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Soapbox

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lostcause@3nostr.com
Published 6/13/2026
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Soapbox is an American software development company that builds open-source tools for decentralized social media, AI development, and online activism. Founded in 2020 and headquartered in Houston, Texas, Soapbox develops a suite of products including Ditto (a customizable social platform), Shakespeare (an AI-powered code editor), Agora (a Bitcoin fundraising tool), and Mostr (a cross-protocol bridge). The company is funded by grants and donations from organizations including OpenSats and the Human Rights Foundation, and does not rely on advertising or data sales.

Products and Services

Soapbox’s core offerings are built primarily on the nostr:naddr1qvzqqqrcvgpzp925xvyklj3z8u56ml2j5rpduparc5htdq8eknv7kmzxmyvkc4qwqqzkummnw3eq3q8xf0[Nostr] protocol, though its products support multiple decentralized protocols including ActivityPub and AT Protocol.

Ditto

Ditto is a fully customizable, open-source, decentralized social media platform built on the Nostr protocol. Launched as a major update in March 2026, Ditto is positioned as "the world’s first fully customizable, open source, and decentralized social platform". Key features include:

  • Deep personalization: Users can customize themes with color palettes, background images, fonts, and more, reminiscent of MySpace-era self-expression.

  • Infinite content types: Supports over 27 content types including photos, videos, short-form Vines, livestreams, articles, polls, podcasts, music, events, Magic Decks, geocache treasures, and webxdc apps.

  • Cross-platform bridges: Allows users to connect to Bluesky and Mastodon, eliminating the need for separate accounts across platforms.

  • Comment on anything: Users can comment on posts, countries, URLs, books, profiles, and geocache treasures.

  • Data ownership: Users retain ownership of their identity, content, and connections with no platform lock-in.

Ditto can be deployed on a $5 VPS, GitHub Pages, or a Raspberry Pi. The platform has no ads, data mining, tracking, or forced algorithms.

Shakespeare

Shakespeare is a browser-based, AI-powered code editor that enables users to build websites and applications without downloads, supporting any AI provider. It is 100% open source, decentralized, and Nostr-native. Shakespeare allows users to import existing projects from GitHub, GitLab, or zip archives.

Agora

Agora is an unstoppable fundraising tool built on Nostr that allows activists to launch campaigns and receive Bitcoin directly, wallet to wallet, with no custodian, platform fees, or central server that can be shut down. It features Bitcoin Silent Payments for privacy and is designed to be resistant to censorship or takedown.

Mostr

Mostr is a bridge that connects three decentralized protocols—Nostr, Mastodon, and Bluesky—enabling followers to find users regardless of which network they are on. As of 2026, over 56,000 users are connected across networks via Mostr.

Soapbox Frontend and Rebased Backend

Originally, Soapbox began as a frontend (user interface) for the Fediverse, compatible with Mastodon, Pleroma, and other ActivityPub-based backends. The Soapbox frontend is a single-page application (SPA) built with TypeScript and Tailwind CSS, designed to provide a user experience comparable to mainstream social media while supporting features such as quote posting, chats, events, and user editing.

The backend, originally called Soapbox BE, was renamed to Rebased in 2022. Rebased is a fork of Pleroma developed in Erlang (Elixir) that includes features not available in Mastodon, such as quote posting and federated events. Soapbox recommends installing Rebased+Soapbox for new server deployments.

Other Developer Tools

Soapbox maintains a suite of additional developer tools including MKStack, Nostrify, NostrHub, Stacks, Ditto Relay, Nostrbook, Ditto Extension, Nostr WS Inspector, and Relay Kit.

Technology

Soapbox’s products are built on a decentralized architecture with no central server or gatekeeper. The company emphasizes several key technical and ethical principles:

  • Open Source: All code is publicly available, with no proprietary licensing.

  • No Data Mining or Tracking: The platform does not sell user data, display ads, or deploy engagement-maximizing algorithms.

  • Censorship Resistance: Users cannot be silenced by a single relay; if one relay bans a user, they can use another.

  • Customization: Soapbox frontend allows extensive compile-time customizations via environment variables, a custom/ directory for snippets and locales, feature overrides, and embedded app configurations.

  • Moderation Tools: Soapbox includes configurable registration options, federation restrictions, custom MRF (Message Rewrite Facility) policies, user reporting, account moderation, and a detailed moderation log.

  • Cross-Protocol Compatibility: Soapbox expects backends to implement the Mastodon API and uses feature detection to adapt to different backend capabilities.

History

Soapbox was founded in 2020 by Alex Gleason, formerly Head of Engineering at Truth Social. Gleason is described as having over a decade of experience building social platforms and is considered an expert on ActivityPub and the Fediverse.

In 2019, Gleason initially released Soapbox as a fork of Mastodon with an improved user interface. Dissatisfied with Mastodon’s pace of innovation and performance, he later adapted Soapbox to work with Pleroma, which implemented the Mastodon API. Over time, he forked Pleroma itself to create Soapbox BE, which was later renamed Rebased.

Soapbox gained prominence as the software powering Truth Social (the largest website running Mastodon online at the time) and Spinster, a feminist platform. The platform has been used across the political spectrum, including by leftist anarchists, conservatives, and businesses.

Key milestones include:

  • 2022: Rebased backend renamed; Soapbox 3.0 released with TypeScript/Tailwind CSS conversion and support for quote posting, events, and chat redesign.

  • 2025: Soapbox Sessions podcast launched.

  • 2026: Major Ditto update announced, positioning Ditto as a customizable Nostr-based social platform; public launch of Ditto announced at Bitcoin 2026.

Team

Soapbox is a small team of 2–10 people led by founder and BDFL Alex Gleason. Key team members include:

  • M. K. Fain – Chief Product Officer, a marketing and communications consultant focused on nonprofits and technology.

  • Derek Ross – Developer Relations, focused on Nostr ecosystem growth.

  • Heather Larson – Marketing Director, with background in tech marketing and Bitcoin/Nostr community growth.

  • Chad Curtis – Head of VibeOps, open-source solutions creator.

  • Patrick dos Reis – Developer.

  • shantaram – Software Engineer.

  • Lemon – Developer, supporting protocol ecosystem sustainability.

Community and Reception

Soapbox has been adopted by a diverse range of communities. It powers some of the largest alternative social platforms, including Truth Social and Spinster. The project has a vibrant open-source community, with contributions from developers across different backgrounds and viewpoints.

Soapbox is funded entirely by grants and donations, with a commitment to transparency and community ownership. The company publishes an ethics pledge and transparency reports.

Controversy

The project has not been without controversy. In 2022, a fork named Pulpit was created, described as "a frontend for Pleroma. Fork of Soapbox that isn’t run by a Nazi". The fork’s maintainer cited concerns about the original project’s leadership. Soapbox has also faced criticism for its association with Truth Social, though the company itself notes it has been used across the political spectrum.

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