What is BeReal app, a new Instagram alternative?

Social media apps like Instagram and Snapchat have evolved significantly over the years. Both platforms were designed to connect with friends and families, but today, these are great resources for professional networking and even earning money. Naturally, most creators now focus on creating the perfect picture with impeccable lighting, and there are loads of filters to boost the image quality. Some would even argue that these apps promote a false reality, and their real-life snippets are lost somewhere.

In that case, there's a new app in town called BeReal that aims to promote an authentic social media experience. Released in 2020, the app offers a distinct experience that rivals like TikTok are already copying in their latest TikTok Now app. BeReal is also among the best free apps on Google Play right now, where it has over five million downloads. Notably, the app saw over two million installs in the last few weeks, as per Sensor Tower data.

Currently, it remains popular in global markets like the US and Europe. It is a matter of time before BeReal reaches other key markets, including India. To put it simply, BeReal is a photo-sharing app and could appear as a hybrid of Instagram and Snapchat. It is a free-to-use app on Google Play and Apple App Store. The app requires your phone number to log in.

What is BeReal, and how does it work?

At its core, BeReal is a photo-sharing app, but there are a lot of features that make it different from Instagram and Snapchat. For instance, users can only share a single photo per day, and the in-app camera offers no filters. Its camera is designed to take both a selfie and a frontal photo simultaneously so that others can view both the subject and the uploader's reaction.

Each day, users get a notification from the app at a random time, and they will be required to click a photo within two minutes. Since the duration is very short, the app forces users to post funny and awkward images, in other words, be real.

Once users post their image, it appears on other users' timelines. It does not get stored, though the publisher can view old posts in the timeline (memories in the app). BeReal also has a Discovery tab that allows users to view publicly posted photos. There's no option to record videos.

What happens if you don't upload in the two-minute window?

If you exceed the two-minute duration, the post will come out with the late prompt. The 'late' tag creates an impression that the image is not authentic. Similarly, if users don't post each day, they can't see their friend's posts. Images on the discovery tab will also be blurred.

BeReal gives the option to delete the photo only once per day. Moreover, the app alerts users if someone screenshots their posts.

How do people react to others' BeReal images?

There are multiple options. First, users can comment on posts. There's also an option to create your own emoji to react, which the company calls RealMojis. The app allows cross-sharing with other apps like iMessage and Instagram.

For instance, users can re-share their daily BeReal image on Snapchat or Instagram. Users can also react with RealMojis as stickers in their iMessage chats.

Is it the real deal or another fuss?

Firstly, some reports point out that BeReal has bugs, and users are noticing abrupt crashes. To be fair, it could be because of the influx of downloads. Secondly, the app only lets users capture and upload still images. However, like most free apps, this could change later. For instance, BeReal clone TikTok Now lets users record short videos.

Lastly, there are no ads on the app so far. But, like any free-to-use app, BeReal would like to shift towards this revenue model as its user base expands. Once that happens, the company could rely on popular features (already existing on Instagram and TikTok) to retain its popularity and users.