 | |
Screenshot  The profile page of eggbug, the site's mascot, in dark mode | |
Type of site | Social media |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2022 |
| Country of origin | USA |
| Key people | Colin Bayer, Jae Kaplan, Aidan Grealish, Kara |
| Employees | 4 |
| URL | https://www.cohost.org/ |
| Registration | Required |
| Users | 203,805 (November 2023) |
| Current status | Online |
Cohost is a social media website publicly launched in June 2022[1] that is currently in beta. It is owned by a not-for-profit software company named Anti Software Software Club that consists of four developers.[2] It has no advertisements or algorithm, instead displaying posts in a chronological order.[3] The website was previously invite only but now has open registration with a waiting period before users can post.[4]
History
The idea for Cohost was conceptualized in 2019, and the mascot for the website was created in 2020. It was launched in a closed beta in February 2022. Early access registration via invite code was allowed in June of that year.[5] Anyone was allowed to register around November, but new users must sit through a waiting period before their account is activated.[4][6]
Cohost was reported as having financial issues in March 2024 due to losing contact with the person funding it, but the site is stated to have backup plans.[7]
Features
Cohost features posts similar in style to Twitter but without a character limit.[3] Users can like, comment, and repost but interactions are hidden, meaning the like count and the followers of users are hidden.[1] It has a chronological timeline. There is no trending timeline or algorithm-based timeline, it instead features a tagging system where hashtags can be attached to posts and users can search those tags to find posts.[6] The website supports Markdown and editing of HTML and CSS within posts.[8] There is also a monthly subscription service called Cohost Plus which offers an increased file size limit and other features, but mainly serves as a way to support the development of the website.[9] There are plans to implement a tip jar feature and a subscription feature similar to Patreon, where users can subscribe to creators and other users on the site for access to exclusive posts.[4]
Users
The active userbase was around 20,000 in February 2023[8] to 38,000 in July in 2023.[3] The February 2023 report gave the number of registered users at 130,000. A report by the staff on November 2023 gave the number of registered users as 203,805 and the number of monthly active users as 21,142.[10]
Reception
Cohost has generally received positive reception. The site has been praised for allowing users to edit HTML and CSS in posts, where people can make games and commit so called "CSS crimes."[5] It has also been given praise for its features such as letting users edit posts after they are posted and having no ads and for having navigable web design.[9] Criticism has been given for the lack of a proper search feature[6] and for the lack of a mobile app. Cohost Plus has also been criticized for not offering many unique features.[9]
See also
References
- ^ a b Korn, Jennifer (2023-07-09). "Tired of Elon Musk? Here are the Twitter alternatives you should know about | CNN Business". CNN. Archived from the original on 2023-11-07. Retrieved 2024-02-08.
- ^ "anti software software club". anti software software club. Archived from the original on 2024-02-17. Retrieved 2024-02-08.
- ^ a b c O'Sullivan, Isobel (2023-07-05). "Best Twitter Alternatives from Threads to BlueSky". Tech.co. Archived from the original on 2024-02-08. Retrieved 2024-02-08.
- ^ a b c Lyles, Taylor (2022-11-18). "The Best Twitter Alternatives to Try as the Bird App Tumbles". IGN. Archived from the original on 2024-01-07. Retrieved 2024-02-08.
- ^ a b Ong, Alexis (2022-08-03). "These "CSS crimes" turn social media posts into games". The Verge. Archived from the original on 2024-02-14. Retrieved 2024-02-09.
- ^ a b c Darlingberg, Dee (2022-11-21). "What is Cohost? The Social Media Platform Is A Twitter Alternative". thevibely. Archived from the original on 2024-02-25. Retrieved 2024-02-08.
- ^ Robertson, Adi (2024-03-12). "Bad news for Cohost". The Verge. Retrieved 2024-03-14.
- ^ a b Tangalakis-Lippert, Katherine (2023-02-28). "Fledgling social media sites are competing to be the next Twitter as users abandon the legacy platform. These are the frontrunners". Business Insider. Archived from the original on 2024-02-08. Retrieved 2024-02-08.
- ^ a b c Minor, Jordan (2022-11-17). "Cohost Preview". PCMAG. Archived from the original on 2024-02-25. Retrieved 2024-02-08.
- ^ Kaplan, Jae (2023-11-20). "November 2023 Financial Update + Tipping launch plans". Cohost. Archived from the original on 2023-11-26. Retrieved 2024-02-08.
This page was last edited on 17 March 2024, at 00:34