Mastodon apps on iPhone and Android devices that were previously abandoned are now getting updates to get them up and running again for the thousands of new users who have signed up to the platform. There are now also new apps in development.
I’ve talked before about how Mastodon’s official app on iOS (opens in new tab) and Android refuses to work for me, but I recently found two third-party apps that let me log in, create new posts, and track new users without any problems.
Developers have informed me that they are starting to explore plans for their own Mastodon apps, as current ones are limited in what you can do on the platform. Meanwhile, there are many available in the Google Play Store and Apple App Store that just don’t work.
With this in mind, here are two apps available on iOS 16 and Android 13 that are worth trying. Trying to simplify how Mastodon works, these apps could be a great Twitter alternative if Elon Musk’s constant changes are already alienating you from the blue bird site.
Mammoth
Developer Shihab Mehboob (opens in new tab) previously gave me his take on WWDC in 2021 and now he’s back developing a brand new Mastodon app called Mammoth, which won’t be released until this week.
Mehboob made one free trial (opens in new tab) available to users, and I already use it daily. For starters, it really works for me when I log in, which is a definite improvement over the official Mastodon app, and every part of Mammoth reminds me of the familiar Twitter app layout.
You can also switch between your timeline and the server’s timeline, while checking to see if anyone likes or “boosted” one of your posts (retweeted, in Mastodon terms).
Since this is an app in development, you won’t be able to post or send messages just yet, but with the speed at which Mehboob is developing his apps, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see these features working by the weekend.
Tusky
Available on the Google Play Store (opens in new tab)Tusky is another app I used to log in to normally, and since this is an app that has been around on Android for much longer than Mammoth, you can post and send messages to other users with no problem.
With a ton of users flocking to Mastodon from Twitter, the Tusky app has seen a lot of improvements lately, with bug fixes and the newly added ability to look at user details such as their likes or the date their account was created. You can also quickly crop an image for when you create a post, or a “toot” as it’s called in Mastodon.
There’s a toolbar at the top where you can switch between your activity, your server, and your community, and you can hit the ‘Compose’ icon to create a toot. Like Mammoth, this brings a fair amount of exposure to anyone who has been a regular user of the official Twitter app.
Overall, it’s a great app to use on Android for now, and it could give the developers of the official Mastodon app a much-needed wake-up call to fix the glaring issues.