Beyond Bluesky: AT Protocol Social Apps

The Evolution of Bluesky and the AT Protocol

Just over a year ago, Bluesky was launching public access and quickly became recognized as a prominent alternative to X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, following its acquisition by Elon Musk. Currently, the Bluesky social network has surpassed 36.5 million users.

However, the significance extends beyond Bluesky itself. The underlying technology, the AT Protocol (often shortened to ATProto), is now powering the development of numerous applications.

These applications are designed to interoperate, forming an open social web. The developers contributing to this ecosystem convened at the inaugural AT Protocol conference, ATmosphere, in Seattle in late March 2025.

Insights from ATmosphere

ATmosphere served as a forum for developers to gain insight into the future trajectory of ATProto. Discussions centered on existing challenges and considerations for building within this novel social app environment.

Participation wasn't limited to in-person attendees; many joined remotely, viewing presentations and engaging in community discussions via a dedicated Discord channel.

Rebuilding the Social Web

The ATProto community aims to recreate aspects of Web 2.0, the earlier iteration of the social web. This included platforms like social media sites, blogs, wikis, and various collaborative services.

A key difference this time is the foundation of open technology, moving away from the centralized, siloed services often controlled by large technology companies.

Bluesky pioneered this approach, but its long-term success hinges on the broader open social web movement gaining traction.

AT Protocol-Based Applications

Below is a compilation of consumer-facing applications built on the AT Protocol or Bluesky. These applications empower users with greater control over their social networking interactions and personal data.

It’s important to note that many of these projects are still in their initial stages of development, yet they demonstrate the potential of this expanding ecosystem.

Please note: This list is continually updated. If you believe an app should be included, please contact sarahp@techcrunch.com. This compilation focuses on applications available for current user interaction, excluding smaller projects or developer tools.

Photo and video-sharing apps	Analytics
Livestreaming	Cross-posting
Feed builders	Social reviews
Social trends	Music and audio apps
Alternative Bluesky clients	Games/experiences
Events	Utilities
Blogging	Other apps

Photo and video-sharing apps

Flashes

Flashes presents itself as an alternative to Instagram, originating from Berlin-based developer Sebastian Vogelsang’s previous creation, Skeets – a client for Bluesky.

Publicly launched in late February, Flashes rapidly gained traction, achieving 30,000 downloads within its initial 24 hours. This success is attributed to its provision of a familiar Instagram-like experience. Users are able to upload photos and videos, with a recent update extending video length support to 3 minutes.

The application features photo filters, artist-curated feeds, customizable feeds, and a dedicated Portfolio Mode for photographers to display their work.

Spark

Initially known as Reelo, Spark is a video-centric application constructed upon the AT Protocol, extending beyond just Bluesky. This foundational choice enables a wider range of functionalities.

Future developments for Spark include support for extended video durations, a variety of filters and effects, an integrated music library, and ultimately, livestreaming capabilities.

Skylight Social

Developed by Seattle-based co-founders Victoria White and Reed Harmeyer, Skylight leverages the Bluesky platform. It incorporates standard social features like likes, follows, comments, and user profiles.

The app’s ongoing development is actively documented on the TikTok page of one of its co-founders, with the team consistently adding new features, including video support. Currently, Skylight is undergoing testing on both iOS and Android devices.

Pinksky

Pinksky is among the growing number of applications aiming to establish an Instagram alternative utilizing the ATProto protocol. Created by developer Ramon Souza, the app is accessible on both iOS and Android platforms.

Its core focus mirrors that of classic Instagram, emphasizing photo-sharing. Features include user profiles, a feed displaying photos and videos, and a Stories section where content remains visible for a 24-hour period.

Bluescreen (TikTok alternative)

Also the work of Vogelsang, Bluescreen is an application currently in development, designed to showcase videos posted to the Bluesky social network.

Videos for Bluesky

Simply named Videos for Bluesky, this application is built on Bluesky by MszPro, also known as Hoshida Takiyoshi, an independent developer from Japan. Like other platforms, it allows users to browse videos from the Bluesky network.

The interface is designed for vertical scrolling, resembling TikTok, and includes familiar buttons for Like, Repost, and Reply.

Skyswipe

Skyswipe is another video application for Bluesky, modeled after TikTok. It distinguishes itself through a gesture-based interface, Reddit-inspired threaded comments, support for custom feeds, bookmarks, and reposting functionality.

Currently, the app is available for beta testing via TestFlight.

Omni

Omni provides an iOS client for Bluesky, specifically tailored for sharing short-form video content. Furthermore, the application incorporates AI-driven content planning tools and integration with e-commerce platforms.

The app is presently undergoing beta testing.

Livestreaming

Streamplace

Streamplace represents a novel approach to video broadcasting, being the inaugural livestreaming service constructed upon the AT Protocol. The platform recently facilitated the live broadcast of the ATmosphere conference held in Seattle, delivering a user experience comparable to established services.

It provides support for high-definition video, real-time streaming, short-form clips, and standard video uploads. Crucially, all video content is cryptographically signed by its originator, ensuring adherence to creator-defined consent settings.

The foundation of Streamplace leverages the same public key infrastructure utilized by decentralized social networking platforms, enhancing security and user control.

Eli Mallon is the founder of Streamplace. Initial funding was provided through Livepeer, a decentralized video platform where Mallon was previously employed.

Livepeer manages a crypto treasury used for strategic investments in emerging projects, which enabled the initial development of Streamplace.

Mallon envisions a future where the technology empowers content creators, such as those on Twitch, to forge direct connections with their audiences.

This direct connection would be facilitated through creators’ own applications or websites, bypassing the revenue-sharing model currently imposed by platforms like Twitch, owned by Amazon.

Streamplace aims to offer an alternative, prioritizing creator autonomy and direct fan engagement.

Feed Builders

Graze

Graze is an innovative startup designed to simplify the creation, personalization, publication, and administration of Bluesky feeds. Future plans include options for monetization through advertising, sponsored content, and subscription models.

The service operates directly with the Bluesky firehose, formally known as Jetstream, granting access to all publicly available posts on the social platform.

Surf

Surf, a new application from Flipboard, empowers users to construct personalized feeds drawing from diverse sources across the open web. These sources encompass Bluesky, Mastodon, RSS feeds, and more.

Users are able to integrate news articles, blog entries, podcasts, and YouTube content into their custom feeds alongside social media posts. Surf then facilitates browsing of both personal feeds and those shared by the community, categorized by various topics and interests. Currently, Surf is undergoing private beta testing, with a signup form available for interested parties.

SkyFeed

SkyFeed functions as a web-based client for Bluesky, offering a TweetDeck-style interface for managing feeds and profiles. It allows users to create a customized dashboard for streamlined viewing.

A significant number of users utilize SkyFeed due to its capability to build custom feeds, even without coding experience, utilizing lists or regular expressions.

Communication / Social Discovery

Germ

Germ aims to provide more than just a messaging alternative, such as Signal. Its core concept centers on establishing a social platform designed for diverse connections.

These connections could be for purposes like marketplace transactions, dating, or general social networking. A key feature is user control over data sharing, with the ability to revoke access at any time.

Currently available as an end-to-end encrypted messenger via the App Store, Germ enables the creation and management of multiple identities. Furthermore, communication can be initiated with individuals even without the app installed.

This is facilitated through Apple’s App Clips technology, offering a streamlined app experience on iPhones prior to full application download.

The company was founded by Tessa Brown, a writer and Stanford lecturer serving as CEO, and Mark Xue, a former Apple privacy engineer and CTO. The team is actively developing an integration with Bluesky.

This integration will allow users to securely communicate with their contacts on the Bluesky platform.

Roomy

Roomy is a peer-to-peer messaging application constructed on the AT Protocol. It shares similarities with Discord, but leverages open standards for its functionality.

Specifically, ATProto is utilized for social discovery, while Automerge powers the peer-to-peer capabilities. The project receives financial support from Skyseed and is presently undergoing alpha testing.

Users can access Roomy using their Bluesky account and engage in direct messaging with other users. Messages are encrypted, though it’s important to note this is an experimental project.

The encryption hasn’t been formally audited, so caution is advised. Some metadata, such as conversation partners, is not encrypted, but the message content remains private.

Important Note: While promising, Roomy is still under development and shouldn’t immediately replace established secure messaging apps like Signal.

Emerging Social Media Trends

Dazzle.fm

Dazzle.fm, created by former Stability AI engineers John Sabath and Conner Ruhl, presents a platform designed to interpret the extensive data stream from Bluesky. It categorizes information and spotlights prevailing trends across diverse subjects.

Currently, a significant portion of discussions on Bluesky center around political topics. However, Dazzle’s functionality extends to uncovering conversations and themes beyond the political sphere.

Users can personalize their Dazzle experience by providing instructions to align the platform with their specific interests. For instance, a user might request information on a particular topic, excluding posts containing political content. This allows for focused feeds, such as local news without national political coverage, or content exclusively from users expressing positive sentiments.

The system aims to enable seamless transitions between these AI-generated modes without requiring users to manually construct custom feeds. Instead, desired content preferences – or exclusions – can be entered through a chat-like interface, prompting Dazzle to dynamically adjust and deliver matching posts based on the specified “vibe.”

Sill

Sill functions as a link aggregation service, consolidating updates from alternative social networks like Bluesky and Mastodon into a single, convenient location. It shares similarities with the earlier Nuzzel platform, which Twitter acquired as part of the Scroll deal in 2021, subsequently integrating it into its own application.

Nuzzel was particularly favored by individuals closely following the news, enabling them to monitor trending topics, articles, and shares among Twitter users.

Sill is also an early adopter of Bluesky’s OAuth implementation for the AT Protocol, replacing the need for app passwords and streamlining the login process. Upon connection, users gain access to the most widely shared links and associated discussions across their connected services.

Frontpage

Built upon the ATProto foundation, Frontpage is a decentralized and federated link aggregator. It provides a streamlined interface for organizing and prioritizing compelling posts and links shared throughout the social network.

The platform also incorporates features for commenting and receiving notifications.

BlueFacts — Bluesky Trends & Insights

The BlueFacts application delivers a means of identifying noteworthy individuals and trending topics on Bluesky. It also provides user rankings, growth statistics, content performance data, and feed management tools.

This application can be particularly valuable for social media professionals seeking a deeper understanding of popularity on Bluesky, or for anyone aiming to discover engaging accounts to follow.

Alternative Bluesky Clients

Skeets

Developed also by Vogelsang, Skeets presents a different approach to accessing Bluesky, prioritizing accessibility. It functions effectively across both iPhone and iPad devices.

Deck.blue

Resembling TweetDeck in functionality, Deck.blue is a web application that allows users to customize their viewing experience. It enables the display of multiple columns, showcasing feeds like Home and Notifications, alongside custom feeds and lists.

Furthermore, the application supports managing multiple accounts and scheduling posts for future publication.

Dragonfly

Dragonfly provides an alternative client application for Bluesky users operating on macOS and iPad. Support for additional platforms is currently under development.

This app aims to incorporate features not currently available in the official Bluesky application, notably including bookmarking capabilities and draft support. It operates on a subscription model, offering monthly, annual, and one-time purchase options – $0.99/month, $9.99/year, or $24.99 respectively.

Beeskie

Specifically designed for Windows users, Beeskie is a free and open-source application. Its interface is crafted to align with the established Windows design language.

Currently in its beta phase, the app offers a foundational set of features and is undergoing continuous development and improvement.

Skywalker

Skywalker delivers a third-party Bluesky experience to Android users. It introduces several sought-after features, such as the ability to bookmark posts and save drafts for later use.

Boost Blue

Boost Blue is another Bluesky client concentrating on functionalities currently absent from the official platform. These include draft and bookmark support, spoiler avoidance, the ability to mute reposts from specific users, and reading position preservation.

Additionally, the app allows for the inclusion of clickable links within post text. It is available for free download on both iOS and Android operating systems.

Tokimeki for Bluesky

Created for Android users, Tokimeki for Bluesky is a third-party client offering features like multi-column views, multi-account management, draft saving, bookmarking, and real-time updates.

Events

Smoke Signal

Smoke Signal functions as an event and RSVP management system, representing a Bluesky-compatible option to platforms like Eventbrite or Facebook Events. Leveraging the ATProto framework, Smoke Signal incorporates OAuth functionality.

This allows users to explore communities and both establish and confirm attendance for events. Importantly, users retain control over their personal data throughout the process.

OpenMeet

OpenMeet provides an ATProto-based alternative to the popular Meetup.com service. It is an open-source platform designed to facilitate the creation of diverse groups.

These groups can be centered around shared interests, professional networking, or community involvement, with the platform enabling event scheduling and management. Users are able to discover local events and activities and engage in secure communication with fellow group members.

Privacy is a key focus, with the service emphasizing the protection of user information. Development and maintenance of OpenMeet are driven by a community of open-source contributors.

Blogging

White Wind

White Wind is a blogging platform designed for the AT Protocol. It functions as a Markdown-based service, enabling users to log in utilizing their existing ATProto account.

The platform provides a suite of features for content creation. These include image uploading capabilities and post preview functionality.

All user data and blog posts are securely stored within the user’s PDS (Personal Data Service).

A unique aspect of White Wind is its integration with Bluesky. Replies made on Bluesky are automatically incorporated into the corresponding blog post.

Analytics

BlueSkyHunter

BlueSkyHunter functions as a comprehensive suite of growth and analytics tools specifically designed for the Bluesky social network. It also provides a method for identifying emerging trends within the platform.

A dedicated section within the application, known as Viral Posts, highlights content that is gaining significant traction. This feature can be invaluable for content strategists seeking to capitalize on current trends, memes, or popular content formats utilized by other users.

Fedica

Fedica provides a web-based dashboard enabling users to create and schedule posts across a diverse range of social media platforms. These include Bluesky, Threads, X, Mastodon, and Pixelfed.

Beyond these, Fedica also integrates with more established social applications such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, and YouTube. Its subscription plans incorporate a variety of functionalities, including social listening capabilities, hashtag and keyword tracking, post performance monitoring, and detailed follower analytics.

FollowBlue

FollowBlue is geared towards assisting businesses on Bluesky in gaining authentic and relevant followers. It also provides tools for monitoring growth metrics and employs a follow bot to facilitate audience expansion.

The service features a tool designed to categorize, filter, and identify potential followers. Furthermore, it includes an automated unfollow function, removing users who do not reciprocate follows to maintain a healthy follower-to-following ratio.

Cross-posting Solutions

OpenVibe

The Openvibe application facilitates simultaneous posting to several social media platforms. These include Mastodon, Bluesky, Nostr, and Threads.

Backed by Czech Founders VC and Automattic, this app is intended as a user-friendly introduction to the decentralized social web. It eliminates the need for constant app switching to stay connected with contacts across different networks.

Users can view updates from all their networks within a single, unified timeline.

Croissant

Croissant provides a streamlined cross-posting solution for iOS devices. It allows users to distribute content to Bluesky, Mastodon, and Threads from a central location.

The application supports the inclusion of various media types, such as images, along with associated alt text, hashtags, and threaded posts. It also accommodates features specific to each platform.

Croissant is available through a subscription model, priced at $2.99 monthly or $19.99 annually. A one-time purchase option is also offered for $59.99.

Fedica

As previously mentioned in the analytics overview, Fedica incorporates a cross-posting capability.

This feature enables users to schedule posts for future publication or to publish them immediately in real-time.

Social Reviews Platforms

Skylights

It's important not to mistake this application for the video-sharing platform also named Skylight. Skylights is a platform for public reviews constructed on AT Proto. Users can share their opinions on books, films, and television programs.

Future development plans include expanding review capabilities to encompass academic papers and web addresses. A key distinction from conventional review sites is that user-generated data on Skylights remains under the user’s control, avoiding proprietary lock-in.

Popsky

Currently available in open beta for iOS users, Popsky functions as a hub for discovering and engaging in discussions about preferred TV series, movies, books, and video games. Leveraging the AT Protocol, the platform allows users to track their progress with media.

Users can designate items as currently being consumed or as completed, manage spoiler alerts, and import data from Letterboxd. Reviews and discussions are synchronized with the Bluesky social network.

Music and Audio Applications

Rocksky

Rocksky functions as a music tracking and discovery service, leveraging the AT Protocol as its foundation. It aims to replicate the functionality of Last.fm within a decentralized web environment.

Like its predecessor, Rocksky enables users to record their listening habits, monitor their statistics, discover new music, and communicate their preferences—all without being constrained by a single platform’s data control.

Future development plans include making the service’s source code publicly available, fostering open-source collaboration.

Bluecast

Bluecast provides a real-time audio streaming capability specifically designed for Bluesky users. Anyone can initiate a broadcast without the need for specialized broadcasting hardware.

The service is accessible through a web application, ensuring compatibility across various devices, including both mobile and desktop platforms.

Key features include support for multiple guests during streams, karaoke functionality, integrated background music and sound effects, and a range of visual enhancements.

Games/experiences

SkyMuseum by Twigbit Games

Leveraging the Bluesky platform, SkyMuseum facilitates interaction between artists. Users are enabled to curate and present their artwork within a personalized, virtual gallery space.

Currently, the application supports hosting up to 32 concurrent users. These individuals can access and experience the art in an environment reminiscent of online gaming platforms, such as Roblox.

The experience is designed to emulate a traditional museum setting, allowing visitors to view art in a dedicated and immersive manner.

SkyMuseum provides a novel way for artists to showcase their work and connect with an audience directly through the AT Protocol.

This platform fosters a sense of community and shared appreciation for digital art.

Utilities

Cred.blue

Cred.blue provides a service for generating a “score” that reflects a user’s identity within the ATProto network. Although this scoring of social activity might resemble platforms like Klout for the decentralized web, Cred.blue aims to enhance user understanding of their connections. It helps determine the health and activity level of accounts they follow.

The scoring process analyzes publicly available data, including post content, likes, the user’s social network, and overall engagement with the ATProto ecosystem. Users can also assess their own standing on a Leaderboard, which encompasses both Bluesky and the broader AT Protocol network.

Mutesky

Mutesky offers a centralized dashboard for managing Bluesky mutes. This allows users to efficiently control the content they encounter, filtering out unwanted topics from their Bluesky experience. Users can choose to mute broad categories like politics, social issues, or religion.

Furthermore, the service enables granular control, allowing users to specify subtopics within these categories for more precise muting. This ensures a tailored browsing experience on the Bluesky social network.

Listifications

Listifications is a Bluesky account to follow that delivers notifications via Direct Message. These notifications alert you when you are added to a Starter Pack or block list, or when someone directly blocks your account.

This utility is particularly useful for those focused on follower growth, or simply for individuals interested in understanding how they are perceived within the platform.

Bluesky Tracker – Manager

Available for both iOS and Android, this application provides a dashboard for monitoring your Bluesky performance. It displays real-time statistics on follower and unfollower activity, alongside other key metrics.

The app tracks post performance, identifies users who have blocked you, monitors your likes, and facilitates bulk follow/unfollow actions.

Other Applications

Woosh

Developed by Federation Studio, Woosh is creating a unified online presence hub for the open social web. This service enables users to consolidate and display their digital footprint in a single location. It encompasses profiles from open social networks like Bluesky, as well as larger platforms such as TikTok.

Crucially, all data generated on Woosh is stored within your Bluesky or AT Protocol user account. This ensures you retain control, allowing you to publish a custom App View to personalize your page’s rendering, or utilize alternative services for this purpose in the future.

AzSky

AzSky functions as an open social alternative to traditional discussion forums like Reddit, and is powered by the Bluesky network. Users can participate in communities and engage in conversations with others who share common interests, spanning topics like current events, technology, gaming, film, and literature.

Furthermore, AzSky allows you to monitor trending discussions occurring across Bluesky. These are conversations that have garnered significant engagement, often featuring hundreds or even thousands of comments.

Flushes

Flushes is a unique and playful social application. It allows users to post a “flush” notification when they are using the restroom, which is then published on the AT Proto network. The developers ask: why not a decentralized bathroom app?

Navyfragen — Anonymous Inbox

Navyfragen offers a service similar to NGL for Instagram. Users can sign up using their Bluesky account and establish an inbox for receiving anonymous questions. Answers can then be shared on Bluesky for followers to view.

Spam protection is provided by Anubis’s bot detection system, and the application’s source code is publicly available on GitHub.

SkySpace

Currently under development, SkySpace aims to create a customizable social application for Bluesky. The intention is to emulate the experience of using MySpace, allowing users to personalize their profiles with music, interests, and friend tracking.

This article was originally published on March 30, 2025, and was last revised on June 13, 2025.