Comparison
A Nextdoor alternative you run yourself
Nextdoor organises neighbours into areas it defines. On duno, you create a network for your street, building or village, decide who is a neighbour, and appoint moderators who live there.
Written October 2026. Products change — check each one's own site for current details.
What Nextdoor is
Nextdoor is a neighbourhood social network that groups people by the area they live in, usually after checking their address. It also features local businesses, public agencies and recommendations. It is available in a number of countries — check its site to see whether yours is covered.
What duno does differently
You define the neighbourhood
One building, a few streets or a whole village: the network covers whatever you decide.
You approve neighbours
Ask which street people live on and approve requests yourself or with moderators. duno doesn't verify addresses for you.
Any country
Create a neighbourhood network wherever you live.
Local marketplace and city pages
Members can list items on duno's marketplace and find people and events on city pages.
Nextdoor and duno side by side
| Feature | Nextdoor | duno |
|---|---|---|
| Who sets the boundaries | The platform | You |
| Address verification | Usually yes | No — the owner and moderators approve members |
| Countries | Selected countries | Any country |
| Moderators | Community volunteers and the platform | People you appoint |
| Visibility | Neighbourhood and nearby areas | Public, private or hidden |
| Local businesses and agencies | Built in | Up to your rules |
A general description, not a full feature list. "Generally" means it depends on settings, plans or tools you add.
When Nextdoor is the better choice
- You want verified addresses without doing any approving yourself.
- Your neighbours are already active on Nextdoor.
- You want posts from local agencies and nearby neighbourhoods.
When duno fits better
- Nextdoor isn't available where you live, or your area isn't active.
- You want a smaller, private space — one building or a few streets.
- You want to choose the moderators and the rules yourself.
Trying duno alongside Nextdoor
- Create the networkPick a name and address at duno.com/net/your-name, choose public, private or hidden, and write your rules and a welcome message.
- Share the invite linkPost an invite link where your members already are. You can limit how many times it works and when it expires.
- Run both for a whilePin the important posts on duno and see where your members prefer to talk. Nothing stops you from using both.
Frequently asked questions
How do I make sure only neighbours join?
Use "request to join" with a question such as "Which street do you live on?", and approve people you or your moderators can confirm.
Can I create a network for my apartment building?
Yes. A hidden, invite-only network is ideal; post the invite link on the noticeboard.
Is it free?
Yes. Creating and running a network is free.
Can local shops post?
Up to you. Write it in your rules and moderate accordingly.
Is duno free?
Yes. Creating an account, creating networks, inviting members, posting jobs and asking questions are free. There are no paid plans and no ads in the feed.
Who runs a network on duno?
The person who creates it. Owners appoint admins and moderators, approve or decline join requests, remove or ban members and can transfer ownership. duno's own moderators only step in for content that breaks duno's terms.
Is this comparison neutral?
We wrote it as fairly as we could and list the cases where the other product is the better choice. Products change often, so check each one's own site for current features.