What's the difference between Gab and Mastodon?

Gab and Mastodon are both alternatives to Twitter, but they're architecturally and culturally very different. Gab is a single, centralized platform operated by Gab AI Inc. Mastodon is a decentralized network of independently operated servers ("instances") that can communicate with each other.

Architecture

Gab: One platform, one company, one set of rules. Your account at gab.com is on Gab's infrastructure. Gab AI Inc. owns the servers, sets the policies, and operates everything. This means consistent experience, clear accountability, and independent infrastructure that Gab controls.

Mastodon: Thousands of independent servers, each operated by different people with different rules. You join a specific instance (e.g., mastodon.social, fosstodon.org) and interact with users across the network. No single company controls Mastodon — it's a protocol, not a product. Individual instances can block each other.

Community

Gab's community is predominantly conservative, Christian, and libertarian — the result of deplatforming from mainstream social media. Mastodon's community is predominantly left-leaning, tech-focused, and privacy-conscious — the result of who left Twitter voluntarily after Elon Musk's acquisition. These are different communities with different cultures.

Which is right for you

If you want centralized, stable infrastructure with a free speech policy and a conservative-leaning community: Gab. If you want decentralized architecture, community control, and a more leftward or tech-culture environment: Mastodon. The architectures serve different values.