Periwinkle simplifies self-hosted social media using Bluesky’s AT Protocol

Berlin-based startup Periwinkle is introducing a new option for people looking to move away from centralised social media platforms run by Big Tech firms. Rather than joining a decentralised open social networking app such as Mastodon or Bluesky, Periwinkle lets users create a social media account on their own domain and keep it under their own control.

Built on top of the AT Protocol — the same open-source technology that powers Bluesky, the social network often described as an alternative to X — Periwinkle is designed to offer the infrastructure needed for people to run their own social media presence.

That means users can create an account on their own domain for use on sites like Bluesky, or even run a hosted social platform tailored to a specific organisation or community. Periwinkle offers domains for purchase and lets users keep their data — including posts, follows, and profile information — on their own PDS (personal data server) within the AT Protocol ecosystem.

Periwinkle is also working to make the switch easier for people who are not especially technical or who do not want the burden of setting up and maintaining their own server. Once users are on Periwinkle, the company handles server updates, backups, and monitoring, allowing them to focus on using social media.

"We'll be the first-to-market fully managed PDS service; there is nobody else that is doing this right now," said Periwinkle founder Charles Blumenthal. He noted that while other groups do offer alternatives to Bluesky's PDS — such as Blacksky — those offerings are primarily aimed at people creating self-governed online communities.

The concept is similar to how people who want to start a blog can choose between an easy, hosted experience on WordPress.com, a do-it-yourself setup using the open-source tools from WordPress.org, or a third option: a WordPress installation managed by a third-party hosting company. Periwinkle offers the same kind of middle ground, but for decentralised social media.

Blumenthal, who previously worked as a software engineer at McKinsey, said the idea came to him after realising many people did not fully understand the AT Protocol or why it could matter.

"It's really not a great idea that a couple of billionaires have control over the way billions of people communicate," he said. "If you could leave Twitter to some competitor and all of your followers and all of your content and everything — it just is there with you, and you just log in — you would do it, right?"

Blumenthal said Bluesky's growth, now with more than 43 million registered users, shows there is demand for this model. He added that he expects the market to expand over time as more people choose to control their personal data rather than rely on another company to hold it.

Periwinkle's paid plans begin at $4 per month for a Basic Plan that includes support for five handles and 5GB of storage, along with real-time backups and a choice of hosting either in the European Union or the United States. The Pro plan with 25GB of storage costs $14 per month, and the Team plan with 50GB of storage costs $30 per month. Those tiers include support for additional handles, longer backup retention, and service-level agreements. The company also offers custom enterprise plans.

There is also a free plan available for those who want to try the service, with 500MB of storage.

These offerings could appeal to users who want more detailed control over their social media presence, including public officials, political candidates, or businesses managing official accounts. Over time, the company plans to add more features, including tools for automated post deletion, archiving, and other controls.

Blumenthal is currently operating as a solo founder, and the company is self-funded for now, although he said he has been speaking with investors in Europe. In the long run, he would like to hire another engineer and someone focused on communications and marketing.