How to Cross-Post from Mastodon to Bluesky Automatically
Post natively on Mastodon and Ferryman automatically syncs every new post to Bluesky — no copy-paste, no workflow change. Set up in under two minutes.
Why cross-post from Mastodon to Bluesky
Mastodon and Bluesky reach genuinely different audiences. Mastodon is federated, instance-driven communities — strong technical, academic, and open-source presence. Bluesky, by contrast, is tech, open-source, journalism, and a fast-growing community of X expats who want chronological feeds and open protocols.
One of the fastest-growing social platforms — every wave of X frustration sends a new cohort of creators here. If you're already putting in the effort to write good posts on Mastodon, there's no reason that work shouldn't reach a Bluesky audience too — except that maintaining two presences manually is exhausting and easy to abandon. That's the problem Ferryman exists to solve.
Key differences between Mastodon and Bluesky
Cross-posting isn't just a copy-paste. The two platforms have different limits and conventions, and Ferryman handles each difference so you don't have to think about it.
| Capability | Mastodon | Bluesky |
|---|---|---|
| Character limit | 500 | 300 |
| Images per post | 4 | 4 |
| Alt text on images | Yes | Yes |
| Video support | Up to 1:00 | Up to 3:00 |
| Native threading | Yes | Yes |
Mastodon allows up to 500 characters per post, while Bluesky caps each post at 300. When a Mastodon post is too long for Bluesky, Ferryman automatically splits it into a native Bluesky thread that reads naturally.
What gets synced
- Original posts (replies and quote posts are off by default and can be enabled)
- Images up to 4 per post, with alt text preserved
- Videos up to 180-second length on Bluesky (Creator plan)
- Links — Ferryman preserves URLs and link cards where Bluesky supports them
- Hashtags and mentions are preserved as-is; platform-specific mention syntax is rewritten
- Long posts auto-split into a native Bluesky thread
Set up Mastodon → Bluesky cross-posting
- Sign in to Ferryman with your X account. This is how Ferryman authenticates you — you can still set Mastodon as your origin platform afterwards.
- Go to Settings and connect your Mastodon account. This is the platform you'll post on natively.
- Connect your Bluesky account in Settings. See the Bluesky integration guide for the exact steps.
- Set Mastodon as your origin platform and check Bluesky as a target. Toggle cross-posting on, and Ferryman will sync new Mastodon posts to Bluesky within a few minutes.
Edge cases worth knowing
- Skip a specific post: include
#noferryanywhere in your Mastodon post and Ferryman won't sync it to Bluesky. - Replies and quote posts: off by default. You can enable them in Settings if you want your Mastodon conversations to appear on Bluesky too.
- Threads on Mastodon: Mastodon threads are reconstructed as native Bluesky threads.
- Editing or deleting: Ferryman doesn't propagate edits or deletions automatically. Each platform keeps its own copy once posted.
- Scheduling: Use Ferryman's planner to schedule a post and Ferryman publishes to Mastodon and Bluesky at the same time.
Manual cross-posting vs. Ferryman
| Task | Manual | Ferryman |
|---|---|---|
| Cross-post a new Mastodon post | Copy text, re-upload images, rewrite mentions | Automatic, within minutes |
| Handle character-limit differences | Rewrite or split by hand | Long posts auto-split into a native Bluesky thread |
| Preserve alt text on images | Retype every time | Carried over automatically |
| Skip specific posts | Remember to not cross-post | Add #noferry and you're done |
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take for a Mastodon post to appear on Bluesky?
Ferryman checks for new Mastodon posts every few minutes and syncs them to Bluesky as they arrive. Most cross-posts go live on Bluesky within five minutes of the original Mastodon post.
What happens if my Mastodon post is too long for Bluesky?
Mastodon allows up to 500 characters per post, while Bluesky caps each post at 300. When a Mastodon post is too long for Bluesky, Ferryman automatically splits it into a native Bluesky thread that reads naturally.
Are images and videos preserved when cross-posting from Mastodon to Bluesky?
Yes. Images attached to your Mastodon post are uploaded to Bluesky automatically, up to Bluesky's limit of 4 per post. Alt text is carried over so your posts stay accessible on both platforms. Videos are preserved when both platforms support them (Creator plan).
Can I cross-post one Mastodon post but skip another?
Yes. Include #noferry anywhere in a Mastodon post and Ferryman will skip syncing it to Bluesky (and any other connected platforms).
Does Ferryman cross-post my Mastodon replies and quote posts?
By default, only original posts are cross-posted. You can opt in to syncing replies, quote posts, or reposts from your Ferryman settings.
Is cross-posting from Mastodon to Bluesky free?
Ferryman has a free tier that covers cross-posting between Mastodon and Bluesky. Paid plans unlock higher post volume, video cross-posting, and additional features like scheduling.
Related cross-post guides
- Bluesky → MastodonCross-post from Bluesky to Mastodon automatically
- Mastodon → XCross-post from Mastodon to X automatically
- Mastodon → ThreadsCross-post from Mastodon to Threads automatically
- Mastodon → LinkedInCross-post from Mastodon to LinkedIn automatically
- X → BlueskyCross-post from X to Bluesky automatically
- Threads → BlueskyCross-post from Threads to Bluesky automatically