# Loops app

21 Hacker News commenters recommended Loops app and 24 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 2 of 13 months.

**Verdict:** Open-source, federated short-form video app that avoids algorithmic feeds and commercial ownership. Critics say its content and interface look too much like TikTok and it may stay small.

## Why people recommend it

- Open, not owned by commercial interests (3 comments): "Being able to find a short form video alternative that isn't owned by commercial/government interests is a positive thing." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47115007)) "an "open" version is definitely a step in the right direction" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47115024)) "Finally, federated, open-source crack!" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47116839))
- Not algorithm-driven, less addictive (2 comments): "loops removes precisely what makes TikTok addicting" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47119718)) "Loops is nice because it isn't algorithm oriented." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47119629))
- Steadily improving since early days (2 comments): "I think this got much better than on the early days." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47120148)) "Great to see this progressing." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47115638))

## What people warn about

- Short-form video is brainrot by design (5 comments): "The content problem on TikTok was never the protocol, it's that 99% of short-form video is brainrot slop regardless of who hosts the servers." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47117360)) "These formats are designed for a specific purpose; maximizing engagement to extract value." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47115859)) "the brainrot from tiktok amplified with the brainrot from mastodon, what's not to love?" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47116822))
- Creator's history of overpromising (3 comments): "made by dansup which has also made and runs Pixelfed, FediDB, and has a history of being hostile to developers" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47118328)) "there's a consistent pattern of overpromising across this and other projects by the same person" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47115111)) "stop using anything that dansup makes until he realizes he has to give up some of the control" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47126322))
- Likely to stay tiny user base (2 comments): "it is a bit hard to find motivation to contribute to something that will most likely end up being used by like 100 people" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47118914)) "Loops is going to live or die based on whether anyone on Fedi actually wants to make short-form video" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47120445))
- Audience and content don't appeal (2 comments): "I like the platform and the concept is interesting. But the people on it are just so far away from what me (and men my age) deem interesting" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47115981)) "The audience that has a 5-second attention span and jumps on the opportunity to try the paint-huffing challenge." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47116900))

## Alternatives hackers recommend

- [YouTube](https://hackerapproved.com/p/youtube.md): 653 recommend
- [PeerTube](https://hackerapproved.com/p/peertube.md): 66 recommend
- [YouTube Shorts](https://hackerapproved.com/p/youtube-shorts.md): 21 recommend
- [Twitch](https://hackerapproved.com/p/twitch.md): 12 recommend
- [Rumble](https://hackerapproved.com/p/rumble.md): 8 recommend

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "Loops app", https://hackerapproved.com/p/loops/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).