# Loops

Short video you host. Loops is AGPL-3.0 — TikTok without the hosted For You seat.

**Replaces:** TikTok

**Tier:** Medium

## Problem

TikTok is a hosted short-video graph. You wanted clips and follows on a box you run. Loops is AGPL-3.0 (joinloops/loops-server; last push 23 Oct 2026) — an ActivityPub short-video server. PeerTube is the VOD library already on /replace/youtube — not a TikTok For You feed. Owncast is live streaming — /replace/twitch. This is not TikTok Shop, ads, or the old interest graph. A photo feed stays on /replace/instagram.

## Stack

- [Loops](https://joinloops.org) — AGPL-3.0 federated short-video server — the published TikTok path

## Estimated SaaS cost saved

| You stop paying | Typical / year | Self-host instead |
|---|---:|---|
| TikTok / hosted short video (small team) | $1,200 | Loops + a video volume |

**About $1,200 / year** on a small team, before you count lock-in.

## Deploy on Railway

Placeholder: Loops (PHP + a database + a volume for video) as joinloops.org documents. Federation wants a public hostname. No one-click template in this repo yet — Start on Railway. A VOD library stays on /stacks/peertube-video.

[Start on Railway](https://c17.io/go/railway/loops-tiktok?from=%2Fstacks%2Floops-tiktok.md)

[PeerTube if this is a VOD library, not short video](https://c17.io/stacks/peertube-video)

## AGENT_PROMPT

```
Replace TikTok with Loops (https://joinloops.org).

- Official docs (joinloops/loops-server). Persist the database and video volume. Create one account and one clip. Do not claim TikTok Shop, ads, or a For You graph.
- PeerTube if the job is a VOD library — /stacks/peertube-video. Owncast if the job is live — /stacks/owncast-live.
- Write AGENT_PROMPT.md.
```

## FAQ

### Loops or PeerTube?

Loops if the product is short clips (the published TikTok path). PeerTube if the product is a VOD library — /replace/youtube. They are different jobs.

### Is this Instagram?

No. A photo feed is Pixelfed — /replace/instagram.

### Are these free?

Loops is AGPL-3.0. You pay hosting and storage. Template users never pay c17.

Source: https://c17.io/stacks/loops-tiktok