TikTok has seen explosive growth since launching internationally in 2018, acquiring over 1 billion monthly active users as of 2021. The app’s popularity lies in its algorithmic “For You” feed that delivers short, entertaining videos tailored to each user’s interests. However, TikTok has also faced controversies surrounding data privacy, censorship, and political tensions with countries like India and the US. This has led many TikTok fans to seek alternative apps that offer similar short-form video features without the same concerns. The most popular alternatives include YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, Snapchat Spotlight, Triller, Byte, Facebook Reels, Lomotif, and Clash. This article will provide an overview of each of these TikTok competitor apps.
YouTube
YouTube is a popular video sharing platform owned by Google that allows users to upload, view, rate, share, and comment on videos. In 2020, YouTube launched a new short-form video feature called YouTube Shorts to compete with TikTok.
YouTube Shorts allows users to create 15-60 second vertical videos using YouTube’s editing tools. Shorts videos can feature licensed music, effects, filters, and more. Users can publish Shorts to their YouTube channel and share them across YouTube. Shorts also has a “Shorts Feed” where users can swipe vertically to discover more Shorts from other creators (Riverside, 2023).
Some of the pros of YouTube Shorts include leveraging YouTube’s massive existing user base, top-notch video creation tools, and ability to convert Shorts viewers into regular channel subscribers. However, YouTube Shorts lacks some of TikTok’s social features and recommendation algorithm (National Positions, 2022). Overall, YouTube Shorts presents a familiar short-form video option for YouTube’s audience while still trailing behind TikTok in some regards.
Instagram Reels
Instagram Reels is a part of the Instagram app owned by Meta that allows users to create short-form videos up to 60 seconds long with creative tools like audio, effects, and more. Reels was launched by Instagram in August 2020 as their own take on the popular short-form video content pioneered by TikTok.
There are certainly similarities between Reels and TikTok in terms of format and features. Like TikTok, Reels allows users to create short vertical videos set to music or other audio, make use of AR effects, create collages, and more. Reels also has remix and duet capabilities much like TikTok. However, there are some key differences as well. Instagram Reels is directly integrated into the Instagram app itself and content surfaces on the main Instagram feed. Reels also relies heavily on Instagram’s network, allowing video creators to easily repurpose content from their main Instagram feeds. There is also a deeper emphasis on branded content, with dedicated tabs for brand content and shoppable posts (Source: https://influencermarketinghub.com/reels-vs-tiktok/).
Snapchat Spotlight
Snapchat Spotlight is a feature within Snapchat that allows users to share vertical short-form videos, similar to TikTok. Videos uploaded to Spotlight have the chance to go viral and be featured in a dedicated section within Snapchat for high-engagement content. Some key aspects of Spotlight include:
Spotlight was introduced by Snapchat in November 2020 as a way for creators to share short-form vertical videos and potentially reach a large audience. Snapchat said Spotlight was their way to compete with TikTok. According to Snapchat, over 125 million Snapchat users watch Spotlight daily on average as of January 2022.
Snapchat provides analytics to creators through Insights, allowing them to view engagement metrics over time for their Spotlight content. Metrics available include views, favorites, shares, comments, and more. Creators can tap into specific posts to see granular stats.
A unique aspect of Spotlight compared to TikTok is its full integration within the Snapchat app. Spotlight content is seamlessly mixed into the content feed, allowing easy access for Snapchat’s existing userbase. Spotlight also leverages Snapchat’s core features like Lenses to help creatives enhance their videos.
Triller
Triller is a music video app launched in 2015 as a competitor to TikTok, focusing on social video creation around music. In December 2019 Triller announced it had reached over 26.5 million monthly active users, overtaking TikTok in the United States (source). Triller’s key differentiators from TikTok include its focus on professional music videos and user-generated music video content, as well as features like the ability to track and trace songs and integrate playlists.
Triller has grown rapidly as a TikTok competitor, raising over $10 million in investments from high-profile music artists including Snoop Dogg, The Weeknd, and Kendrick Lamar in late 2019 (source). The app promotes itself as a platform for creators to make professional-style music videos and has been adopted by social media influencers and celebrities.
Byte
Byte is a new short-form video app created by Dom Hofmann, one of the co-founders of the popular Vine app. It launched in early 2020 as a competitor to TikTok. According to Sensor Tower Store Intelligence data, Byte generated 1.3 million downloads in its first week after launch (https://sensortower.com/blog/byte-downloads-first-week). This exceeded the 775K downloads Vine received when it first launched.
Byte aims to recreate the minimalist, loop-based video experience that Vine was known for. Users can upload or record 6-second videos, add music and effects, and share their creations. In its early days, Byte received positive feedback from creators and users who were nostalgic for the Vine community and format. The app provides a platform to easily capture and share micro-moments through mobile video.
Some of Byte’s main features include:
- Shooting or uploading 6-second videos
- Adding music, captions, filters and AR effects
- Video feed of content from people you follow
- Reposting others’ videos to your own profile
- Duet and react features for collaborating with others
- Hashtag challenges to participate in viral trends
While it’s still early for Byte, its founding team’s experience creating Vine gives it strong potential to grow a thriving short-form video community.
Facebook Reels
Facebook Reels is the short-form video feature within the Facebook app that allows users to create and share 15-60 second multi-clip videos. Reels was launched by Facebook in an attempt to compete with the hugely popular app TikTok.
While Facebook Reels has seen rapid adoption since launching in 2020, it still lags behind TikTok in terms of daily active users. According to Facebook’s Q3 2021 earnings, Reels accounted for over 20% of the time that people spent on Instagram. However, TikTok reported over 1 billion monthly active users in September 2021, far exceeding the adoption of Reels.
For creators, one of the main benefits of Facebook Reels over TikTok is the ability to more easily reach existing followers. Since Reels appears directly in the Facebook app, it provides creators with a built-in audience. The structure of Facebook also allows for easier sharing across groups and pages compared to TikTok. However, it can be more difficult for new creators to gain a following organically on Reels compared to the TikTok algorithm which can quickly propel new viral content.
Overall, while Facebook Reels provides an alternative platform for short-form video, TikTok still remains the leader in terms of daily active users and capabilities for helping new creators get discovered. However, for creators who already have a following on Facebook, Reels allows them to more seamlessly branch into short-form video without having to build a following from scratch.
Sources:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1673623056046742/
https://www.pipiads.com/blog/ultimate-guide-making-money-with-facebook-reels-2022-tutorial/
Lomotif
Lomotif is a video-sharing social networking app that was launched in 2014 by Singapore-based Paul Yang as an alternative to apps like Vine and Dubsmash. In 2021, Lomotif was acquired by ZASH Global Media to take on the short-form video market dominated by TikTok (Lomotif app statistics).
Lomotif has seen rapid growth in its global user base, especially in India where it has over 40 million monthly active users as of 2022 (Lomotif user statistics). The company aims to continue expanding in India, the US, and other global markets. According to Crunchbase data, Lomotif has over 125,000 monthly app downloads across Android and iOS (Lomotif app stats).
A key strength of Lomotif is its focus on enabling users to easily create and edit short videos with licensed music. The app provides a simple interface and a variety of editing tools. However, a weakness is that Lomotif currently lacks the massive user base and content library that platforms like TikTok and Instagram have built over the years.
Clash
Clash is a short form video app launched in 2021 by Brendon McNerney, one of the creators behind the now defunct Vine app. Unlike TikTok which relies heavily on its algorithm to surface viral content, Clash puts more emphasis on individual creators and an interest-based feed.
According to a review on The Harvard Crimson, Clash has developed a reputation for having a more creator-friendly platform and higher video quality than competitors like TikTok. However, the app has also faced criticism for long wait times to access the platform. Sources indicate over 1 million users are waitlisted for access to Clash as of early 2022.
While still relatively new, Clash offers a compelling alternative for creators looking for a different short form video experience compared to platforms like TikTok. As the app continues to expand its userbase, it will be interesting to see if it can challenge the dominance of TikTok in the space.
Conclusion
In summary, the top alternatives to TikTok include YouTube, Instagram Reels, Snapchat Spotlight, Triller, Byte, Facebook Reels, Lomotif, and Clash. These apps allow users to create and share short-form videos just like on TikTok.
YouTube and Instagram pose the biggest threat to TikTok, given their massive existing user bases. However, TikTok’s algorithm is still superior at recommending relevant videos to keep users engaged. Triller has also shown impressive growth recently, though it still doesn’t have nearly the same level of users as TikTok.
Going forward, short-form video looks likely to continue growing in popularity. While TikTok currently leads the market, competitors will likely continue innovating with new features and improvements to their algorithms. TikTok’s dominance may be challenged, especially amid ongoing privacy and security concerns. However, it seems unlikely any single app will dethrone TikTok in the near future given its first-mover advantage and polished user experience.
