What Is Bluesky Social? The Jack Dorsey-Backed Twitter Alternative Explained

While many users approve of the changes that Mr. Musk has brought to the platform since taking over in October, others aren’t happy about them. Several celebrities and media companies have abandoned it. Many Twitter users were left confused after the app removed legacy check marks in April.

Those seeking alternatives aren’t finding anything very useful. Some have opted to explore new services such as Mastodon or familiar ones such as LinkedIn. Now they are looking at Bluesky.

“It’s the closest thing to Twitter that is out there,” said Tim Fullerton, president and CEO of digital marketing agency Fullerton Strategies. “The reality is a lot of people are pretty dismayed at the approach Twitter has been taking over the last six months or so, and have been looking for an alternative that is similar.”

On Thursday, Bluesky announced on its platform that it had its biggest single-day jump in new users. (The company didn’t respond to several requests for comment.) The app has already been downloaded in ’s App Store more than 375,000 times worldwide, according to consumer-data group data.ai. As of late April, it is the No. 8-ranked social app in the U.S. on iOS and No. 22-ranked social app in the U.S. Google Play store.

By contrast, Twitter users number in the hundreds of millions.

Prominent figures are flocking to the invite-only app, and you can try to get in, too. Here’s what you need to know.

What Is Bluesky?

While there is a lot of underlying technology that makes Bluesky different from Twitter, on its surface it is very similar. Posts are short, 300 characters max. You can like, reply and repost them. There is a “What’s hot” feed for popular posts and a “Following” feed for accounts you follow.

That is pretty much it, for now. The app is still in development, so there is no direct messaging yet, and users can’t post videos.

How can I join?

To join Bluesky, you need to get on the wait list or know someone who can give you an invite. This kind of crowd control is typical for apps that are in test mode. (Remember Clubhouse?) Bluesky plans to remain invite-only while it works on setting up its moderation system, CEO Jay Graber wrote in a blog post in March.

Users receive one invite code every two weeks, so you might have to cozy up to a few people to get yours. 

Who is on Bluesky?

Some prominent figures on the app include author and TV personality Chrissy Teigen and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Many journalists have also joined.

What is different from Twitter?

Despite the Twitter-like appearance, Bluesky is a decentralized platform, similar to Mastodon. It is based on an open standard that any coder can adopt—again, compare this to email or a webpage, which any tech-minded person can set up using the available protocols. It is “decentralized” because hosting can be done on independent servers, rather than those operated privately by a single company, the way Meta Platforms runs Facebook and Instagram.

Have you sought out Twitter alternatives? Why or why not? Join the conversation below.