Bluesky, a decentralised social media platform created by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey, is fast becoming an alternative to Elon Musk’s X platform – and now Bluesky Flashes might be rivalling Instagram.
People with a Bluesky account can use the same login to access the Flashes app, but if you don’t have a Bluesky account and you want to check out Flashes, you can create a separate login; you don’t have to have a Bluesky account to use Flashes.
What Is Bluesky?
Bluesky is built on the AT Protocol, which decentralises data hosting across independent servers. This means no single company controls the platform, and it’s designed to offer a user-controlled and transparent social media experience.
With over 30 million users and counting, Bluesky is continuing to grow and now includes photo and video support and improved interaction tools.
Bluesky vs Twitter (X)
Bluesky and Twitter (now X) share a foundation in short-form micro-blogging content, but their core philosophies and features are very different. X relies heavily on algorithms to curate the content which is shown to users, while Bluesky claims to offer a more transparent and user-controlled feed.
Bluesky has a character limit of 300 per post, whereas standard posts on X are limited to 280 characters. It’s possible for X Premium users to create longer posts with up to 25,000 characters, which sort of defeats the point in a micro-blogging platform.
Both platforms support images and videos, but dimension requirements differ and on Bluesky videos should ideally be under 5 MB for smooth loading, whereas with X videos can load smoothly up to 30 MB.
Bluesky’s focus on user autonomy is designed to foster a more personalised and less intrusive experience, while X remains the dominant real-time micro-blogging platform offering extensive advertising options, and comprehensive analytics tools for advertisers.
It’s worth noting that some users have been leaving X due to reasons which include differences in political ideology. High profile figures such as actor Mark Hamill, author Stephen King and director Guillermo del Toro have either left X or reduced their posts on the platform. However, according to Statista, there are still just under 600 million active monthly users on X, so Bluesky has some way to go to compete in terms of user numbers.
What is the Flashes app?
Bluesky’s Flashes app is a separate dedicated media-sharing platform, which many are calling a rival to Instagram. It focuses solely on visual content and users can upload up to four photos or one-minute videos per post. In the normal Bluesky app, users can now post videos up to three minutes in length. Presumably the 60-second video limit in Flashes is because it’s supposed to offer a snapshot of moments.
Flashes app vs Instagram
The Flashes app sets itself apart from Instagram by prioritising decentralisation and user control. Unlike Instagram, which is controlled by Meta and algorithms, Flashes aims to provide users with complete control over their content and feed customisation. Users can hide posts they don’t want to see, choose to display posts from only followed users, or choose to include quote posts.
Flashes offers a clean, easy-to-use media-focused interface, making it a great choice for businesses such as photographers, tattoo artists, interior designers, architects, fashion brands and other visual content creators. Flashes is designed to offer a fresh approach to social media without algorithmic interference.
With Flashes, you can upload images with different aspect ratios, rather than being limited to restrictions imposed by other image-led platforms. Instagram has recently axed its square image ratio, so having a platform which allows any ratio to be uploaded might appeal to users unhappy with this change. People can continue to use the standard 1:1 (square), 4:5 (portrait), or 3:2 (horizontal photography) ratio sizes on Flashes without any issues.
It’s important to note that, as with websites, uploading images with large file sizes can really slow things down, and this is no different with Flashes, so it’s worth optimising any huge images with something like Squoosh before uploading.
Conclusion
Bluesky and its Flashes app represent a significant shift in the social media landscape, offering decentralised alternatives to traditional algorithm and ad-led platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram.
Bluesky has seen impressive growth, reaching 33 million users by early 2025 and with more users seeking authenticity and control over what content they see, we can expect this to grow.
TechCrunch has reported that Flashes gained nearly 30,000 downloads in its first 24 hours when it launched publicly in late February 2025. The platform could prove to be a strong competitor to Instagram.
Who is Bluesky a good fit for? Businesses seeking authentic engagement and transparency. Small businesses, tech-savvy brands, and those looking to avoid algorithmic barriers will find Bluesky appealing.
Who is Flashes a good fit for? Image-led businesses and content creators, and brands focused on visual storytelling. Its decentralised nature and customisable feeds offer a unique platform for showcasing media without algorithmic interference.
As Bluesky and Flashes continue to grow, they offer promising alternatives for businesses looking to connect with audiences in new, meaningful ways. See more digital marketing trends for 2025.
About the author
Kirsty Nelms is the Director of award-winning Staffordshire-based creative marketing agency, Peacock Digital Marketing. The agency grows businesses through proactive, creative, insightful marketing – helping brands to strut their stuff 🦚.
Kirsty holds a first-class honours degree in Journalism and Editorial Design, has six years of experience as a qualified senior journalist, seven years of experience working at senior level in marketing, holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Digital Marketing from the Digital Marketing Institute, and a number of other advanced-level SEO qualifications.
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