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Skylight’s TikTok alternative adds community curators to the mix

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Skylight’s TikTok alternative adds community curators to the mix Sarah Perez AM PDT · August 26, 2025 A startup called Skylight is taking a different approach to short-form video. Instead of restricting users to an algorithmic main feed, as is common on social apps, Skylight is building a community around human curators who post and repost videos to build out their own custom feeds others can subscribe to.

The option, which launched on Monday in the version 2.0 release of the app, could appeal to users who feel a growing sense of unease about traditional social media platforms and their algorithmic manipulations, as well as those annoyed

Built on Bluesky’s social network and its underlying AT Protocol, Skylight first launched in April to offer an open alternative to video apps like TikTok. Since then, the app has seen roughly 240,000 downloads and 100,000 videos uploaded to its platform. Skylight also received early funding from Mark Cuban and others.

Like others in this space, Skylight’s ability to authenticate users with their Bluesky credentials gives it a head start on building its own user base. Today, Bluesky is used

With Skylight’s 2.0 launch, the company is focusing on improved curation. Users can now create their own “curator” feed

Soon, the company will integrate technology from the custom feed-building platform Graze to allow Skylight users to create those custom feeds inside its own app, as well.

To access the curated feeds, you simply swipe left from the main page to browse through the other selections. If you find a curator you want to follow, you tap the plus (+) button to add them to your set of feeds. Those curators you already follow will be included in this experience.

The update includes other integrations with services built for the open social web, as well. Skylight is partnering with the live-streaming platform Streamplace, another service built on the same AT Protocol that Bluesky and Skylight uses.

Plus, Skylight’s app now offers a redesigned player with a full-screen mode and allows users to watch videos in a split-screen window while continuing to browse profiles or search for other content.

Built

Those videos can help spike app installs, at times. Over the past week alone, White tells TechCrunch that Skylight pulled in another 20,000 downloads, for instance, even before the new version arrived. In part, she believes this is due to consumer interest in leaving established social platforms to join open-

Skylight is a free download on iOS and Android and has a roadmap that includes support for other features like music, bookmarks, an account switcher, and more.

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Sarah Perez Consumer News Editor

October 27-29, 2025 San Francisco Put your brand in front of 10,000+ tech and VC leaders across all three days of Disrupt 2025. Amplify your reach, spark real connections, and lead the innovation charge. Secure your exhibit space before your competitor does.

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