Looking for a new social network to connect with like-minded people? You are not alone. Many users are tired of social media companies that have over time transformed into content marketplaces. Factr is the new kid on the block that wants you as a user but what is it all about?
The idea of a clean and ad-free social networking experience is not new but many who focus on user experience have perished over time. Even Google+ was turned off after a couple of years without gaining momentum with the users. Yet, Factr is here and they are giving it a try. A worthwhile endeavor in my opinion.
What is Factr all about?
Factr has a couple of main features which they are focusing on in their marketing efforts. They are stating that they want to put the user in control of their data and will neither show ads nor sell your data to third parties.
It’s hard to describe a new social network site without comparing to prominent examples. I’d say Factr is different from what you might already know. It’s a mix of collaboration and communication suite with interesting functions and features for more productivity and less clutter. I could imagine Factr being used in education, business, or just personal usage. It is what you make out of it.
How is Factr keeping the lights on then?
No ad revenue and not selling data means you need funding from different sources. They offer a free service to all users but all those who seek to get more out of their Factr experience are able to subscribe to either the Pro ($4.99) or the Expert ($9.99) plan which are billed monthly. To me, this seems like a reasonable amount to pay for, if users are using the network intensively.
What’s the status of Factr right now?
When I first saw their Kickstarter campaign I thought that they are still in too early and I can’t try it out but I was happily surprised when I found out that they are actually in beta stage and open for user registrations right now. I’d still say that everything is pretty early but it is functional and you can certainly try it out as much as you like. There is already an extension for the Chrome browser (already used by 124 users) but I am not aware that there are any apps available for it yet. Though, you might be able to navigate it on your smartphone’s browser just fine.
If you like the idea and want to be part of their project, you should check out their Kickstarter campaign site and back them starting at $1. As they are not selling a product but developing a solution for us all to make use of, the pledges are not an equivalent to purchasing a product, but you support the development of the service and can get some goodies, depending on how much you choose to give them.
Why not give it a try?
What do you think about Factr yourself? If you got a few minutes you can just simply go there and try them out a bit. It’s certainly not final and it might not give you 100% of the planned user experience yet but you might like the feeling and the spirit of it all. Maybe you even stick around for good. Either way, we’d love to hear your comments below. Thanks for reading!
Vimeo: Factr Final Cut for Kickstarter
Photo credit: All material is owned by Factr.
