# Pixelfed — user reviews > 238 indexed App Store user reviews of Pixelfed by Daniel Supernault, rated 4.20/5 from 537 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixelfed/id1632519816/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixelfed/id1632519816.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 365 · 4★ 54 · 3★ 38 · 2★ 22 · 1★ 58 ## What do users think of Pixelfed? Overall sentiment: positive **Pros** - 🚀 Fast and responsive - 🔒 Decentralized and privacy-focused - 👍 Clean, simple, and familiar interface - 👍 Chronological feed without algorithms - 👍 Ad-free experience - 👍 Ethical and community-owned platform **Cons** - 🐛 Buggy and glitchy performance - 🐛 Inability to edit bio and profile - 🐛 Inconsistent slideshow and media handling - 🐛 Slow server response times - 🐛 Logging out issues - 🔍 Limited search and discovery features **Commonly reported bugs** - Inability to post photos or send DMs - Inconsistent heart/like behavior - Crashes and freezes on app launch - Incompatibility with certain servers **Most requested features** - Dark mode option - Video support - Improved collections/albums management - Seamless onboarding and server selection - Better notifications and interaction tracking ## Newest reviews (17 of 238) ### 2/5 — Can’t make an account *2026-07-10, version 1.7.0* The account creation process has me going in circles, so I can’t even try out the app. There’s gotta be an easier way to sign up if the goal is to have people switch from instagram. ### 2/5 — was great but hasn’t functioned in awhile. *2026-06-28, version 1.7.0* opening the app has said temporarily unavailable for months. it sucks cuz instagram has been banning some trans people and drag queens and I was hopeful about this app. i’ll be happy to leave a positive review if the app returns ### 4/5 — Unable to log in *2026-06-08, version 1.7.0* Haven’t been able to log in for some time. But I get notifications when I have a follower. Please fix this issue! ### 4/5 — I love it… but *2026-06-04, version 1.7.0* But please update and add more to things to the app pleaseeee I having problems trying to post and it don’t do anything and I can’t see my followers or who I’m following please fix!!! ### 2/5 — RIP *2026-03-29, version 1.7.0* you were fun while you lasted! reminded me of VSCO-era instagram, but the last 6 months it hasn’t been able to load at all. so sad, time to offload from my phone 💔 ### 4/5 — Nice simple IG alternative *2026-03-16, version 1.7.0* Very nice quiet photo sharing app without ads and I enjoy the simple UI. I have mixed feelings on the fediverse and the nature of posting here means automatically crossposting to other platforms like mastodon without being able to log in there. Polishing the stories feature a little more will get me all the way in! ### 2/5 — App crashes on start *2026-03-14, version 1.7.0* The app crashes as soon as I start it, I have tried every troubleshooting option. It has been this way for close to s month now. ### 1/5 — This could be the next photo sharing platform… *2026-03-12, version 1.7.0* Can’t login, app doesn’t seem to be supported. Messaged dev on mastadon and no response. This app is dead. ### 1/5 — Privacy?? *2026-03-07, version 1.7.0* Signup says: “This will allow Pixelfed to share information about you.” Full stop for me. Nothing about policies, settings etc. ### 4/5 — Pixelfed is absolutely great *2026-03-02, version 1.7.0* I love this application but I don’t why i can’t send messages to other accounts please you people should do something about it ### 3/5 — Video posten per App noch nicht möglich *2026-03-02* obwohl ja gesagt wird, dass auch videos gepostet werden können, ist das per dieser app mir nicht gelungen, sondern nur per browser-version. im hilfsbereich von PIXELFED wird zu wenig erklärt wie man videos postet und worauf man achten sollte. erst bei den versuchen video per browser zu posten, lernte ich, dass man nicht aus der FOTO-mediathek, sondern nur aus dem DATEIEN-bereich videos hineinbringen kann. und dass die mp4-datei nicht größer als 15MB sein kann. gut dass man inklusive audio videos posten kann. aber finde auch nicht gut, dass in der app das videobild seltsam querformatig reduziert wird und in der gelisteten darstellung die vorschau fast ganz verschwindet, nur farblich nebulös nichts erkennbar. im browser wird die gelistete vorschau gut dargestellt und auch das originale bildseitenverhältnis bleibt beim browser-abspielen gut erhalten und wird nicht wie in der app proportional zerstört. wenn man in der app mit der darstellung unzufrieden ist, wird dort noch angeboten in den browser zu wechseln. aber als betrachter innerhalb der app, finde ich es unbefriedigend wenn man in einem anderen profil keine video-vorschau erkennen kann. obwohl ich PIXELFED sehr schätze, finde ich dass die app diesbezüglich noch weiter entwickelt werden sollte. ### 1/5 — Noch jede Menge Bugs *2026-02-26* Kann verstehen, wenn Umsteiger sagen: Und dass soll mein Ersatz für Insta sein. Nee danke! ### 1/5 — Awesome App but not welcoming *2026-02-24, version 1.7.0* Desperate for an Instagram alternative and found this app which is fabulous, but one week in I have lost all functionality - can’t post - can’t change my account settings and CANNOT contact support. It sucks :( ### 1/5 — App down? *2026-02-23, version 1.7.0* Too bad the app isn’t working… ### 1/5 — Cannot access the app. *2026-02-19, version 1.7.0* That’s all. ### 1/5 — Service error? *2026-02-18, version 1.7.0* Been getting the same service error for days now. Is the app down? It’s been a good while ### 1/5 — Error in Signup *2026-02-18, version 1.7.0* I really wanted this to work, but I can’t sign up despite having tried twice over two separate weeks. I’m told there’s an error after selecting a username. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — App doesn’t work *2026-06-20, version 1.7.0* It used to work for me, but hasn’t for a few months now. I just get a ‘the service may be temporarily unavailable’ message when my feed doesn’t load. Site works ok on a browser. ### 1/5 — just horrible *2026-06-08, version 1.7.0* just created an account and i haven’t even been using it for ten minutes and it literally won’t load. total waste of time ### 1/5 — Doesnt work *2026-05-28, version 1.7.0* Really trying to move away from IG but sadly this app will not allow me to create an account. Endless server error loop. I guess its back to IG -__- ### 1/5 — “Temporarily” unavailable! Define temporary. *2026-05-21, version 1.7.0* Have’t been able to use it for months. I notice all the automated replies “we have shipped a fix”. It’s the app that isn’t working” the service may be temporarily unavailable”. Simply update the app and fix it!.. or lose business. ### 1/5 — Impossible to join *2026-05-14, version 1.7.0* We desperately need an alternative to IG. Unfortunately this one doesn’t work. Have tried to create an account for a month. It just doesn’t work. It should be a simple fix, why isn’t it fixed by now? Hmm ### 1/5 — Absolute shambles *2026-05-09, version 1.7.0* You’d think trying to compete with Instagram you’d make it actually possible to open an account. I’m done trying. Nothing should be this hard. There’s clearly bugs with this app when you can’t even open an account properly. ### 1/5 — Can’t even log in *2026-04-10, version 1.7.0* I’d love to try the app but it took several minutes to load the log in page and then after I put in credentials, it looped back to the login screen again. I can’t get past that point. Reviews from a month ago say this was fixed but it doesn’t seem like it. Pixelfed as a platform is great when it works. But on mobile or desktop it seems to be down a lot 😢 ### 1/5 — confirmation email??? *2026-04-06, version 1.7.0* waiting for a confirmation email for over an hour, it's 2026, why is this still a thing that is not flawless? checked to make sure I inputted the right email, all good, nothing.... this is one of the reasons that things like meta keep winning unfortunately, If you want to be a better alternative, being better is the key word. ### 1/5 — I wanna love this new alternative *2026-03-15, version 1.7.0* Seems like the app is broken. Which is a shame ### 1/5 — Log in errors *2026-03-14, version 1.7.0* I can’t log in anymore, always an error ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — COULD GO VIRAL *2026-05-25, version 1.7.0* Due to Insta replacing all human workers with ai the platform is going downhill and removing users for no reason so this is probably best and biggest opportunity to compete with them and take in the users that Instagram let down! Please please fix how slow it is as it takes so long to load😭 I couldn’t use it to its full potential due to that! If the loading time reduces I reckon this platform will see a lot more users & go viral! I will personally tell everyone I know to use Pixelfed as I have a big following on other social media platforms and just want a safe space to post and use again 🩷 ### 5/5 — follow button broke ? *2026-04-01, version 1.7.0* When searching a # and wanting to follow that # the app won’t allow me to follow? after tap just keeps on follow and doesn’t change to unfollow? previous follows of # show the button as black and saying unfollow and is able to be pressed to deactivate but then cannot be reactivated? ### 5/5 — The best Instagram alternative *2026-02-27, version 1.7.0* This is the best Instagram version the problem is videos they need to add videos and more to it ### 5/5 — Better IG alternative *2026-01-24, version 1.7.0* This takes me back to the old days of IG just pictures, a simple layout, sharing moments that matter and best of all it’s ad free. I appreciate Pixelfed for creating a platform that’s more for the users to enjoy than for money. Thank you! ### 5/5 — Pixelfed app is better than before *2025-09-26, version 1.7.0* I’m starting to love this app again and the fact they finally added stories to the platform. I’m blessed enough to be back on here. I love Pixelfed . I do hope they bring music to stories as well! So it brings more action. Otherwise I’m happy for this. ### 5/5 — Reminds me of good old days *2025-08-22, version 1.4.0* Thank you for creating what instagram was for us photography enthusiasts! Love it! ### 5/5 — The Pixelfed app *2025-07-27, version 1.4.0* The app is incredible! I love how it’s free of ads. I just wish on our accounts it had a way to change our username or email on our accounts on app. To make it way easier than before! Also plz add in stories. It’s highly recommended for users who want to share their post on their story line. ### 5/5 — Its pretty decent *2025-07-17, version 1.4.0* It's far from feature parity with instagram but its a great open source option, you can host your own content privately with friends, say you are in a frat or sorority, have someone host a pixelfed instance and you could have your own instagram (just dont federate lol) I really get the appeal of private social media where you could make your own instances with friends for like twitter, ig clones and then only federate (link) with servers of people you know like and trust Upside being you and your friends make your own rules for your interactions and get more privacy The alternative apps for pixelfed look better tho* ### 5/5 — best app *2025-07-13, version 1.4.0* I love it ### 5/5 — Fits iPad *2025-04-14, version 1.2.0* These guys have done the impossible and made an image app that actually natively fits the iPad screen dimensions. This is the bar. The bar has been set. --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-24.*