Mastodon is a free and open-source software for running self-hosted social networking services.

Server with Mastodon

Mastodon pre-installed on servers in the Netherlands, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Turkey and the USA

Rent a virtual (VPS) or a dedicated server with a pre-installed Mastodon - a free and open-source software for running self-hosted social networking services. Simply choose the right plan, configure a server and start working in just 15 minutes.

Already installed - we have taken care of all the technical part
Fine-tuned server - high performance configurations optimized for Mastodon
Supported 24/7 - we are always ready to help

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4.8/5

SERVERS In action right now 5 000+

How it works

Choose server and license

Choose a suggested server or make an individual configuration. During the ordering process, select the Mastodon license, network settings and other parameters.
Place an order

After placing and paying for the order, we will contact you and let you know the exact time the server is ready. The delivery time of the server depends on its type, but usually, everything takes no more than 15 minutes.
Start working

When the server is ready, we will send all the access details to your email. Mastodon will already be installed and ready to go.

Get the pre-installed Mastodon on virtual (VPS) or dedicated servers

Mastodon is provided only for leased HOSTKEY servers. To get the Mastodon license, select it in the "Panels Software" tab while ordering a server.

Mastodon on virtual (VPS) servers

Rent a reliable VPS in the Netherlands, Finland, Iceland, Germany, Turkey and the USA.

Server delivery ETA: ≈15 minutes.

Choose a VPS server

Mastodon on dedicated servers

Rent a dedicated server with a full out-of-band management in the Netherlands, Finland, Germany, Turkey and the USA.

Server delivery ETA: ≈15 minutes.

Choose a dedicated server

Mastodon — officially free software

Mastodon is officially free and open-source software.

We guarantee that our servers are running safe and original software.

FAQ

How to install Mastodon on a virtual or dedicated server?

To install Mastodon, you need to select a license while ordering a server on the HOSTKEY website. Our auto-deployment system will install the software on your server.

I am having trouble installing and/or using Mastodon

If you have any difficulties or questions when installing and/or using the software, carefully learn the documentation on the official website of the developer, read about typical problems and how to solve them or contact Mastodon support.

Mastodon key features

Mastodon is written as free and open-source software (FOSS) for federated microblogging, which anybody can contribute code to, and which anyone can run on their own server infrastructure, if they wish, or join servers run by other people within the fediverse network.

Federated Social Network

Mastodon operates on a federated model, allowing multiple interconnected instances or servers to form a larger social network.

Decentralization

Unlike centralized social media platforms, Mastodon is decentralized, giving users more control over their data and privacy.

Customization

Instance administrators can customize rules, themes, and moderation policies for their specific instance.

Content Warnings

Users can use content warnings to hide sensitive or potentially triggering content, allowing for a more considerate sharing environment.

Open Source

Mastodon is open-source software, meaning its source code is publicly available for inspection, modification, and distribution.

No Ads or Tracking

Mastodon instances are not driven by ads, and the decentralized nature reduces the ability to track users across the network.

Timeline Control

Users can customize their timelines to view content from specific users, instances, or topics of interest.

Community Moderation

Instances can implement their own moderation policies, allowing communities to self-govern within the framework of the larger Mastodon network.

Accessibility

Mastodon aims to be accessible to diverse user needs, including support for various languages, screen readers, and other accessibility features.

Get pre-installed Mastodon

on servers located in data centers across Europe, the USA, and Turkey.

Why choose a Mastodon server at HOSTKEY?

TIER III Data Centers

Top reliability and security provide stable operation of your servers and 99.982% uptime per year.
DDoS protection

The service consists of software and hardware solutions protecting against TCP-SYN Flood attacks (SYN, ACK, RST, FIN, PUSH).
Round-the-clock technical support

Technical support is available at any time of the day or night. First response within 15 minutes.

What customers say

After launching another successful IP — HUNT: Showdown, a competitive first-person PvP bounty hunting game with heavy PvE elements, Crytek aimed to bring this amazing game for its end-users. We needed a hosting provider that can offer us high-performance servers with great network speed, latency, and 24/7 support.

Stefan Neykov Crytek

doXray has been using HOSTKEY for the development and the operation of our software solutions. Our applications require the use of GPU processing power. We have been using HOSTKEY for several years and we are very satisfied with the way they operate. New requirements are setup fast and support follows up after the installation process to check if everything is as requested. Support during operations is reliable and fast.

Wimdo Blaauboer doXray

We would like to thank HOSTKEY for providing us with high-quality hosting services for over 4 years. Ip-label has been able to conduct many of its more than 100 million daily measurements through HOSTKEY’s servers, making our meteorological coverage even more complete.

D. Jayes IP-Label

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What Is a Mastodon Server?

Mastodon server is an independent instance of the Mastodon social network, running on open source code. Unlike centralized platforms like Twitter or Facebook, Mastodon uses a decentralized model, where each server (Mastodon hosting) is managed separately, but communicates with others through a federated system called ActivityPub.

Alternative to Traditional Social Media

Mastodon offers an alternative to traditional social media, giving users more control over their data and content. Instead of being dependent on the algorithms of large corporations, participants can choose or even create their own servers (Mastodon instance hosting), setting up moderation rules and community topics.

Another advantage of Mastodon is the absence of advertising and manipulative algorithms. Users see a chronological feed and can freely communicate across different servers thanks to a decentralized architecture. This makes Mastodon popular among those who value privacy and the openness of the Internet.

How a Mastodon Server Works

Each Mastodon server functions as a single node in a federated network. Users log in to a specific server, but can interact with members of other instances via the ActivityPub protocol. Data is stored locally on the server, allowing administrators to control privacy and moderation policies.

A Mastodon server requires hosted solutions for hosting, including a web server, database, and backend processing. Administrators can set up rules, manage backups, and scale resources based on load. Unlike centralized platforms, Mastodon gives complete freedom in content and community management.

Why Hosting Mastodon Makes Sense

Control and Independence: By hosting your own Mastodon, you define moderation rules, topics, and data retention policies. This is ideal for communities, corporate networks, or niche groups.
Privacy and Security: The server owner guarantees the protection of user data, avoiding surveillance by large corporations. This is especially important for educational institutions using hosted Mastodon or Mastodon hosting services.
Integration flexibility: Mastodon can be combined with other platforms, such as Mastodon web hosting, to create a unified educational or corporate ecosystem.
Open-source support: Mastodon is developed by the community, which ensures transparency and constant updates without dependence on commercial interests.
Scalability: Server owners can choose hosted solutions for their needs - from small private instances to large public hubs.

Who Needs Mastodon Server Hosting?

Businesses Looking for a Private Social Platform

Companies that need a secure and controlled corporate social network can use Mastodon hosting for internal communication or interaction with clients. Unlike public platforms, Mastodon allows you to deploy a private server with flexible access settings, which is especially useful for companies already using hosted Mastodon or other corporate systems.

Communities and Forums

Online communities and forums that want to avoid censorship and algorithmic control of large social networks can create their own Mastodon instance hosting. This gives complete autonomy in moderating content and creating a unique atmosphere, like in niche Mastodon hosting services, but for social interaction.

Developers and Tech Enthusiasts

Developers and IT enthusiasts often choose Mastodon server for experimenting with decentralized technologies. The ability to customize code, integrate APIs, and test new features makes Mastodon an ideal platform for those working with Mastodon web hosting or other open-source solutions.

Journalists and Advocacy Groups Privacy

Conscious journalists, human rights activists, and NGOs use Mastodon hosting to securely share information. The decentralized architecture protects against surveillance and censorship, which is critical for those working with critical data - just like secure hosted Mastodon for education.

Why Host Mastodon Server with HOSTKEY

Fast Deployment with Pre-Installed Mastodon

HOSTKEY offers Mastodon hosting with a pre-installed and configured platform, allowing you to launch a server in minutes. This is the perfect solution for those who want to quickly start a social network without complex technical setups.

Full Root Access and Customization

With HOSTKEY, you get full root access to your Mastodon server, allowing you to freely configure the server, install additional modules and optimize performance. This level of control is comparable to Mastodon hosting services, where configuration flexibility is important.

Reliable Uptime and DDoS Protection

Our infrastructure provides 99.9% uptime and powerful protection against DDoS attacks, which is critical for public social platforms. Your Mastodon instance will be consistently available to users - as reliably as Mastodon web hosting for educational institutions.

Technical Support 24/7

Our team of experts is available 24/7 to help with any questions about Mastodon hosting - from basic setup to complex technical issues. We provide the same level of support for hosted Mastodon customers.

Compliance with GDPR

HOSTKEY ensures that Mastodon server is fully compliant with GDPR, ensuring the safe storage and processing of user data. This is especially important for European organizations, as well as for projects on Mastodon hosting services.

Global Privacy Standards

We comply with strict international privacy standards, offering Mastodon hosting with data encryption and protection from unauthorized access. This is a level of security comparable to corporate solutions such as Mastodon web hosting for sensitive data.

Mastodon Hosting Features

Choose from VPS or Dedicated Servers

HOSTKEY offers flexible solutions for Mastodon hosting - you can choose a virtual server (VPS) or a dedicated server depending on the size of your community and performance requirements. We use the same approach to choosing the infrastructure for hosted Mastodon, ensuring the optimal price-to-power ratio.

Optimized for Performance and Scalability

Our servers are specially optimized for Mastodon, ensuring high response speed even under heavy load. As with Mastodon hosting services, we offer automatic scaling of resources as the number of users grows.

IPv6 Support and Dedicated IP

All our Mastodon hosting solutions include IPv6 support and dedicated IP addresses, which ensure a stable connection and additional customization options. This feature is especially important for large instances, as well as for serious projects on Mastodon web hosting.

Easy Federation Setup

We have simplified the process of setting up federation for your Mastodon server, allowing you to quickly connect to the decentralized network. Our experts will help with the configuration as quickly as with the deployment of hosted Mastodon.

Control Panels and Monitoring Tools

You have convenient control panels and powerful monitoring tools for Mastodon hosting at your disposal. These solutions provide the same level of control over the server as professional Mastodon hosting services for educational platforms.

Mastodon Server Pricing Plans

Basic Plans (Entry-Level). Perfect for small communities and test projects, our basic Mastodon hosting plans include VPS servers with 4-8 CPU cores, 8-16GB RAM, and SSD storage. Just like hosted Mastodon, you get pre-installed software, root access, and basic DDoS protection.
Professional Plans (Medium Communities). For growing communities, we offer powerful configurations with 8-16 CPU cores, 32-64GB RAM, and dedicated resources. These Mastodon hosting plans are comparable in performance to our enterprise Mastodon hosting services, ensuring a smooth experience for hundreds of active users.
Enterprise Solutions (Large Networks). Large projects get dedicated servers with 32+ cores, 128GB+ RAM, and NVMe storage. These Mastodon hosting solutions provide maximum performance comparable to Mastodon web hosting infrastructure for universities and large organizations. Includes advanced DDoS protection and 24/7 priority support.

Global Server Locations for Optimal Mastodon Hosting

Europe

HOSTKEY offers Mastodon hosting in key European data centers - the Netherlands, Germany and Finland. These locations provide minimal latency for EU users and full GDPR compliance, which is critical for social platforms and educational projects like hosted Mastodon.

Our European servers are exceptionally reliable and data-protected, offering the same security standards as corporate Mastodon server hosting.

This is an ideal choice for communities targeting a European audience.

North America

For projects targeting the American market, we provide powerful Mastodon hosting solutions in US data centers. These servers provide instant response for North American users, just like our Mastodon web hosting for educational institutions in the region.

HOSTKEY's American infrastructure is ideal for large communities and media projects that require high bandwidth. We offer the same uptime and performance guarantees as for corporate clients using hosted Mastodon.

Asia/Middle East

For the Asia and Middle East region, HOSTKEY’s Mastodon hosting servers are located in Turkey and other strategic locations. These locations provide optimal connection speeds for the fast-growing Asian communities and support educational projects in the region with our Mastodon hosting services.

We take into account all the specifics of working in Asia, including localization requirements and regulatory aspects. Our solutions for this region offer the same reliability as Mastodon web hosting platforms for international educational institutions.

How to Get Started with Mastodon Hosting

Step 1: Choose a Plan

Start by choosing the right plan for your Mastodon hosting, from VPS to dedicated servers. Just like when ordering a hosted Mastodon, you can choose the optimal configuration in terms of price and performance based on the size of your future community.

Step 2: Complete KYC and Setup

Once you have chosen a plan, you will need to go through the verification procedure (KYC) - a standard process for all our services, including Mastodon hosting services. Our specialists will help you with the server setup, ensuring a quick start of your Mastodon community.

Step 3: Access and Customize Your Mastodon Server

Once you have access to your Mastodon server, you can customize it to your needs - from choosing a theme to setting up moderation rules. The process is as simple as customizing Mastodon web hosting, but with a focus on the social features of the decentralized network.

Ready to Launch Your Own Mastodon Server?

With HOSTKEY, creating your Mastodon hosting is easy and reliable!

We offer servers with a pre-installed Mastodon platform, 24/7 support, 99.9% uptime guarantee and quick installation time. Mastodon hosting from HOSTKEY provides full control, security and scalability. Choose the optimal location in Europe, the USA or Asia, get root access and launch your decentralized community today!

Your independent open-source social media platform is just a few clicks away!