Acorn launches as X discontinues Communities, offering decentralised alternative for creators
With major tech giants retreating from community management tools, the new service offers custom feeds and moderation capabilities on a custom pricing model before shifting to a tiered SaaS structure
Acorn, a new community management platform developed by Blacksky, has launched to allow organisations and creators to build and manage their own online communities using decentralised AT Protocol technology. The service positions itself as a direct alternative to centralised platforms like X, Instagram, and Threads, offering tools for custom feeds, moderation, and analytics.
The launch coincides with X's decision to discontinue its own Communities feature, a move that has prompted users to seek alternatives for hosting their groups. Acorn enables organisations to deploy tools on their own domains, allowing them to retain control over their digital spaces rather than ceding it to tech giants with opaque algorithms and ever-changing policies.
Built on the AT Protocol, the same open standard developed by Bluesky's team, the platform leverages infrastructure used by other open social applications. Blacksky, which previously focused on creating a safer online space for the Black Twitter community through forking Bluesky and building custom moderation services, is now extending these capabilities to a broader range of communities.
At launch, Acorn includes a suite of features designed to help communities onboard new members and manage growth. These capabilities include the ability to create starter packs for newcomers, configure moderation services to police bots and trolls, and define custom policies for reporting and account management.
Pricing currently operates on a custom basis, with costs ranging from $100 to $150 per month depending on the specific needs of the community. This includes options for running a Personal Data Server or using a customised client build. Plans are in place to transition to a tiered SaaS structure in the future, with pricing scaling according to community size and tooling requirements.
Early adopters of the platform include AT Protocol-based communities Latinsky and Medsky, as well as a filmmaker community called The Invite. The service is currently available to select communities and is in active discussions with other media companies and nonprofits regarding adoption.
The name Acorn is inspired by the fictional community from Octavia Butler's 1993 novel *Parable of the Sower*. Rishi Balakrishnan, Acorn's Lead Software Engineer, noted that the platform reflects the adaptable and resilient nature of the fictional community, mirroring Blacksky's own history of survival through constant adaptation.
