Frequently Asked Questions
General
What is Garden?
Garden is a subscription-based social network with a chronological feed. You see posts from the people you follow, in the order they were posted. No algorithm, no ads.
How is Garden different from other social networks?
Most social networks are advertising businesses. They're free to use because they monetize attention by selling it to advertisers. The result is a platform optimized for engagement, not for your benefit.
Garden charges $4/month, which means we work for you, not advertisers. We don't need algorithms to keep you scrolling, and we don't need to harvest your data for advertisers. Our success depends on providing a service you value enough to pay for.
Who is Garden for?
Garden is for people who want a social feed that reflects their actual interests, not one shaped by an algorithm optimizing for time on screen. If you'd rather see quality content from people you chose to follow, Garden is designed for you.
What can I post on Garden?
You can share text posts, photos, videos, and links. Content should respect our guidelines: be respectful, don't spam, don't post illegal content, and don't harass others. Beyond that, it's yours to share what matters to you.
Can I share my posts with people who aren't on Garden?
Yes. Every Garden post has a public link that anyone can view, even without an account. Send posts to friends who aren't on Garden yet, embed them in your blog, or share them anywhere on the web.
Account & Pricing
How do I sign up?
Garden is currently in development. We'll announce when sign-ups are available.
Why do you charge $4/month?
The $4/month covers our costs (servers, development) and aligns our incentives with yours. When you pay us, we work for you, not advertisers.
It also acts as a natural spam filter. Bots and bad actors can't scale when each account costs money, keeping the network cleaner for everyone.
Can I cancel my subscription?
Yes, you can cancel anytime from your account settings. No penalties, no cancellation fees.
Something we didn't cover?
Reach out at gavin.sweeney@gardenfeed.org