BeReal Responds to Report That It's Losing Steam in US

BeReal, the social app celebrated for its candid photo-sharing approach, is reportedly experiencing a decline in traction, especially in the United States.

According to data from Similarweb, BeReal's monthly active users on both iOS and Android have dwindled from a peak of 3.7 million in November 2022 to just over 3 million this August. However, BeReal is contesting these numbers, asserting that it is still experiencing growth at a "healthy rate," TechCrunch reported.

Is BeReal Losing Traction?

The app gained popularity in 2022 as a platform encouraging users to share spontaneous, unfiltered snapshots of their daily lives. It provides an alternative to the often meticulously curated images common on social media.

Despite its initial surge in popularity, BeReal has encountered challenges in user retention. While it has introduced new features like messaging, increased photo-sharing capabilities, and a "Friends of Friends" discovery feed, Similarweb's data suggests a steady decline in user engagement over recent months.

In the US, the app's monthly active users on iOS and Android dropped from 3.7 million in November 2022 to slightly over 3 million in August 2023. In comparison, Threads, another social app, though also experiencing a decline from its peak, still boasts nearly 7.3 million users in the US, according to Similarweb's data.

On Android devices, where Similarweb has more extensive visibility into app usage globally, BeReal's monthly active users fell by 19%, dropping from 19.5 million in December to just over 16 million in August.

Remarkably, in France, where BeReal initially gained traction, the app's usage has continued to climb. In August, it approached 615,000 monthly active users, up from less than 500,000 when the app was making waves elsewhere late last year, as per Similarweb.

BeReal's Competition: BeFake

BeReal is now facing competition from an app with an intriguing name, BeFake. This alternative encourages users to enhance their selfies with generative AI image manipulation, offering a distinct contrast to BeReal's authenticity-driven approach.

However, Similarweb noted that "whether or not BeFake poses a real challenge to BeReal, at the moment BeReal doesn't seem to pose much of a challenge to the more self-absorbed social media it was set up as a counterweight to."

Additionally, Similarweb has reported a global decline in BeReal's monthly active users, which now stands at 16.06 million. It signifies a drop from the previous year's reported figure of 20 million, aligning closely with Similarweb's estimates from January 2022.

The decrease could have been more pronounced had BeReal not seen a sustained expansion in its home base of France. In August, the app is poised to achieve nearly 615,000 monthly active users on Android, a noteworthy surge from the previous year's statistics.

BeReal responded to Similarweb's findings by underscoring its assertion of exceeding 25 million global active users. The company pointed out that external assessments are approximations, emphasizing that their internal metrics offer a more precise reflection.