You can find Part I here.

Intro

Nostr is much more than just a social media platform; it serves as a decentralized communications protocol. This means it has the capacity to transmit information across the Internet, free from censorship or interruption.

We're still in the early stages of development, which means that while Nostr offers unique benefits, it also comes with its share of complexities. True Nostr OGs will recall that just a few months ago, adding an image to a note required manual uploading and link pasting. However, Nostr has been evolving rapidly, resulting in significant improvements in user experience and the emergence of numerous apps that can rival traditional applications that have been around for years. One noteworthy feature is the ability to post, share, and stream multimedia files, including audio, images, videos, and GIFs.

While text remains one of the most informative forms of communication, the earliest attempts to share and preserve information involved cave paintings, the predecessors of what we now refer to as "multimedia."

One of the oldest known figurative paintings, a depiction of an unknown bovine, was discovered in the Lubang Jeriji Saléh cave and dated to be more than 40,000 (perhaps as old as 52,000) years old.

To make it easier for you to navigate the multimedia landscape of Nostr, I've divided today's review into three categories. Let's dive in!

Image and video hosting

Nostr Build

Website: https://nostr.build/

Developers: &

Nostr Build is a remarkable service designed to store and conveniently provide access to your media files, ensuring that you can effortlessly share any uploaded file across the Internet. You might think that numerous services already offer this functionality, but Nostr Build goes beyond mere file storage. It excels by stripping away all the metadata associated with your files, such as timestamps and location data. This exceptional privacy feature, in my view, is invaluable and difficult to quantify.

Initially, Nostr Build offers its services for free, providing basic functionality sufficient for uploading and sharing images, GIFs, or short videos. However, for the Nostr addicts like myself 😄 subscribing to one of the available paid plans is well worth it. Paid subscriptions unlock a multitude of possibilities, from access to all media publicly hosted on the servers to the integration of a BTCPay account, enabling the creation of your own digital store, along with a generous 20 GB of storage space.

Prices per year

Furthermore, Nostr Build seamlessly integrates with some of the most popular Nostr-based social media clients, such as Damus and Amethyst. This means that when a paid subscriber uploads media through, for instance, Damus, their files are automatically stored in their personal gallery. For more information about this service, explore their dedicated About page. Be sure to delve deeper into Nostr Build; it offers an invaluable service in a world driven by technology, where information travels at the speed of light.

Nostrcheck

Website: https://nostrcheck.me/

Developer:

While Nostrcheck is often labeled as a media storage or Nostr address service, it boasts a versatile array of features that extend far beyond these descriptions. In fact, Nostrcheck stands as a comprehensive one-stop destination, catering to both Nostr newcomers and seasoned nostriches alike.

• Nostr addresses

• Image and video uploads

• Personal dashboard

• Image gallery

• Lightning address redirects

• Private relay

Nostrcheck is a great service to use alongside or instead of Nostr Band. Make sure to check it out.

Plebhy

Website: https://plebhy.com/

Developer: Lightning Digital Entertainment (the team behind Current)

Plebhy stands as an impressive GIF library created by the plebs for the plebs. Such "Nostr-native replacements for traditional services" are becoming increasingly inevitable due to Nostr's enhanced interoperability, and Plebhy serves as a shining example of this trend.

Simply add the #plebhy hashtag when posting a gif and it will be automatically added to the gallery. You can obviously use plebhy gifs by copying their URLs from the library like so:

Ability to zap GIF creators right within the gallery is on the way too.

Streaming

Zapstream

Website: https://zap.stream/

Developer:

Zapstream is a native Nostr video streaming platform that empowers you to take control of your live streams. You have the flexibility to self-host your live streams, leverage virtual servers like Digital Ocean, or utilize the service's own tools to stream your content for just a few sats per minute. True to the Nostr ethos, you can rest assured that if your content is deemed valuable, it will cover your streaming costs. Your "revenue" isn't subject to algorithms, paid promotions, or the broken traditional media stereotypes.

Just like you would expect from a Nostr-based streaming service, it supports live chat, zaps and native Nostr events, allowing you to embed streams into your posts across Nostr:

Zapstream boasts a user-friendly interface, making it an excellent recommendation for both Nostr newcomers and even those who are not yet acquainted with the Nostr ecosystem. Additionally, the platform supports multiple locales, catering to users worldwide. If your native language isn't currently supported, you can contribute to its inclusion by following this link.

Nostr Nests

Website: https://nostrnests.com/

Developers: &

Nostr Nests is a unique service designed for recording and live-streaming audio content. While some may draw comparisons to platforms like Twitter Spaces or Clubhouse, this Nostr-native service offers more with less intrusion. Nostr Nests respects your privacy by not requiring any of your personal information. It not only allows you to host and record group discussions, whether they be rooms or podcasts, but also offers the ability to stream audio files.

Moreover, if audio recording is initiated while doing a live stream, the file gets automatically saved on your device. This makes it easy to upload it on dedicated hosting services - more on this in the section below - and broadcast it across Nostr. Depending on the type of the recording you've made you might need to use an audio conversion tool; anything like this online file converter will do. To customize your account, Nostr Nests may request identity confirmation, but it provides a passphrase for future profile restoration, sparing you from repeated verifications. Additionally, you have the freedom to create and tailor multiple rooms in advance, such as one for Bitcoin discussions, another for local community chats, and yet another for work-related conversations. Rooms can also be set to private, allowing access to selected individuals only.

Nostr Nests is a great dedicated service doing just what it is expected to do and a little more, however we are looking forward to new updates and features. Remember, at Nostr, innovation never sleeps!

Audio hosting

Zapstr

Website: https://zapstr.live/

Developer:

Zapstr is your go-to tool for sharing your favorite music, podcasts, and all types of audio files within the expansive Nostr Universe. Zapstr seamlessly integrates with all the beloved Nostr features we hold dear, including zaps and lightning prisms (for splitting zaps between podcast hosts or musicians), along with the ability for listeners to leave comments.

When it comes to this tool, there's not much to elaborate on except that it excels at its intended purpose, providing content creators with fantastic ways to engage with their audience. If your goal is to grant listeners effortless access to your audio tracks without the need for account creation, email addresses, or the sharing of personal data, then Zapstr is the perfect solution for you!

Stemstr

Website: https://stemstr.app/

Developer:

As stated in their Nostr profile bio, Stemstr's mission is clear:

Helping music producers and artists to connect, collaborate and share amazing music. Powered by nostr.

And, in all honesty, that's precisely what this tool accomplishes.

Uploading your tracks to Stemstr will require a nominal amount of sats. However, far from being discouraging, this is, in fact, the epitome of an honest and transparent monetization model. Developing applications like this demands resources, and contributing a few sats to have your work heard is a reasonable exchange. Especially when you consider the opportunity to earn those sats back through zaps.

Purchasing a pass helps keep the quality of content on Stemstr at its highest and limits spam.

In short, if you're a music creator, Stemstr is undeniably your go-to platform.

Honorable mentions

• Slidestr: Shows slideshow of images and videos on the nostr platform. Filter images by tags and create beautiful slideshows.

• Wavman: An open-source music player built for Nostr.

Outro

That's a wrap for today, fellow nostriches! Feel free to share your thoughts on today's selection, and if you have any other apps in mind that should be included on this list, don't hesitate to let me know. You can stay updated on newly added Nostr tools by visiting https://nostrapp.link/ and https://www.nostrapps.com/. Even better, consider developing your own apps to further enrich the Nostr Universe and make it even more dynamic.

FOSS FTW!

Tony