Sifa ID vs MainDeck
EU-hosted, but still not yours.
MainDeck moves LinkedIn's model to European servers. Sifa ID changes the model: your identity lives on an open protocol you control, not in one company's database. Here's how the two compare.
At a glance
| MainDeck | Sifa ID | |
|---|---|---|
| Where your profile lives | MainDeck's database | Your own data server, controlled by you |
| If you leave | You download a CSV, and the profile ends | Your records already live with you, so you take your identity and graph to any app |
| Works across other apps | MainDeck only | One identity across the open network of apps on AT Protocol |
| Keeps itself current | You update it by hand | It draws on your activity across the open web, so it stays current on its own |
| Source code | Closed | Open: our SDK and profile schemas are public (MIT) |
| Feed | In order, no algorithm | In order, no algorithm |
| Hosted in Europe | Yes | Yes, and portable, so you can take it anywhere |
| Cost | Paid tiers on the way | Free to use, and exporting your data is always free |
The full picture
MainDeck gets real things right. It's hosted in Europe, the feed runs in order instead of chasing engagement, there's a clear delete button, and the team clearly cares about security. The difference is structural: on MainDeck your profile lives in MainDeck's database, on MainDeck's terms, and if MainDeck shuts down it goes with it. On Sifa ID your profile lives in your own data server, so if Sifa shut down tomorrow your profile would still be there.
When MainDeck is a fair pick
- You want a curated, invite-only network to join today.
- "Hosted in Europe" is the assurance you're after, and you're fine with your profile living in one company's system.
- You want a full social feed and messaging in one place right now.
You own the identity, not just a copy of the data
"Export your data" and "own your identity" aren't the same promise. A CSV is a snapshot: the moment you download it, it's already out of date, and your real profile still sits in someone else's system. On Sifa ID your profile lives in your own data server. Sifa is one app that reads it, not the vault that holds it.
One profile, every app
Because your identity lives on an open protocol, it isn't locked inside Sifa. The same identity works across the wider network of apps built on AT Protocol, and it moves with you when you switch. MainDeck is a place you sign in to. Sifa ID is a profile you take anywhere.
A profile that keeps itself current
The tedious part of any professional network is the upkeep: remembering to add the new role, the new talk, the new project. Sifa ID pulls that in for you. It draws on your activity across the open web, plus open standards like RSS and ORCID, so your profile stays current without the manual busywork.
Open, so you don't have to take our word for it
Our SDK and the schemas that define a Sifa profile are public and MIT-licensed. Anyone can read how it works, build on it, or check what we claim. Ownership and privacy promises are easier to trust when the code is in the open.
Where we're headed: earned, not claimed
This one is a direction, not a shipped feature yet, and we'd rather say so than overclaim. We're building toward credibility that comes from what others verify about you, not what you type into a box: endorsements that carry weight because they're signed by people who'd actually know, and that stay with you across the network instead of one app. It's early, and it's yours to control.
Questions
- Is Sifa ID also hosted in Europe?
- Yes, hosted in Europe and portable. Location is only part of it: on Sifa ID your identity and data aren't tied to our servers at all, so you can take them anywhere.
- Is MainDeck open source?
- No. Sifa ID's SDK and profile schemas are public and MIT-licensed.
- Do I have to be technical, or run my own server?
- No. Sifa ID is hosted and works out of the box. Owning your data doesn't mean hosting it yourself: we run the servers, you keep the ownership.
- Can I use both?
- Sure, they're different kinds of thing. If you want a professional identity that keeps itself current and travels with you between apps, that's what Sifa ID is for.
- What's a "data server"?
- On AT Protocol, your account comes with a personal data server that holds your records. Apps like Sifa read and write to it with your permission, but the records belong to your account, so you can switch apps without leaving your identity behind.
Keep your profile. Change your apps.
Set it up once. It keeps itself current, and it's yours to take anywhere.
Last updated July 2026