Eugen Rochko
One of the strengths of Mastodon is our API that allows 3rd party developers to create powerful integrations and full-featured apps on entirely equal footing with our own, with absolute confidence that there will never be a rug-pull. I've decided to check how the diversity of tools looked like in practice.
Jun 22, 2024 at 7:52pmWeb
Show threadEugen RochkoJun 22, 2024

Here's a glimpse of this month's most popular publishing tools. It's just the data for posts made in June on mastodon.social:

- Web 23.9%
- Jetpack 6.5%
- Mastodon for Android 6.3%
- Mastodon for iOS 4%
- Tusky 3.3%
- IFTTT 3.2%
- Ivory for iOS 2.5%
- IceCubes 1.1%
- Mona for iPhone 0.7%
- Elk 0.4%
- Phanpy 0.3%

The rest is divided up between literally a thousand other sources. It means around 66% of users are posting from 3rd party apps and integrations!

Show threadJohn GruberJun 22, 2024
@Gargron What explains the prominence of IFTTT?
Show threadPusher of PixelsJun 22, 2024
@gruber @Gargron random guess would be bot postings?
Show threadRenaud ChaputJun 22, 2024
@gruber @Gargron probably the same as Jetpack: bots reposting from other sources (RSS, websites…). Those tend to post orders or magnitude more than human users, 24/7
Show threadShannon ClarkJun 22, 2024

@renchap @gruber @Gargron I would guess some may also be people/companies that rolled their own ifttt approach to posting the same content to multiple places though how to differentiate that from bots is likely tricky.

(Does make me wonder how many accounts used multiple tools - ie automation for scheduled posts but a different tool that they use to reply to comments, boost, or read themselves.)

Show threadJeremy HerveJun 22, 2024

@renchap @gruber @Gargron In the case of Jetpack, folks can only link their Mastodon account to a WordPress site they own (or where they are one of the authors).

I would consequently expect Mastodon accounts who post a lot via Jetpack to be news sites, that publish a lot of posts each day.

Show threadStefan RitterJun 22, 2024
@gruber @Gargron Web user here, on all devices. It's absolutely great!
Show threadEarth NotesJun 22, 2024
@gideonstar @gruber @Gargron Agreed, except for almost invisible desktop scroll bar, eg on Firefox, which is my biggest UX pain!
Show threadStefan RitterJun 22, 2024
@EarthOrgUK @gruber @Gargron I've never really noticed that before :D
Show threadKanaMaunaJun 22, 2024

@EarthOrgUK @gideonstar @gruber @Gargron

So its not just me.

Show threadEshu MarneediJun 22, 2024
@gruber @Gargron Bots, just like Jetpack.
Show threadRandy LeaJun 22, 2024
@gruber @Gargron I was an early beta tester and user. I used it a lot, but they never really provided documentation. I decided it was way too expensive for what you get. I had a very popular news bot on Twitter for years.
Show threadMieszko ŚlusarczykJun 22, 2024
@gruber @Gargron Bots and cross-posting from other platforms probably?
Show threadGaëtan PerraultJun 23, 2024

@gruber @Gargron

I would expect bots and cross posting.

Last I checked Hootsuite doesn't support Mastodon posts. So if you want to DIY a solution, IFTTT is your cheapest option.

Show threadJupiter RowlandJun 25, 2024
@John Gruber a) People who are mainly on 𝕏 and only on Mastodon for the hype, so they run their Mastodon accounts as automated "bots" using IFTTT.

b) Crossposting to Mastodon, Threads, Bluesky and Nostr without putting up with the hassle that's bridges.

CC: @Eugen Rochko

#FediMeta #FediverseMeta #CWFediMeta #CWFediverseMeta #Twitter #𝕏 #Mastodon #Threads #Bluesky #Nostr #IFTTT
Netzgemeinde/Hubzilla

Show threadMarcos HuertaJun 26, 2024

@gruber I believe @Gargron is counting what I call 'post share’, looking at how many posts each client has, IFTTT is a reasonable fraction. If you isolate to unique client+user then IFTTT drops down. So, I think there are a relatively small number of prolific accounts that use IFTTT to post several times a day.

I had been collecting my own client data from a few instances' public timelines but the data collection script apparently broke on January 30. 😔 Running again as of today.

Show threadFellJun 22, 2024
@Gargron The web UI is remarkably good. Must be the lack of data collection and ads.
Show threadMichael SalbeckJun 22, 2024
@Gargron Jetpack is Wordpress?
Show threadMark StosbergJun 22, 2024
@isAutonomous @Gargron Yes
Show threadMark R. StonemanJun 22, 2024
@isAutonomous Might be less common in your neck of the woods because many Jetpack features will require a GDPR notice. I don't know about this one, though.
Show threadJeff C. 🇺🇦🇬🇱Jun 22, 2024

@Gargron How @MonaApp isn’t higher on this, I don’t know.

It’s a stellar iPhone — and Mac — app.

Show threadMichael GemarJun 22, 2024
@jeff @Gargron @MonaApp Seconded!
Show threadMark R. StonemanJun 22, 2024
@jeff A list of clients
and relative numbers says nothing about how extensively other apps are being used.
Show threadMark R. StonemanJun 22, 2024
@jeff Also, not all developers do it full-time. Doesn't seem like his first rodeo, at any rate.
Show threadKarl BaronJun 23, 2024
@jeff I bet the numbers for more powerful third-party clients is higher on instances other than mastodon.social
Show threadJeff C. 🇺🇦🇬🇱Jun 23, 2024
@kalleboo That’s an excellent point.
Show threadShannon ClarkJun 22, 2024

@Gargron I’m curious how this compares to the same numbers for reading?

Ie which tools are mostly used by read-only users and which by users who post?
(And perhaps similarly if boosts is another cohort of users)

My instinct is that the tools used by active posters (whether of original posts or replies) will be somewhat different from the stats of users who primarily read without also posting.

(Such stats might also illuminate which tools are used primarily by bots or software not humans)

Show threadJeremy HerveJun 22, 2024

@Gargron @Rycaut That's very true. If we consider the 90-9-1 rule (90% lurk, 9% reply, 1% post), those stats only represent 10% of the active user base of mastodon.social.

I'm not sure there is any telemetry that would allow you to get accurate stats on the 90% though.

Show threadWest Lawns⚡️Jun 23, 2024

@jeremy @Gargron @Rycaut

I haven't tried Lurching. Do you have to be quite tall for that?

Show threadAndy PiperJun 23, 2024
@Rycaut @Gargron we are only able to record apps that post, no tracking for readers, but you make an interesting point.
Show threadChristian Lawson-PerfectJun 22, 2024
@Gargron is this the percentage of users or the percentage of posts?
Show threadEugen RochkoJun 22, 2024
@christianp Posts!
Show threadChristian Lawson-PerfectJun 22, 2024
@Gargron ah, so maybe it's not that 66% of users are posting from other apps? There could be a few users posting lots more than the average, from their own apps?
Show threadMark StosbergJun 22, 2024

@Gargron
@johnonolan These stats are a preview of the impact of adding Ghost to the Fediverse. The #2 posting client behind “web” is Jetpack, aka: WordPress.

There are most posts from WordPress than any single mobile app.

#GhostBlog

Show threadArturo Serrano 🇨🇴🤖👽🧙🦄Jun 22, 2024
@Gargron Can you tell, among the web users, which ones use the standard interface? For example, on web I use Statuzer.
Show threadEugen RochkoJun 22, 2024
@carturo222 Web is the official web interface. Elk and Phanpy are the other web clients that are on the list.
Show threadMike FraserJun 22, 2024
@Gargron #Phanpy is so ground breaking, but #Tusky is still my daily driver on Android.
Show threadinfo junkieJun 23, 2024
@mike @Gargron Tusky is not good for tablets in my experience
Show threadIvy [_gay] Mae (moved, see bio)Jun 22, 2024
@Gargron sad to not see Megalodon on the list 
Show threadMoniqueJun 22, 2024
@Gargron Interesting info, I use Mona on my iPhone, and Tweesecake on my pc. Tweesecake has been designed with blind and low vision users in mind, very accessible with screenreaders and even with an invisible interface so I can use it regardless what window I am in. And the cool part, Tweesecake also does Telegram, Feeds, Radio and more.
Show threadAndy PiperJun 23, 2024
@crazydutchy @Gargron thanks for sharing, I was not aware of Tweesecake 👀
Show threadCerebralHawksJun 22, 2024
@Gargron Ice Cubes user checking in. Completely free on iOS. Mac as well, but I prefer my browser if I’m on the Mac
Show threadRobert BolerJun 22, 2024
@Gargron Love to see @ivory reppin’ north Texas (and Canada), yeehaw! 🤘
Show threadBen ZaninJun 22, 2024

@Gargron how many emacs nerds..?

cc: @mousebot

Show threadEugen RochkoJun 22, 2024
@gnomon @mousebot 0.01%
Show threadBen ZaninJun 22, 2024
@Gargron @mousebot 🥳 THERE ARE LITERALLY DOZENS OF US 🎉
Show threadBruce Heerssen Jun 22, 2024

@gnomon @Gargron @mousebot

I freaking love this. Not only that you are here to ask that question, but that Eugen had the answer immediately at his fingertips.

Show threadMax™Jun 22, 2024
@Gargron whaddup Tusky folks!
Show threadJosh BucheaJun 22, 2024

@Gargron Thank you for sharing these stats.

People are sleeping on Mona @MonaApp, it’s SO GOOD!

Show threadMark R. StonemanJun 22, 2024
@Gargron It would be interesting to know if the WP
figure is mainly for broadcasting posts into this space, or if there are significant number of
people holding conversations across blogs.
Show threadEugen RochkoJun 22, 2024
@markstoneman Jetpack is for broadcasting only, but there's a different layer to WordPress interoperability through their ActivityPub plugin which would not show up in these stats.
Show threadMark R. StonemanJun 22, 2024
@Gargron Okay. That's interesting. I enjoy how I can post from within other apps: Drafts.app
and Micro.blog's webapp, in particular. But I'm all
in on Ivory for the conversation and scrolling.
Show threadRxBradJun 22, 2024
@Gargron #TrunksSocial is criminally underused and underrated.
Show threadLou Plummer 💖Jun 23, 2024
@Gargron That's a lot for IFTTT considering it only works with Mastodon.social and nothing else.
Show threadAndy PiperJun 23, 2024
@Gargron when I'm not boarding a plane I'll re-run my test of my personal publishing pattern ... As you know, I'm a big fan of the API 😉 https://dev.to/andypiper/analysing-which-mastodon-apps-ive-used-30pb
Analysing which Mastodon apps I've used

A few months ago, I wrote about the opportunities for developers around Mastodon. ...

DEV Community
Show threadRobert-André MauchinJun 23, 2024
@Gargron
No love for Fedilab?
Show threadTalesto Jun 23, 2024

@Gargron

Great stats
I think that's what it was made for.

Freedom.

Show threadLeonie  Jun 23, 2024
@Gargron the Web UI is great, but can we have feature-parity with the API? For example there is still no way to schedule toots in the Web UI and it has been an issue for years at this point.
Show threadRadomír ŽemličkaJun 23, 2024
@Gargron Yay, @phanpy, let's go! 🥳