Bluesky is a decentralized social network built on the AT Protocol, an open communication protocol designed for distributed social networks. While the company originally started as a research initiative at Twitter (now X) in 2019, Bluesky has been an independent company since 2021. In March 2025, Bluesky established its European headquarters in Belgium.

Key Features

• Decentralized structure not controlled by any single company
• 300 character limit for posts (similar to former Twitter)
• Users can share posts, images, and videos
• "Marketplace of algorithms" where users can choose or create their own feeds
• User-managed moderation and labeling systems
• Ability to use domain-based handles for account verification
• Supports posts, images, and video uploads (25 videos or 10 GB per day)

Privacy and Security

Bluesky offers a three-fold approach to moderation: automated filtering, manual admin actions, and community labeling. This stacks new moderation approaches on top of what centralized social sites already do. The open and composable labeling system for moderation allows anyone to define and apply labels to content or accounts, and lets anyone choose to subscribe to these label sets.

Ideal For

• Users looking for an alternative to centralized social media platforms
• People who want more control over their social media experience
• Privacy-conscious users seeking a platform that respects their data
• Developers wanting to build on an open protocol

Pricing

Bluesky is currently free to use, and the company has stated that the platform will always maintain a free option. There are plans for a premium subscription (Bluesky+) for around €7.50 per month that will offer additional features such as profile customizations, higher quality video uploads, and advanced analytics tools, but this is still in development.