What is Bluesky? Everything to Know About X Alternative Bluesky Social

Bluesky is a decentralized social media application where millions of users have migrated to. Here is why users have made such a huge turn to Blue sky social media when twitter turned into X.com. Explore how it is different from X. Read all about Bluesky

What is Bluesky?

Founded in 2019 by former Twitter (now known as X) CEO Jack Dorsey, Bluesky is a free social media application that was initially developed as a side project. It was built with the idea of providing a more user-friendly social media experience and as a decentralised version of Twitter, one that is not particularly owned by any person or entity. It was designed to give users more control in regard to their data and experience. This means that users can create their own feed as well as join their own in accordance with their preferences. Moreover, it was also formed as an open protocol system, one that could be taken on by other platforms. It later became an independent company after Twitter’s rebranding into X.

Blue sky vs X (Twitter) | Is Bluesky better than Twitter?

Initially, the platform was owned by X but now works as an independent company after Elon Musk’s takeover of the owner platform. When it first launched, Bluesky did not have a direct messaging feature. However, it does have one now, including emoji reactions too. It is limited to single-person messaging  so far only rather than groups. X’s new block feature allows a user to see a public post and not engage with it, which is one of the reasons why people have flocked over to Bluesky, highlighting safety concerns over X’s block feature rules. Unlike X which has trained generative AI models, for example the chatbot Grok, on public posts, Bluesky claims to not use such a feature in its application. Nevertheless, this does not stop third party applications from doing so. BlueSky’s comparison with Twitter is summed up in the table below: 

Blue sky vs X                                                                           

Features of BlueSky

The following are some of BlueSky’s features:

• Customizable Feed: Users at Bluesky can customize their algorithms and join feeds pertaining to their interests. 
• Short-Form Content: Bluesky has a limited wordcount and short-form video feeds which allows users to engage in video content.
• Starter-packs: This includes pre-made customizable feeds for users to experience and connect with like-minded individuals.
• Moderation: This consists of moderation settings through which users can block other users, mute words as well as disassociate with quote users.
• Link-Friendly: Bluesky’s posts include links which make it suitable for driving web traffic. 
• User experience and interface- Bluesky has a reverse chronological timeline, unlike X, which prioritizes viral content. 

Bluesky- An Independent Company From Twitter

At its seed round, Bluesky started as a project funded and supported by Twitter and was later planned to operate as an independent company while still maintaining a close relationship. The vision of adopting and developing the AT protocol did not fall through when Musk put his hands on the application and notably turned it into what is now known as X. The relationship with Twitter was also therefore terminated. In order to achieve further independence, Bluesky converted from a Public Benefit Limited Liability Company (LLC) to a Public Benefit C-Corp. 

Bluesky- Method of Funding

Having raised funding from investors by sharing the same vision of a decentralized and open network of public conversation, the aim of the social media app was to grow the platform and experiment with new business models. Bluesky raised $8M in a seed round launched by NEO, a community-led firm. To ensure a sustainably open social network and funding, the growth of the AT protocol system and the Bluesky social media app becomes necessary. While advertising is the basis of funding for most social media companies, Bluesky, being an open-source model, has been exploring other methods of monetization. This consists of custom domains and web extensions. 

Bluesky-  A Year later

Following on from the seed round, Blue Sky grew from an invitation-only app to an open one. It released a federation intended for self-hosters and developers. Other than that, it gave rise to custom feeds so that users can have their own personalized algorithm. It invested in anti-harassment tooling as well as Trust and Safety (T&S) which includes making the application a safe as well as enjoyable experience for users. It built on features such as direct messaging, GIFS and video. It also built labelling services and much more. 

Bluesky vs X: Is Bluesky different from X? 

Whether the application is better than its parent platform, Twitter, depends on the person. In the article ‘I switched from X to Bluesky: What I love and hate about it so far’, a user stated that Bluesky’s interface and layout were similar to that of Twitter at its earlier stages. However, according to the same user, it was more difficult to find people one knows. Another user mentioned that he loved that there was no algorithm that would shift the focus of a curated feed as well as starter packs that allowed users to mass follow accounts based on different themes. While there is praise for the application, the user also states that the search functions could be better but still calls the platform more exciting and engaging than its counterpart X.com, as it is a Twitter alternative. 

Who owns BlueSky? 

Jack Dorsey is no longer involved in the ownership of the platform. The company is now headed by the CEO, Jay Graber, an American software engineer. She is chosen due to her knowledge of decentralized systems and is the owner of BlueSky. 

Is Blue Sky Free? Active Users and Growth?

The number of people registered in the application is 35.1 million in the world, as per statistics in April 2025, with a rate of one user signing up every second. Wonder why? Is Bluesky free? Yes, the platform is entirely free, unlike X.com. Half of the Bluesky user count comes from the United States, which contributes to 52.4% of the app’s website visits. 

Conclusion

As an alternative to X, BlueSky provides a more user-friendly interface and design. It consists of a rapidly growing user population. Other than that, users have distinct views of the platform, highlighting what excites them and also what could be changed. In order to read more of such news, stay tuned to Orange Hardware. 

FAQ’s

What is Bluesky Social Media?

It is a decentralized application built to provide users with more control over their online experience.

Is Bluesky owned by Twitter?

No, Bluesky is not owned by Twitter, although it was initially a project within Twitter.

Is Bluesky a Twitter alternative?

Yes, it is an alternative to Twitter (X).

Why is everyone switching to Bluesky?

Due to X's (formerly Twitter) new changes, especially in its new policies, as well as unfair and inconsistent moderation issues. 

How many users does BlueSky have?

As of April 19, 2025, there are 35.1 million users in BlueSky.