Mastodon [https://joinmastodon.org/], the non-profit organization that maintains the software powering the decentralized alternative to social networks [https://techcrunch.com/2023/07/24/what-is-mastodon/] like Threads and X, has a new plan to make money. Instead of relying entirely on donations and grants as before, the company announced [https://joinmastodon.org/] this morning it will now offer paid hosting, moderation, and support services for organizations that want to join the open social web. That network, also called the fediverse, offers a way for individuals and organizations to set up their own servers that interconnect with others that run the same protocol, ActivityPub [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ActivityPub]. ActivityPub powers a number of different software applications, including Mastodon, Meta’s Threads, Pixelfed, PeerTube, Misskey, Lemmy, and others, and has been integrated into larger platforms like WordPress, Ghost, and Drupal through plugins. While anyone can establish an account on a public Mastodon server [https://joinmastodon.org/servers], some organizations and entities would prefer to run their own so they can set their own rules and manage the service as they see fit. However, server setup and management require at least some technical knowledge. It’s comparable, perhaps, to deciding to run your own installation of WordPress versus opting for a hosted version of WordPress from a service like WordPress.com, Bluehost, DreamHost, or others. To solve this problem and potentially generate revenue to maintain its operations, Mastodon will launch hosting services. Customers can choose to run their own servers through this model, where Mastodon’s team will manage the servers and optionally offer moderation services. Techcrunch event JOIN 10K+ TECH AND VC LEADERS FOR GROWTH AND CONNECTIONS AT DISRUPT 2025 NETFLIX, BOX, A16Z, ELEVENLABS, WAYVE, SEQUOIA CAPITAL, ELAD GIL — JUST SOME OF THE 250+ HEAVY HITTERS LEADING 200+ SESSIONS DESIGNED TO DELIVER THE INSIGHTS THAT FUEL STARTUP GROWTH AND SHARPEN YOUR EDGE. DON’T MISS THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF TECHCRUNCH, AND A CHANCE TO LEARN FROM THE TOP VOICES IN TECH. GRAB YOUR TICKET BEFORE SEPT 26 TO SAVE UP TO $668. JOIN 10K+ TECH AND VC LEADERS FOR GROWTH AND CONNECTIONS AT DISRUPT 2025 NETFLIX, BOX, A16Z, ELEVENLABS, WAYVE, SEQUOIA CAPITAL, ELAD GIL — JUST SOME OF THE 250+ HEAVY HITTERS LEADING 200+ SESSIONS DESIGNED TO DELIVER THE INSIGHTS THAT FUEL STARTUP GROWTH AND SHARPEN YOUR EDGE. DON’T MISS THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF TECHCRUNCH, AND A CHANCE TO LEARN FROM THE TOP VOICES IN TECH. GRAB YOUR TICKET BEFORE SEPT 26 TO SAVE UP TO $668. San Francisco | October 27-29, 2025 REGISTER NOW [https://techcrunch.com/events/tc-disrupt-2025/?utm_source=tc&utm_medium=ad&utm_campaign=disrupt2025&utm_content=ticketsales&promo=tc_inline_rb&display=] Another option will see Mastodon offering support contracts to aid with customers’ in-house tech teams focused on server management and maintenance. The la