diff --git a/app/models.py b/app/models.py
index a88a8dd0..c3f5d776 100644
--- a/app/models.py
+++ b/app/models.py
@@ -87,6 +87,10 @@ class Instance(db.Model):
     def __repr__(self):
         return '<Instance {}>'.format(self.domain)
 
+    @classmethod
+    def unique_software_names(cls):
+        return list(db.session.execute(text('SELECT DISTINCT software FROM instance ORDER BY software')).scalars())
+
 
 class InstanceRole(db.Model):
     instance_id = db.Column(db.Integer, db.ForeignKey('instance.id'), primary_key=True)
diff --git a/app/search/routes.py b/app/search/routes.py
index 15f96a3d..f770a721 100644
--- a/app/search/routes.py
+++ b/app/search/routes.py
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ from flask_login import login_required, current_user
 from flask_babel import _
 from sqlalchemy import or_, desc
 
-from app.models import Post, Language, Community
+from app.models import Post, Language, Community, Instance
 from app.search import bp
 from app.utils import moderating_communities, joined_communities, render_template, blocked_domains, blocked_instances, \
     communities_banned_from, recently_upvoted_posts, recently_downvoted_posts, blocked_users, menu_topics, \
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ from app.activitypub.util import resolve_remote_post_from_search
 def run_search():
     languages = Language.query.order_by(Language.name).all()
     communities = Community.query.filter(Community.banned == False).order_by(Community.name)
+    instance_software = Instance.unique_software_names()
     if current_user.is_authenticated:
         banned_from = communities_banned_from(current_user.id)
         communities = communities.filter(Community.id.not_in(banned_from))
@@ -26,6 +27,7 @@ def run_search():
     community_id = request.args.get('community', 0, type=int)
     language_id = request.args.get('language', 0, type=int)
     type = request.args.get('type', 0, type=int)
+    software = request.args.get('software', '')
     low_bandwidth = request.cookies.get('low_bandwidth', '0') == '1'
     q = request.args.get('q')
     sort_by = request.args.get('sort_by', '')
@@ -68,6 +70,10 @@ def run_search():
             posts = posts.filter(Post.community_id == community_id)
         if language_id:
             posts = posts.filter(Post.language_id == language_id)
+        if software:
+            instances = Instance.query.filter_by(software=software)
+            instance_ids = [instance.id for instance in instances]
+            posts = posts.filter(Post.instance_id.in_(instance_ids))
         if sort_by == 'date':
             posts = posts.order_by(desc(Post.posted_at))
         elif sort_by == 'top':
@@ -100,7 +106,7 @@ def run_search():
 
     else:
         return render_template('search/start.html', title=_('Search'), communities=communities.all(),
-                               languages=languages,
+                               languages=languages, instance_software=instance_software,
                                moderating_communities=moderating_communities(current_user.get_id()),
                                joined_communities=joined_communities(current_user.get_id()),
                                menu_topics=menu_topics(),
diff --git a/app/templates/search/start.html b/app/templates/search/start.html
index e4d5ff93..36756bb6 100644
--- a/app/templates/search/start.html
+++ b/app/templates/search/start.html
@@ -41,6 +41,16 @@
                                     {% endfor %}
                                 </select>
                             </div>
+                            <div class="form-group"><label class="form-control-label" for="software" aria-label="Restrict results by instance software">{{ _('Instance Software') }}</label>
+                                <select class="form-control form-select" id="software" name="software">
+                                    <option value="">{{ _('All') }}</option>
+                                    {% for software in instance_software %}
+                                        {% if not software =='guppe groups' %}
+                                            <option value="{{ software }}">{{ software }}</option>
+                                        {% endif %}
+                                    {% endfor %}
+                                </select>
+                            </div>
                             <div class="form-group"><label class="form-control-label" for="type" aria-label="Sort results">{{ _('Sort by') }}</label>
                                 <select class="form-control form-select" id="sort_by" name="sort_by">
                                     <option value="">{{ _('Relevance') }}</option>