How is instagram like snapchat


Which One Is Best For You?

Back in October 2013, Snapchat made a big update to their platform with the addition of Stories.

Due to the success Snapchat was having, Facebook made a move to purchase the platform. But ultimately, the $3 billion offer was turned down by Snapchat’s founder and CEO, Evan Spiegel.

In an effort to compete, Facebook launched its own version of Stories through Instagram in August of 2016.

The Snapchat versus Instagram Stories debate was officially off to the races.

Brands and creators found themselves wondering which platform they should be posting on – Snapchat Stories, Instagram Stories, or both?

Even now, many still have this same question.

What Are Snapchat & Instagram Stories?

Overall, the premise for Snapchat Stories and Instagram Stories is the same.

Stories on each platform are comprised of pictures and videos that expire after 24 hours.

Disappearing content creates that fear of missing out (FOMO) and a sense of urgency, prompting people to check back often for new content.

When it first launched, Instagram Stories was bare bones.

It took some time before they had a large library of filters, stickers, and GIFs that competed with what Snapchat already had.

Fast forward to 2021, and their features are mostly the same because whenever one platform adds something new, the other seems to follow suit.

How To Choose The Right Platform For You

So, how do you decide which one to use when they’re so similar? Well, there are two key questions to ask yourself before committing to one or the other.

Here’s what you need to figure out.

1. Where Is Your Audience Spending Their Time?

The key to succeeding on social media is to be and create content where your audience is hanging out.

Otherwise, you’ll be creating content for all the wrong people.

And what’s the point in that?

Figure out if your audience is more likely to use Snapchat Stories or Instagram Stories.

Factoring in each platform’s demographics will help you out with this. Another option is to simply ask them.

Send out a survey to get to know your audience better and ask which social media platforms they use the most.

Post a LinkedIn or Twitter poll survey.

That’ll tell you where you need to be!

2. Which Platform Will Play To My Strengths?

One thing that a lot of people don’t consider when choosing which social media platforms will be part of their strategy is how they can play to their strengths.

Some platforms favor certain types of content and styles over others.

Because Snapchat and Instagram Stories are so similar, look at the features each platform offers to determine which one will be the best for you.

Have fun, play around, and experiment.

If one clearly sticks out as playing more to your strengths, pick that one.

Now, let’s talk about each individual platform and some of the benefits each one has to offer.

The Case For Snapchat Stories

Snapchat paved the way for the platforms that now offer Stories that expire in 24 hours.

After Snapchat led the way, Instagram, Facebook, and even Twitter all created their own versions of this in an effort to compete with the social networking giant.

Even though Snapchat is still performing well according to the data, it does seem to be faltering a bit when compared to its competitors.

As of late 2020, Snapchat had 530 million monthly active users around the world as of April 2021 with over 210 million “snaps” being created on the platform every day.

Snapchat’s users are 58% female and 40% male. The largest age group on the platform is 13–34, making up 75% of the Snapchat community.

Although it seems like it isn’t talked about as much, Snapchat did see significant growth over the course of 2020.

Screenshots taken by author

Before you start recording new content with Snapchat, you have the ability to add lenses (or filters).

You can also set a timer to make filming easier or add music ahead of time to sync your content to a chosen song.

On Instagram, you can’t add music until the editing stage. Snapchat provides you with access to a variety of popular songs and access to your own custom sounds.

To brighten up and add to your Stories, there are plenty of playful stickers to choose from.

Here are some benefits of Snapchat Stories:

It’ll help you connect with your younger audience.

If you’re trying to reach those who are on the younger range of your target demographic, they’re likely on Snapchat.

By being active there, you have plenty of opportunities to show your brand’s human, playful side and form new connections.

There’s less competition.

Many brands appear to have moved away from Snapchat in favor of Instagram Stories, but that doesn’t mean you should abandon it, too.

This simply means you have less competition and could use the app to stand out from others in your industry.

Geofilters help you reach local audiences.

Snapchat allows users to create custom geofilters that can be placed as decorations on top of Story posts.

It’s a great way to draw attention to local, brick and mortar businesses and events in the area.

Plus, people can find you on the Snap Map and watch your Stories, again helping to generate more exposure.

The reality is, Snapchat is still thriving.

And if your competitors aren’t active on the platform, this is your opportunity to jump on board and start connecting with your target audience.

Sharing fun, creative content will help you attract people and build the all-important Know, Like, and Trust Factor.

The Case For Instagram Stories

Over 1 billion people use Instagram every month, making it the sixth most popular network just behind Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and WeChat.

Instagram reaches 140 million users in the United States.

And in 2020, users spent an average of 30 minutes per day using Instagram.

In terms of demographics, females make up 57% of Instagram’s users, while males make up 43%. The largest age group actively using Instagram are those aged 25–34.

But what about Stories? Well, 500 million people use Instagram Stories every day, with Stories from brands seeing an 86% completion rate.

Those stats make it an Instagram feature you’ll want to take advantage of since the average user is watching brand Stories and even making purchases from there.

Screenshots taken by author

In the screenshots above, you can see some of the features that Instagram Stories has to offer when creating content.

Before you start filming, you can choose different modes like Boomerang, Layout, Hands-Free, and Photo Booth.

You can use also pre-made templates (found under the “Create” option) like the “Quick Draw Challenge” to have a little fun with your followers.

When editing, you can add stickers, a timestamp, the temperature, and even GIFs.

Here are some highlights of Instagram Stories:

They’re part of a bigger platform.

On Instagram, there are so many ways you can create permanent content. You can publish photos or videos to your feed and upload videos to IGTV or Reels.

Instagram Stories are able to complement everything else you share without all of your hard work disappearing in 24 hours.

The stories feed promotes recent posts.

You’ve probably noticed that Instagram puts the Stories of those you watch often at the front of the list.

However, you’re also seeing them based on timeliness, as in how recent the posts are. You can generate more views when you’re front and center.

Stories are great for instant feedback.

Getting to know your audience can shape your content strategy not just on social media, but for your blog, YouTube, and your podcast.

Adding a poll, quiz, questions box, or slider can help you get feedback.

Don’t forget to check your analytics too to learn more about your followers. That’s something Snapchat lacks.

Overall, most brands already have a built-in audience on Instagram. That means they don’t need to start all over with building an audience from scratch on another platform.

If you’re already using it as part of your strategy, it’s worthwhile to share a few Stories throughout the day.

Which One Deserves Your Attention?

The battle of Snapchat versus Instagram Stories really comes down to where your audience spends the most time.

Sharing content on social media isn’t going to do you much good if you aren’t reaching your desired audience.

So, where are they really spending their time? And where are they most likely to watch and engage with your content?

If you see the value in using both platforms, the good news is that you could easily cross-post content.

For instance, you could film content in Snapchat (taking advantage of their better video editing options), save it to your camera roll, and then upload it to Instagram.

This way, you can be on Snapchat and Instagram Stories without having to do twice the work.

Give both Stories features a go and see how they work for you!

More resources:

  • Snapchat Trends Shows Most Popular Keywords
  • Instagram To Show More Content From People You Don’t Follow
  • Social Media Marketing: A Complete Strategy Guide

Featured Image: Eugenio Marongiu/Shutterstock

Category Instagram Snapchat

Snapchat Stories vs. Instagram Stories: How similar are they?

Instagram caught many by surprise this week when it revealed it was launching a new feature called Instagram Stories, which looked almost exactly like the Snapchat feature of the same name.

While close observers likely weren't surprised that Instagram was putting its own spin on the feature (Facebook has been trying to clone Snapchat for years), many were shocked at just how blatant the move seemed to be. More shocking still, Instagram didn't even try to hide where its "inspiration" came from.

Now that some of the dust has settled and we've had some time to really try out Instagram Stories for ourselves, we thought we'd put the two side by side to see how they stack up.

Shooting a Story

Snapchat's app launches on the camera screen so shooting a new photo or video for your story is as simple as pushing one button.

On Instagram, you can access the camera for Stories by swiping from the left from your main feed or by tapping the plus sign in the top left corner of the app. Both apps also allow you to add videos up to 10 seconds long.

Browsing Stories

Interestingly (and perhaps wisely), Instagram chose to put its Stories front and center. All Stories appear at the top of your main feed in order of which friends are closest to you, as determined by an algorithm.

Snapchat's Stories, on the other hand, are ranked chronologically, with the most recently updated at the top.

Instagram (let) and Snapchat (right) Credit:

One difference between the two is how you navigate between stories. On Snapchat, tapping on the screen advances you to the next snap in a Story and the next Story will automatically play after you view the last snap. On Instagram though, you tap right or left to either advance to the next image or go back to the previous one and wiping left takes you to the next Story in the lineup.

Doodles and emoji

Instagram's drawing tools are more advanced than Snapchat's. While Snapchat uses a slider tool to pick colors, Instagram lays out all the colors side by side. There's also a handy tool for changing the pen size on the far left.

Instagram (left) and Snapchat (right) Credit:

Instagram also offers three different pen tools. There's a pen, marker and one called neon (far right).

As far as emoji, Snapchat's offerings are a little more flexible. Instagram right now only allows you to add emoji via the text bar while Snapchat lets you add emoji anywhere on your image (you can even attach emoji to specific parts of your videos).

Sending old photos

Both Snapchat and Instagram allow you share old photos to your story but do so in different ways. Instagram only allows you to share photos taken within the last 24 hours while Snapchat allows you to share anything saved to Memories.

Instagram (left) and Snapchat (right) Credit:

The key difference: Instagram only lets you share Camera Roll photos from the last 24 hours.

Chatting

Both apps also allow you to start a conversation from a friend's story. On Snapchat, tap "chat" or swipe up on a story to start a conversation, while on Instagram you tap "send a message" or ... swipe up.

Snapchat (left) and Instagram (right) Credit:

Who can see them?

Snapchat and Instagram have pretty similar privacy settings available for Stories. On Snapchat, you choices are everyone or just your friends, while on Instagram, Stories maintain the same privacy settings as your main feed (if your feed is public than anyone can watch; if it's private, only your followers can).

Instagram (left) and Snapchat (right). Credit:

In both cases, though, you can hide your story from specific contacts.

The verdict

When you line the two up side by side, it's even more obvious that Instagram Stories is pretty dang similar to Snapchat Stories. With one or two exceptions (like navigation and the drawing tools), most differences are fairly minor.

That said, Instagram's implementation has a much cleaner design that will feel more familiar to a lot of people (I'm looking at you, olds.)

What apps are similar to Snapchat: reviews, pros and cons

Home » Instructions and tips

Read 3 min. Posted by

Snapchat's analogue can be called several applications where there are masks. The social network also has competitors, with an equally strong platform for working with AR effects and lenses.

Contents

  1. Apps like Snapchat
  2. How to use masks with Snow
  3. Faceapp - similar to Snapchat
  4. Instagram is a competitor to Snapchat

The list of social networks and individual editors includes those that repeat Snapchat masks or offer users the most similar products.

Snapchat-like apps:

  • Snow. Korean editor where you can choose the appearance: reduce the nose, enlarge the eyes. In a separate section there are masks: static and animated;
  • FaceApp. In this utility, you can choose a hairstyle, age yourself, combine your appearance with a star, or change your gender; nine0014
  • Instagram. A social network that rivals Snapchat. The lens feature was borrowed, so applications are considered competing.

Yes, I have more than two apps installed

31.6%

Sometimes I use Instagram and Snapchat more often.

29.45%

No, using only Snapchat.

38.96%

Votes: 326

This also includes: Sweet Snap, B612, YouCam Makeup and others. You can view similar software products in the Play Market and AppStore stores. nine0003

How to use masks with Snow

Snapchat's analogue for Android is in English, but with a simple interface, it's not difficult to understand the application.

How to use:

  1. Go to the Play Market - enter in the search: "Snow".
  2. Download the application and install.
  3. Open - confirm the connection to the camera.
  4. Open the section: "Effects" - select a mask.
  5. Take a photo or video.

Separately, there is a section with a detailed change in appearance: reduction in the size of the nose, enlargement of the eyes. The user can apply make-up using the corresponding tab. It is also possible to create a video recording with the addition of music. nine0003

Faceapp - analogue of Snapchat

The second application where you can add original lenses is Face App.

Its functions include:

  • age. Show the user how he will be in old age;
  • change gender. A detailed tool that uses not only a general mask, but also brightly highlighted skin, a beard;
  • choose a hairstyle. You can choose to change the style and save to your smartphone;
  • combine your looks with a movie star. The application uses the photo of the user and the media person that was added, combines and gives the result. nine0014

You can only create a photo in FaceApp, some of the functions are blocked.

How to grow old or make younger:

  1. Go to the Play Market - enter the name in the search.
  2. Download and install - open.
  3. Allow access to microphone and camera.
  4. Choose among the effects: "Age" - take a photo or choose from those already existing in the device's memory.
  5. Specify the desired type of changes - Save.

The user receives an image that is immediately saved to the device. nine0003

Instagram is a competitor to Snapchat

The next app where masks are available is Instagram. Lenses were added to the social network when this feature appeared on Snapchat.

How to use masks from Instagram:

  1. Go to the social network - go to the section: "Story".
  2. A list of masks already added will appear.
  3. Scroll to the end - click on the magnifying glass icon.
  4. Select the appropriate variant in the catalog.
  5. Save to yourself or take a picture. nine0014

Unlike Snapchat, to save a photo from Instagram Stories, you need to go to the settings and publish the photo.

Mikhail

I was developing masks for Snapchat, now I'm trying myself in new directions. The site was made to help the user, since I myself am a fan of Snapchat

Ask a question to Michael

Please ask questions only after reading the article and independently searching for information on the site . If you can't find it, then write to me, I will try to help everyone! nine0003

How to replace Instagram*: 6 apps for Android and iPhone

March 14, 2022 How to live iOS

These programs more or less duplicate the functions of Instagram*. And some even offer their own unique features.

On March 14, Instagram* was finally blocked throughout Russia. If you want to continue sharing your photos and videos somewhere, you can try switching to alternative services. Here are five sites.

1. VSCO

Russian : supported.

The service positions itself as a space for self-expression with a large community of creative people. In the application, any user can share pictures and short videos, as well as follow the publications of other participants.

VSCO features a powerful photo editor with lots of filters and a magic wand that enhances images in one click. Some of the tools are available only to paid subscribers. nine0003

Download

Price: Free

Download

Price: Free

2. Snapchat

Russian : supported.

A popular messenger in the West with an emphasis on sharing stories — disappearing photo or video messages. It was Snapchat that set the fashion for them, after which it was picked up by Instagram *, VKontakte and other well-known services.

In Snapchat, you can take photos, record videos, add text and pictures, and then send it all to selected friends or share it with everyone nearby. nine0003

Download

Price: Free

Download

Price: Free

Professional photographers form the backbone of this social service. EyeEm is a platform with which it is convenient to look for sources of inspiration and promote your work.

The service allows you to edit photos, apply filters to them and publish photos to a wide audience. You can also list your photos for sale in the built-in store and submit them to competitions that are regularly held in the community. nine0003

Download

Price: Free

Download

Price: Free

4. Flickr

Russian : Not supported.

Flickr is a very old social network for amateur and professional photographers. Each user can post up to 1,000 photos for free. When this limit is reached, you will have to delete something or switch to a paid plan.

With Flickr, you can share your photos in thematic groups and be inspired by millions of other people's work. Pictures are complemented by the characteristics of the camera on which they were taken. There is a built-in image editor with many settings and filters. nine0003

Download

Price: Free

Download

Price: Free

The Tumblr blogging platform is most often used to create and share videos and GIFs, but nothing prevents you from posting your pictures there or connecting with loved ones.

Users can subscribe to friends' updates and repost their content to their accounts or other services. In addition to graphic posts, Tumblr allows you to publish text, audio and other materials - there are many possibilities. nine0003

Download

Price: Free

Download

Price: Free

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