Bluesky-based Instagram alternative Flashes launches publicly

Instagram alternative Flashes publicly launched its Bluesky-based photo-sharing app on the App Store this week, gaining nearly 30,000 downloads in its first 24 hours. The app offers a classic Instagram-like experience, allowing users to upload up to four photos and videos of up to a minute in length.

Built by Berlin-based developer Sebastian Vogelsang, Flashes runs on the same underlying protocol that powers Bluesky, the AT Protocol (or atproto for short).

Because it’s based on Bluesky, the social networking startup with now over 32 million users, Flashes has access to a built-in audience. That is, all the posts you make on the Flashes app are compatible with Bluesky, meaning they can reach a wider audience beyond those using the Flashes app itself.

While Flashes resembles Instagram in some aspects, it’s more customizable.

Instead of being trapped by an algorithm of the company’s making, people on Flashes can access any of the more than 50,000 custom feeds on Bluesky that let people curate the network’s content however they want. Plus, the app offers built-in feeds for both the top posts and latest posts across Bluesky’s network.

Other features are designed to cater to photographers looking to showcase their work.

A “Portfolio Mode” lets you curate your profile by choosing what media will appear to visitors, for example. That way, you can feature your best photographs up front when people visit your profile.

Posts created in Flashes itself can be edited using built-in photo filters, too, similar to Instagram.

Another new feature focuses on curated feeds from artists.

Flashes is kicking off this recent update with images from the Blacksky community. (Blacksky has been building out Bluesky tools for the Black community, including Blacksky feeds, its own moderation service, and other technical features.)

Vogelsang says he’s had some conversations with investors around funding and is open to opportunities. The app had reached 40,500 downloads as of Thursday and is one of several new efforts building on top of the Bluesky platform.