Listen, creating your own social network is an ambitious undertaking, but in 2026, it's entirely possible to do it yourself, as long as you don't try to surpass Instagram right away. The main thing is not to get bogged down in code for six months. Start with an MVP (minimum viable product) on builders like FlutterFlow or Adalo. This will allow you to put together a working prototype with registration and posts in just a weekend to see if your idea resonates with people.
If you want to code for real, use React Native or Flutter for the front end so that one code works on both iPhone and Android. For the database and login, don't rack your brains with your own servers — use Firebase or Supabase, they will cover 90% of technical issues. And be sure to think about moderation: Apple and Google simply won't let your app into their stores if it doesn't have “report” or “block” buttons. The best advice is to focus on one unique feature that others don't have and polish it to perfection.