Side by side
Friendica vs OpenSourceCommunity
Both stand on community platforms. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan AndroidAPIiPhone+3
Friendica combines familiar social features with federation, privacy controls, and self-hosting options. It is free to use, but running your own instance requires server setup and command-line administration.
Visit Friendica Free plan Self-hostedWeb
Choose OpenSourceCommunity if you want a configurable community platform with discussion, learning, event, chat, and social intelligence tools. Its self-hosted plan costs nothing, but the non-commercial license makes it unsuitable for commercial hosted or managed use without written permission.
Visit OpenSourceCommunityThe facts
| Friendica | OpenSourceCommunity | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | Android, API, iPhone, Linux, Self-hosted, Web | Self-hosted, Web |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | Free or on request |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | friendi.ca | opensourcecommunity.io |
| On community platforms | #26 of 126 | #22 of 126 |
Friendica: what it does well
- Free, open-source software
- Supports ActivityPub, OStatus, and diaspora* federation
- Offers post access lists and private groups
- Users can download personal data
- Can run on public or personal servers
What to know first
- Personal hosting requires a remote GNU/Linux server
- Installation needs command-line access for background tasks
- Self-hosting requires PHP and MySQL
- Public-server features depend on the chosen host
OpenSourceCommunity: what it does well
- 11 configurable, independently deployable modules
- Threaded forums, voting, courses, webinars, and events
- Social monitoring covers 11 listed platforms
- Translation supports Gemini and Claude
- Can be self-hosted on your own infrastructure
What to know first
- Commercial use requires written permission
- No mobile apps
- Fediverse support and a Slack bridge are roadmap items
Alternatives to Friendica Alternatives to OpenSourceCommunity The whole list