Best Tools for Mastodon

Best Tools for Mastodon

A comprehensive, curated guide to clients, discovery tools, analytics, moderation helpers, and utilities for Mastodon and the fediverse.

Last updated: January 25, 2026

The fediverse ecosystem includes many tools beyond official apps. This guide categorizes and evaluates clients, utilities, and applications to help you find tools that match your needs.

How We Evaluate Tools

Our recommendations consider several factors:

Active Development: Is the tool maintained? We check commit history, issue responses, and release frequency.

User Experience: How intuitive is the interface? Does it serve its stated purpose well?

Privacy Practices: What data does the tool access or store? Are permissions appropriate for its function?

Platform Support: What devices and operating systems work? Is there cross-platform consistency?

Open Source Status: Is the code available for review? Open source tools offer transparency.

Community Feedback: What do actual users report? We consider reviews and discussion forums.

We revisit evaluations regularly. The fediverse tool landscape changes frequently.

Clients

Clients are applications for reading, posting, and interacting with your Mastodon account.

Desktop Clients

Multi-Column Power Users

Mastodon Web (Advanced Mode)
The official web interface has an advanced multi-column mode. Enable it in preferences for TweetDeck-style columns. Best for users who want power features without installing software.
Whalebird
Cross-platform desktop client with multi-account support and customizable columns. Supports Mastodon, Pleroma, and Misskey. Good for managing multiple identities.
Hyperspace
Clean, modern desktop client with a focus on simplicity. Available for Windows, macOS, and Linux. Good for users who want a dedicated app without complexity.

Minimal/Focused

Sengi
Multi-account desktop client with a clean interface. Columns-based layout similar to TweetDeck. Supports Mastodon and Pleroma.
Toot!
Beautiful macOS/iOS client with a distinctive design. Paid app with strong attention to detail and native feel. One of the most polished options for Apple users.

Mobile Clients

iOS

Official Mastodon App
The official app from Mastodon gGmbH. Clean design, easy onboarding, but limited power features. Good for new users.
Ivory
From the makers of Tweetbot. Premium experience with gesture support, timeline sync, and polish. Subscription-based.
Ice Cubes
Open source iOS client with a native feel. Active development, good feature set, free. One of the strongest open source iOS options.
Mona
Feature-rich iOS client with extensive customization. Columns view, widgets, powerful filtering.

Android

Official Mastodon App
The official Android app. Similar to iOS version—clean but limited. Solid starting point.
Tusky
The most popular open source Android client. Full-featured, well-maintained, and free. The default recommendation for most Android users.
Megalodon
Fork of the official app with additional features. Adds functionality while keeping the familiar interface.
Fedilab
Multi-account client supporting Mastodon, Pleroma, Pixelfed, PeerTube, and more. Extensive features, some advanced options require the paid version.

Discovery Tools

Finding accounts, content, and communities across the fediverse.

Fedi.Directory
Curated directory of interesting accounts across the fediverse. Browse by category to find accounts worth following.
Trunk
Community-maintained lists of accounts by topic. Users self-submit to relevant lists. Good for finding people with specific interests.
FediFinder
Find your Twitter contacts on the fediverse. Searches profiles for Mastodon handles. Useful during migration.
Followgraph
See who accounts you follow are also following. Helps discover accounts popular in your network.

Analytics and Insights

Understanding your reach and engagement.

FediStats
Basic statistics about fediverse instances. Server counts, user numbers, activity metrics. Useful for understanding the landscape.
Mastometrics
Personal analytics for your Mastodon account. Post performance, follower growth, engagement patterns.
FediDB
Comprehensive fediverse statistics database. Instance information, software distribution, network statistics.

Moderation Tools

For instance administrators and personal content management.

FediBlock
Community-maintained lists of problematic instances. Helps admins make informed blocking decisions.
Instance Blocklists
Various community-maintained blocklists for common problem instances. Import into your instance settings.
Built-in Tools
Mastodon's native moderation features are substantial: domain blocks, user suspensions, report handling, and audit logs. Start here before adding external tools.

Accessibility Tools

Making the fediverse work for everyone.

Client Accessibility Modes
Most clients have accessibility settings. Check for reduced motion, high contrast, screen reader support, and font size options.
Alt Text Reminders
Some clients can remind or require alt text before posting images. Look for this setting if image descriptions matter to you.
Custom CSS
The web interface accepts custom CSS via browser extensions. Useful for personal accessibility adjustments beyond built-in options.

Developer Tools

For building fediverse applications.

Mastodon API
Comprehensive REST API for building clients and integrations. Well-documented, stable, widely supported.
Client Libraries
Libraries exist for Python (Mastodon.py), JavaScript (megalodon), Ruby, Go, and most popular languages.
ActivityPub Resources
For building federating services, study the ActivityPub spec and review implementations. See our developer notes.

Choosing the Right Tool

For New Users

Start with the official Mastodon app or web interface. Learn the basics before adding complexity. Graduate to a power-user client when you understand what features you need.

For Power Users

Look for multi-column layouts, keyboard shortcuts, advanced filtering, and multi-account support. Whalebird, Sengi, or web advanced mode are good starting points.

For Instance Admins

Master Mastodon’s built-in admin tools first. Add external moderation tools as needed for specific threats or workflow improvements.

For Developers

Start with the API documentation. Use established client libraries rather than writing HTTP calls directly. Test thoroughly against different server implementations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are these tools safe to use?

We only list tools with established track records. However, always review permissions before authorizing access to your account, and prefer open source tools you can audit.

Why isn't [specific tool] listed?

We can't cover everything. We prioritize actively maintained tools with significant user bases. If you think we're missing something important, let us know.

How often is this list updated?

We review monthly and update when tools change significantly. Check the last updated date at the top of the page.

Do you receive payment for recommendations?

No. All recommendations are based on our evaluation criteria. We don't accept payment for placement or reviews.

What about tools for other fediverse platforms?

This guide focuses on Mastodon. Many listed tools also support Pleroma, Misskey, and other platforms. We note cross-platform support where applicable.

Can I suggest a tool for review?

Yes! Use our contact page to suggest tools. We evaluate suggestions based on our standard criteria.