What is UpScrolled, the New TikTok Alternative?
Kata
02 February 2026 
Shortly after the ink dried on TikTok’s U.S. sale and a new group of investors took over operations of the app and its sister apps like CapCut and Lemon8, users started reporting glitches on TikTok and raising eyebrows about content moderation during the transition.
As concerns about potential feed manipulation grew, downloads of alternative social media platforms increased. One of them, called UpScrolled, experienced such a massive surge in downloads on the U.S. App Store that it temporarily crashed the platform’s servers. By January 29, 2026, UpScrolled surpassed 1 million users and claimed the #2 spot in “social networking” on Apple’s U.S. App Store and #1 in the U.K., outranking Meta’s Threads, WhatsApp, and TikTok itself.
But what exactly is this new social app that appeared seemingly out of nowhere?
What is Upscrolled?
Headquartered in Australia with servers in Ireland, UpScrolled is a relatively new social media app that – like Bluesky, Clapper, or Neptune – promises an alternative social media experience that is “more social” in the truest sense of the word.
An algorithm-free experience with chronological feeds is designed to deliver exactly that. Developed by Issam Hijazi, a Palestinian-Jordanian-Australian technologist with decades of experience at companies like IBM, Oracle, and Hitachi, the app positions itself as a space where freedom of expression is prioritized.
Hijazi was inspired to leave his Big Tech career and build an alternative social media app.
From Zero to One Million Users
The numbers tell a remarkable story: UpScrolled launched in June 2025 and grew to about 150,000 users by mid-January 2026. Then, in less than a week following the TikTok ownership change, the platform exploded to over 1 million users.
By late January, Sensor Tower estimated UpScrolled had been downloaded about 400,000 times in the U.S. and 700,000 globally, with 85% of U.S. downloads happening between January 21-27.
Well, this is new…
— UpScrolled (@realUpScrolled) January 26, 2026
You showed up so fast our servers tapped out. Frustrating? Yes. Emotional? Also yes.
We're a tiny team building what Big Tech stopped being. Right now we're scaling on caffeine to keep up with what YOU started.
Bear with us. We're on it. pic.twitter.com/OAlYcN6t5q
The Platform’s Features
UpScrolled enables photos, short-form video, and text posts, making it feel like a combination of X and Instagram. Its interface is similar to X, and users can like, comment, or repost.
Key Features:
- Chronological feed
- Photo, video, and text posts: Multimedia content support
- Discover Page: Similar to Snapchat’s.
- Direct messaging
The Algorithm (Or Lack Thereof)
Unlike TikTok, Instagram, or other major platforms, UpScrolled deliberately avoids addictive algorithms. Hijazi stated that the app’s algorithm is not designed to keep people scrolling endlessly. “It’s not because we don’t know how: it is very easy to design the algorithms to do that,” he explained.
Instead, the platform uses a simple chronological feed with time decay and some randomness, but crucially, with “no manipulation” according to the app’s website.
Content Moderation Approach
UpScrolled claims to moderate only illegal content, such as hard drug sales, but nothing else. The platform describes itself as being against censorship and shadowbanning.
However, the rapid growth has created challenges. The platform acknowledged in late January that moderation hasn’t kept pace with the massive influx of users and stated they’re working with digital rights experts to expand their Trust & Safety team.
Where is UpScrolled Available?
The app is available globally on iOS (Apple App Store) and Android (Google Play Store).
Top Markets by Downloads:
- United States
- United Kingdom
- Canada
- Australia
As of late January 2026, UpScrolled ranked #2 among all free apps in the U.S. App Store, just behind ChatGPT, and held the #1 spot in the social networking category.
Whether UpScrolled becomes the next major platform or just another flash in the pan, its meteoric rise reveals something important: users are hungry for alternatives to algorithm-driven, corporate-controlled social media. And that appetite isn’t going away anytime soon.
We’ve seen this pattern before: after the first TikTok ban scare, RedNote experienced a similar download frenzy within a short window. And Bluesky found its moment after X changed hands under Elon Musk’s ownership.
FAQ
Is UpScrolled a decentralized platform?
Not currently. UpScrolled is focused on delivering a fast, video-first experience with global discovery, reliable search, and smooth media playback. While open social protocols like ActivityPub and AT Protocol are evolving, they don’t yet consistently support the performance and discovery features needed for a mainstream, video-forward app, according to UpScrolled.
UpScrolled still prioritizes openness. The platform uses straightforward safeguards like spam and bot filtering, clear reporting tools, and reliable deletion when users remove their own content.
The platform is also designed with interoperability in mind. This includes clean data exports, stable APIs, and the potential for optional bridges to open protocols as those ecosystems mature – helping users reach wider audiences without sacrificing speed or simplicity.
How will UpScrolled deal with misinformation?
UpScrolled aims to support open expression while taking action against coordinated manipulation and demonstrable, evidence-based harm. Enforcement focuses on behaviors rather than viewpoints. This includes activity such as bot networks, fake or coordinated inauthentic accounts, impersonation, deceptive deepfakes, election interference, and organized propaganda campaigns.
Content or accounts are only removed when they violate specific, published platform rules or when required by law. The use of pseudonyms is allowed, but coordinated or deceptive inauthentic behavior is not.
UpScrolled is also exploring additional tools to support informed conversations. This includes plans for a Community Context feature (similar to community notes) which would allow contributors to add sourced, crowd-reviewed context alongside disputed or potentially misleading posts.
Will there be ads on UpScrolled?
Possibly. UpScrolled is exploring advertising as one way to support the platform long-term, while staying aligned with its core values and user experience goals.
If ads are introduced, they would be designed and managed directly by UpScrolled. The platform does not plan to use third-party ad networks or third-party tracking systems, and does not plan to target ads using personal data.
Can I monetize on UpScrolled?
Creator monetization is planned as part of UpScrolled’s roadmap. The platform expects to introduce tools such as creator payouts, branded content opportunities, and features that allow communities to directly support creators they value.
The current focus is on building a fair and transparent foundation where creators can grow and reach audiences without opaque or unpredictable distribution systems. As monetization features are introduced, creators with established and engaged communities are expected to be best positioned to benefit.
