OSSN review 2026: the free, self-hosted PHP social network script. Compare core and premium features, one-time pricing and top alternatives.
OSSN, or Open Source Social Network, is a free, self-hosted PHP script for building custom social networking websites and online communities. Founded in 2014, the project provides the core infrastructure of a social platform, including profiles, timelines, groups, and messaging, as free and open-source software that site owners install and control themselves.
Because it is self-hosted, OSSN gives organizations full ownership of their codebase, branding, and user data, avoiding the vendor lock-in and data-control concerns that come with building a community on a third-party hosted social network.
The free core includes user profiles, chronological timelines, groups, forums, private messaging, photo albums, real-time likes and comments, and notifications, all built on an extensible hooks-and-events architecture that supports custom themes and plugins without modifying core files.
A separate premium version, sold as a one-time $199 lifetime purchase, adds newer social features including hashtags, video support, polls, events, stories, and link previews, extending the free core with capabilities common on modern commercial social platforms.
OSSN's core script is completely free and open source, with no subscription fees or artificial user limits, and can be self-hosted on any PHP-compatible server or deployed via one-click marketplace listings on platforms like DigitalOcean.
Organizations wanting additional modern social features can purchase the premium version for a one-time fee of $199, which unlocks lifetime access to hashtags, video, polls, events, stories, and link previews on top of the free core.
Yes, the core OSSN script is free and open source with no subscription fees. A separate premium version is available for a one-time $199 lifetime fee that adds features like hashtags, video, and stories.
Yes, OSSN is self-hosted PHP software. You install it on your own server or hosting provider, though it is also available as a one-click app on marketplaces like DigitalOcean and AWS.
The $199 one-time premium version adds hashtags, native video support, polls, events, stories, and link previews on top of the free core platform.
The free core includes user profiles, timelines, groups, forums, private messaging, photo albums, likes, comments, and notifications.
Yes, OSSN uses a hooks-and-events architecture that lets developers add custom plugins and themes without modifying the platform's core files.
Because OSSN is self-hosted, the site owner fully owns the codebase, branding, and all user data, with no dependency on a third-party social media provider.
Alternatives include Elgg, BuddyPress (for WordPress sites), Mastodon and other ActivityPub-based platforms, and hosted community platforms like Mighty Networks or Circle.