CuriousCat Alternatives: Anonymous Q&A Platforms in 2026

CuriousCat was one of the internet's most popular anonymous Q&A platforms for years. Creators, fan communities, and everyday users relied on it to receive anonymous questions and interact with their audiences. Then it shut down.

The closure left millions of users scrambling for alternatives. If you're one of them -- or if you're just exploring the anonymous Q&A landscape for the first time -- this guide covers the best options available in 2026.

What Made CuriousCat Popular

CuriousCat succeeded because it was simple. You created a profile, shared a link, and people sent you anonymous questions. No complicated setup, no app required for questioners, and a clean interface that worked well with Twitter (now X) integration.

The platform built a dedicated user base in fan communities, artist circles, and among content creators who wanted to engage with followers on a more personal level.

Why CuriousCat Shut Down

CuriousCat posted a notice that it would be fully discontinued on October 7, 2024, citing prolonged deficits, and asked users to back up or move their posts and data. The site went offline the next day, and anyone who hadn't exported lost their question archives. The shutdown underscored a painful lesson: when a free platform controls your data, you're at the mercy of its business decisions.

Best CuriousCat Alternatives

1. Retrospring

Type: Open-source anonymous Q&A platform

Retrospring was the closest spiritual successor to CuriousCat, but the service shut down permanently on September 1, 2025; only its open-source (AGPLv3) code remains. It offered a similar profile-based Q&A experience. Users could receive anonymous questions, respond publicly, and build a timeline of answers.

Pros	Cons
Open-source and transparent	Smaller community than CuriousCat had
Free to use	Interface feels dated
Profile-based Q&A	Service shut down in September 2025
Community-moderated	Required an account to answer (not to ask)

Best for: CuriousCat loyalists who want the most similar experience.

2. Marshmallow

Type: Anonymous Q&A with AI filtering

Marshmallow (known as Marshmallow in Japan, popular as マシュマロ) offers anonymous messaging with a twist: it uses AI to filter out negative or harmful messages before they reach you. This makes it popular among creators who want anonymous interaction without the toxicity.

Pros	Cons
AI-based negativity filtering	Primarily designed for Japanese users
Clean, modern interface	English support is limited
Good Twitter/X integration	AI filtering may block legitimate questions
Free tier available	Requires account to receive messages

Best for: Creators who want built-in content moderation and are comfortable with the Japan-centric ecosystem.

3. LOCK.PUB Ask Board

Type: Browser-based anonymous question board with privacy controls

LOCK.PUB takes a different approach from traditional profile-based Q&A platforms. Instead of creating a permanent profile, you create individual question boards -- each with its own link and password, and with Pro an expiration date. Everyone who enters with the password can read the questions and your answers, and only you answer. Askers give no name or account, but that does not make them untraceable: LOCK.PUB's servers record access data such as a hashed IP address, the browser and an approximate location; a Pro owner's analytics list each visit's time, city and device; and what askers write can still give them away.

Pros	Cons
No app download for anyone	No permanent profile page
Every board has a password	Newer platform
Expiration dates for boards (Pro)	No built-in social timeline
Works on any platform	Board-based, not profile-based
No account needed to submit

Best for: Users who want disposable, privacy-first Q&A boards they can create for specific events or time periods.

4. ASKfm

Type: Social Q&A network

ASKfm launched in 2010 and ran as a full social network built around questions and answers until it shut down on December 1, 2024. Its iOS and Android apps are no longer available.

Pros	Cons
Large established user base	Heavy advertising
Had mobile apps (now withdrawn)	Privacy concerns in the past
Discover/explore features	Requires app for full experience
Like and share functionality	Aimed at younger demographics

Best for: Users who want a social network experience, not just a Q&A tool.

Comparison Table: All CuriousCat Alternatives

Feature	Retrospring (shut down 2025)	Marshmallow	LOCK.PUB	ASKfm (shut down 2024)
Anonymous questions	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
No app needed	Yes (web)	Yes (web)	Yes (web)	No (app preferred)
Password-protected boards	No	No	Yes	No
Expiration dates	No	No	Yes (Pro)	No
Open source	Yes	No	No	No
AI content filtering	No	Yes	No	No
Profile-based	Yes	Yes	No (board-based)	Yes
Free	Was free	Yes	Yes	Was free (with ads)

How to Choose the Right Alternative

If you want a CuriousCat clone...

Retrospring was the most similar experience -- profile page, anonymous questions, public answers -- but the service shut down in September 2025. Its open-source code is still available if you want to host a clone yourself.

If you want content moderation built in...

Try Marshmallow. The AI filtering removes a lot of the toxicity that plagues anonymous platforms. Just be aware that it may also filter out some legitimate but edgy questions.

If you want privacy and control...

LOCK.PUB is your best bet. The board-based model means you create a fresh Q&A space for each use case -- a 24-hour "ask me anything" session, a private feedback board for your team, or a week-long fan Q&A. Each board has its own password, and with Pro you can set an expiration date — after that, the board link stops opening.

If you want a social network...

ASKfm used to offer the full social experience with discovery features, follower systems, and engagement mechanics, but it shut down in December 2024.

Setting Up Your First Anonymous Q&A Board

If you want to get started quickly without creating profiles or downloading apps, here's how to set up a LOCK.PUB Ask Board in under a minute:

Visit lock.pub and click "Ask Board"
Write a title or prompt (e.g., "Ask me anything about photography")
Set the board's password
With Pro, set when the board closes (for example after 24 hours, 7 days or 30 days)
Share the generated link on your social media, in group chats, or wherever your audience is, and give the password to the people you want questions from

That's it. No email verification, no profile setup, no app downloads for your respondents.

Lessons from the CuriousCat Shutdown

The CuriousCat closure taught us a few things:

Export your data regularly. If a platform offers data export, use it. Don't wait until it's too late.
Don't rely on a single platform. Cross-post your best Q&A answers to your own blog or social media.
Consider disposable tools. Platforms like LOCK.PUB that give each event its own fresh board mean you're never at risk of losing years of content to a sudden shutdown.
Open source matters. Retrospring's service is gone, but its open-source code means anyone can still fork and run it.

Final Thoughts

The anonymous Q&A space is more fragmented than it was during CuriousCat's peak, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. More options mean more competition, and more competition means better tools for users.

Whether you choose the AI-filtered experience of Marshmallow or the privacy-first disposable boards of LOCK.PUB, the key is finding a tool that matches how you actually want to interact with your audience.

The age of relying on a single anonymous Q&A platform is over. Pick the tool that fits your needs, and don't put all your questions in one basket.