Pixelfed & Loops: Authentic Sharing, Reimagined

Instagram hasn't changed in a decade: more ads, an algorithm deciding what you see, and your photos effectively becoming the platform's asset. Decentralized alternatives have been promised for years, but a genuinely good mobile client kept missing. Canadian developer dansup's Pixelfed fills the gap: an ActivityPub-based photo network with no ads, no algorithm and no tracking, interoperating with the whole fediverse including Mastodon. This campaign covers a full product line — Loops for federated short video, Sup for encrypted instant messaging, and Pubkit, an ActivityPub developer toolkit. The official apps are live on iOS and Android (the iOS app briefly ranked above Bluesky and Telegram), and every dollar raised goes toward full-time development and establishing the Pixelfed Foundation. Launched in January 2025, it drew 2,171 backers and about CA$139K (roughly $97K), around 278% funded.