Ech0 is a free, open-source, self-hosted microblog for sharing posts and links. See its features, deployment options, and AI capabilities.
Category
CMS
Pricing
Free / Open Source, from Free
Verified
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Last updated
July 18, 2026
Web AppAPIOpen SourceAISelf-Hosted
Overview
Ech0 is a free, open-source, self-hosted microblogging platform created by developer lin-snow for individuals who want to publish short posts, thoughts, and links while retaining full ownership of their data.
It supports the ActivityPub protocol for federation with the broader Fediverse and is designed to be lightweight enough to run on low-power hardware such as a Raspberry Pi.
Key Features
Ech0 provides a Markdown editor with live preview, tag management, RSS export, rich media embedding with YouTube and Bilibili support, and a lightweight comment and like system.
Advanced features include OAuth2/OIDC authentication, Passkey/WebAuthn login, an open API with webhooks, a CLI toolchain, and an integrated Model Context Protocol server that powers AI-generated Recap digests and RAG-based chat over a user's own content.
Pricing
Ech0 is fully free and open source under the AGPL-3.0-or-later license, with no ads, tracking, or subscription fees for self-hosted instances.
A separate commercial license is available for organizations wanting to embed Ech0 in a proprietary product without AGPL's source-disclosure requirement, priced through direct negotiation with the maintainer rather than a published rate.
Key Features
Markdown editor with live preview — Compose posts using Markdown with a real-time preview of the rendered output.
ActivityPub federation — Supports the ActivityPub protocol so an Ech0 instance can interact with the wider Fediverse rather than staying isolated.
Rich media and video embeds — Supports images, audio, and video, with built-in embed parsing for YouTube and Bilibili links.
Passwordless authentication — Supports Passkey and WebAuthn login alongside OAuth2 and OpenID Connect for identity provider integration.
Open API and webhooks — Exposes a documented API and webhook system for integrating Ech0 with external tools and automations.
MCP server integration — Includes a built-in Model Context Protocol server that lets AI assistants interact with an instance's content.
AI Recap and RAG chat — Generates AI-powered digests of recent posts and offers a retrieval-augmented chat interface over a user's own timeline.
Lightweight, multi-platform deployment — Runs on Linux, Windows, and ARM devices including the Raspberry Pi, with single-command Docker deployment.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Completely free and open source with no ads, tracking, or subscription fees
Very lightweight, able to run on low-power hardware like a Raspberry Pi
Unusually rich feature set for a small project, including MCP and AI-powered features
Supports ActivityPub federation, avoiding lock-in to a single platform
Cons
No official hosted or managed cloud version; requires self-hosting
Maintained primarily by a single developer, which carries bus-factor risk
AGPL-3.0 licensing requires source disclosure for modified public deployments
Documentation and community support skew toward a Chinese-speaking audience
Yes, Ech0 is fully free and open source under the AGPL-3.0-or-later license, with no ads, tracking, or subscription fees.
Who develops Ech0?
Ech0 is developed by a programmer known as lin-snow (L1nSn0w), with the source code hosted at github.com/lin-snow/Ech0.
Can Ech0 run on a Raspberry Pi?
Yes, Ech0 is designed to be lightweight and supports ARM devices, including the Raspberry Pi, alongside Linux and Windows.
Does Ech0 support federation with other platforms?
Yes, Ech0 supports the ActivityPub protocol, allowing it to federate with the broader Fediverse rather than operating as an isolated silo.
What AI features does Ech0 include?
Ech0 includes a Model Context Protocol server, AI-generated Recap digests of recent posts, and a retrieval-augmented generation chat feature over a user's own content.
Is there a hosted version of Ech0?
No, there is no official managed cloud version; Ech0 must be self-hosted, though deployment via Docker can take under a minute.