UpScrolled Gains 140K Users Seeking Social Media Alternative

When thousands of social media users went searching for a new digital home last week, they found something unexpected: a platform built by a small team determined to put people before profit.

UpScrolled, a social media app founded by Palestinian-Jordanian-Australian technologist Issam Hijazi, has climbed to 12th overall in Apple's App Store. The platform combines features familiar to Instagram and X users, including photo sharing, videos, text posts, and direct messaging.

The app's rapid rise happened almost overnight. Between Thursday and Saturday last week, UpScrolled gained 41,000 new users, representing nearly one-third of its lifetime installs. Daily downloads jumped from around 475 to an average of 14,000, a stunning 2,850% increase.

What makes UpScrolled different? The team promises no shadowbanning and pledges to give every post a fair chance to be seen. Their mission centers on building "a platform that belongs to the people who use it, not to hidden algorithms or outside agendas."

The surge crashed their servers temporarily. "Frustrating? Yes. Emotional? Also yes," the company posted on X. "We're a tiny team building what Big Tech stopped being."

Hijazi envisions more than just another social network. "It's a reimagining of what social media should be: a space where creators, communities, and businesses thrive independently, with real control, transparency, and accountability," he explained on the app's website.

The timing proved perfect for UpScrolled's growth. Users searching for alternatives found the app's commitment to transparency and user control particularly appealing. Of the 140,000 total downloads, 75,000 came from U.S. users.

The Ripple Effect

UpScrolled isn't alone in this movement toward user-focused social media. Skylight, another alternative platform built on open source technology, has attracted over 380,000 sign-ups. These numbers suggest people are actively seeking spaces where they feel heard and valued, not manipulated by invisible algorithms.

The success of these smaller platforms demonstrates something powerful: when given the choice, users gravitate toward transparency and community. Both apps prove that social media can prioritize people without sacrificing functionality or connection.

For a small team running on caffeine and determination, UpScrolled's journey shows that sometimes the biggest changes start with the simplest promise: putting users first.