6 Top 4chan Alternatives: Where to Go After 4chan Shuts Down?

On April 14, 4chan, an Internet forum known for its controversial nature, was hacked, causing the site to become suddenly inaccessible earlier in the day and to remain unavailable for an extended period of time. As of press time, access has not been restored yet.

If you’re desperately looking for a new platform where you can continue to speak your mind and have uninhibited discussions, we’ve come up with 6 top 4chan alternatives for you.

TL;DR

Here is the quick summary of the top 4chan alternatives list:

4Chan Shut Down: What Happened?

Founded in 2003 by Christopher Poole (known online as moot), the 4chan forum is one of the first and most influential anonymous imageboards on the Internet. Due to its high degree of anonymity and loose environment for content posting, the platform has been a hotbed of online subculture, controversial content, and rumors. 

But it was on April 14, 2025, that the venerable anonymous image board, which had been in operation for over two decades, suffered a serious cybersecurity incident. The previously banned board /qa/ suddenly reappeared on 4chan, and the site was subsequently defaced with the words “U GOT HACKED XD.”

Following the incident, a member of an online community called Soyjak.party (also known as TheParty) publicly claimed that he had been infiltrating 4chan’s systems for up to a year and officially launched the attack on the 14th. 

To prove his claim, the attacker released several screenshots of what is allegedly the backend interface of 4chan’s administration. The content shows that he may have gained access to administrator tools, which may be used to view user IP addresses, geo-info, manage forum sections, view logs, access databases, etc. Additionally, the attackers leaked a list purportedly containing the email addresses of 4chan administrators, moderators, and Janitors.

The incident is believed by cybersecurity analysts to be possibly caused by 4chan’s use of an obsolete technology stack. The version of PHP it was using was released in 2016, while Ghostscript was released in 2012. It had several known security vulnerabilities that provided opportunities for attackers to exploit.

In an effort to contain the damage, 4chan administrators have taken all servers offline, but there are unconfirmed reports that the servers have been fully compromised. As of the time of this blog’s posting, visiting 4chan still shows suspended services, making one wonder if it will shut down permanently.

If 4chan does go down for good, where can we go? Fortunately, there are still 6 platforms that can similarly provide you with plenty of interactive freedom for your discussion needs, so you don’t have to worry about interrupting communication due to the hack. 

▶︎ To get more info about the 4chan hack, don’t miss this blog:

Related Reading

4Chan Down? User Data Leaked & Admins Doxxed

The anonymous imageboard 4chan was hacked on April 14, resulting in user data leaks 4chan shut down. Is your info still safe now? What can you do?

Top 8 4chan Alternatives in 2025

1. Endchan

Created in 2015, Endchan is an imageboard site that is currently very close to 4chan, based on LynxChan. Endchan was originally designed to provide an open environment for its users, emphasizing ideas over identities and placing a high value on user privacy and freedom of expression. On it, you can post content anonymously, without registering for an account, and are able to discuss a variety of topics freely with minimal censorship.

It is because of the open attitude and support for anonymous posting that Endchan is perfect for users who want to share and access info in a less restrictive environment.

2. 8kun

8kun is an imageboard website created by Fredrick Brennan in 2013. At the time, Brennan, believing that 4chan had some authoritarian tendencies and was upset about the loss of free speech on the internet, created the website as 8chan. Over the years, 8chan became embroiled in several controversies and was accused of being associated with extremist ideologies, which led to its shutdown in August 2019.

However, just three months later, 8chan returned to clearnet through a Russian hosting service, renamed 8kun, and continued to provide users with an anonymous discussion platform with great autonomy.

3. 7chan

7chan is an anonymous photo-sharing and discussion community more suited to users looking for a tight-knit community. Compared to 4chan, 7chan is very small and doesn’t have too much visibility. But even so, 7chan still provides a relatively open interactive environment and photo-sharing space for users looking for a diverse range of topics to discuss.

4. Wizardchan

Unlike the more diverse 4chan, Wizardchan is an anonymous online community dedicated to men called “wiz”, i.e., virgins over the age of 30 who have never had sex with women. Since its launch in 2013, this platform has provided a warm space for communication centered around the needs and challenges of this group. Discussion topics cover life’s difficulties, feelings of loneliness, social issues, and personal development.

Of course, while Wizardchan provides a private and supportive environment for interaction, its unique culture and strict joining criteria also mean it has a relatively limited audience.

5. 2chan

To say that 2chan is an alternative to 4chan is not really that appropriate. Because in reality, 2chan is what inspired the birth of 4chan. As one of the earliest anonymous imageboards, 2chan has been a pioneer in anonymous image sharing and board discussions since its inception in 2001, and has had a profound impact on the emergence and development of Japanese online culture and similar platforms.

However, the only unfortunate point lies in the fact that 2chan focuses on Japanese users, and without language skills, it may be difficult for you to participate in discussions and share content.

6. Kohlchan

Kohlchan is a relatively small but fully functional alternative to 4chan that provides users with an anonymous discussion space for sharing and discussing a variety of content. This imageboard originated in Germany and has a stable community base in Europe. However, if 4chan continues to shut down, Kohlchan will be a great place to go as it offers multiple language boards that can adequately accommodate users from different backgrounds.

Pro Tip: How to Protect Your Online Privacy?

The recent 4chan security incident not only exposed the platform’s outdated technical architecture but also raised public concern about the risk of potential data breaches.

The attacker, who lurked on 4chan for a year, was able to access forum logs, users’ IP addresses, geolocations, emails, and other private info related to their digital identities after gaining access to 4chan’s administrative privileges. 

It’s chilling to imagine what would happen if the attacker just released all the users’ info. Users whose privacy was compromised would face serious consequences, most likely identity theft, DDoS attacks, phishing, scams, and even financial losses.

Therefore, even if you are visiting anonymous forums, we still recommend that you take extra privacy protection measures such as using a VPN. A VPN encrypts your online data from prying eyes or interception and uses the IP address of the server you are connecting to mask your real identity, thus completely hiding your online tracks.

Of course, not all providers offer satisfactory services, but X-VPN is one such trustworthy partner.

Conclusion

So Endchan, 8kun, 7chan, Wizardchan, 2chan, and Kohlchan are the best 4chan alternatives today. Just download X-VPN now by clicking the button above, put on your privacy cloak, and find the best new destination for you on our list!

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