There's a pretty good chance that you spread your love around to include quite a few social media apps.
However, that doesn't mean that you don't at least have a favorite platform. In a showdown between the two popular photo and video messaging apps, there is one clear winner: Snapchat.
This isn't just because people are really upset over Instagram's redesign. The company decided to give both its logo and app a facelift earlier this week to reflect how it has changed and grown over the years, but instead, all it's done is get rid of one of the most iconic tech logos ever known. Even though the pink sunrise icon looks pretty, it kind of serves as a nail in the coffin of the social media app's era.
There was once a time when all anyone cared about was getting on Instagram. What started as an iOS-only app in 2010 has expanded into a big presence of our online life. Of course, we use Facebook and (once used) Twitter to share how we are feeling, but Instagram provided a way for us to shamelessly show off how good we look on any given day.
It served (and still serves) as a place where we can indulge in egotistic behavior. People are praised for their good looks, and are even encouraged to be self-absorbed and show the world how jealous they should be of flawless makeup skills, a hot body and an amazing life that is filled with adventure and doing cool things — no matter how much of a facade that all really is.
However, then, a new kid came to town and took the popularity crown.
Snapchat launched in 2011, also initially just for iOS. A year later, it became extremely popular among teens and received $10 million in funding, with one of the funders being Benchmark Capital, which also invested in Instagram.
What made it so intriguing — and better — was the fact that it was different from the other social media apps out there. Now, users could share photo messages that would disappear in just a few seconds. Since no evidence remained, it became the platform to share adult photos to your lover, but then, somewhere along the way, people began to take it seriously.
It became surprisingly addicting to send photos and videos about what is going on throughout our day. As it continued to grow and more celebrities joined, it quickly became a way to peek into the lives of our favorite stars. We somehow feel like we know them, and can let other people get know us, too.
While Instagram is a place where we can show people what we want them to know about us, one of the reasons why Snapchat is better is because it allows us to embrace the real us and our real lives.
This doesn't mean that we have given up on the 'Gram. As of September 2015, Instagram has over 400 million monthly active users, and has recently revealed that its community shares more than 80 million photos and videos every day.
First of all, there is no way you can share a photo anywhere online without first using an Instagram filter. The app's filters drastically improve the look of a photo, allowing you to look more tan, have the perfect lighting or find that cool effect for aesthetic purposes.
It still is the sole place to share selfies, hands down. If we look or feel good that day, we posted a photo on Instagram. No one wants to waste a good photo on a disappearing app. If we want that photo saved, it's going on Instagram (and then, the best of best will be also shared on Facebook). However, if we want to show off our silly side, Snapchat is where it's at.
While we once might have not been shy to post all day long, there seems to now be some unspoken rule that we should limit our vanity to one selfie per day, or else we just come off looking like a jerk or too desperate. Of course, this doesn't apply when we are at an event or function, or when sharing other cool images. Even still, Snapchat encourages users to go on a serious over-sharing binge where we document what we're doing during every second of the day. This includes even the most mundane things, like being in the car, aka music video time.
When it comes to filters, Snapchat has the best creative ones that will allow you to embrace your sense of humor. This is probably the best part of using the app, with new filters released all the time. It's also one of the reasons why Snapchat has stolen Instagram's spotlight. Users will log in daily just to check out the newest filter to add to their snaps.
Snaps will no longer immediately disappear, thanks to Stories, which keeps the content on the platform for 24 hours.
Users shared over 400 million snaps per day back in March 2015, and by April of this year, users are watching 10 billion videos a day. Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel revealed in February that the app has more than 100 million daily users, with them spending 25 to 30 minutes on average on the app each day.
Another reason why Snapchat is better than its rival is because it gives users a sense of privacy. Only users who add you can see your snaps. Sure, you can set your profile to private on Instagram, but Snapchat takes this to the next level. If a user takes a screen shot of a photo you share, you are informed. No matter what, you know who is seeing your snaps and who may even have them saved.
As both apps continue to evolve, add new features to keep users engaged and even go through some rocky redesigns, there's always a good chance some other social media app will come and be the next best thing. For now, Snapchat is king.
