastodon instance with FediFetcher.
This repository contains the source code for a directory of Mastodon instances, helping users browse available servers.
The Mastodon browser add-on simplifies following and interacting with users on remote instances.
Interact with Mastodon instances from the command line using tootstream.




