BeReal emerged as a fresh social network that resonated with a younger audience in both Spain and the United States. It positioned itself as a candid alternative to Instagram, offering a simple daily prompt and a notification system that nudges users to post a quick photo every day.
Since its debut in December 2019, this French app has seen a surge in popularity. It accumulated more than a million downloads on the Google Play Store and quickly became one of the most downloaded social networks on iOS, reflecting strong cross‑platform appeal.
User growth followed a notable momentum. According to data compiled by Apptopia and shared in early April, BeReal experienced a year‑over‑year increase of about 350 percent in monthly active users, highlighting a rapid uptake across diverse markets.
Data from Data.ai indicates that Spain ranked high in mid‑May for BeReal downloads, with Generation Z driving much of the excitement. In several regions, including Australia, Brazil, and France, the demographic profile skews toward younger users, with a large majority of iOS users aged between 16 and 24.
After installing the app, users are asked to import and sync contacts who already use BeReal, facilitating the quick building of a personal network. People can also be found by sharing profile URLs or by entering usernames in the app’s search tool.
improvisation prevails
BeReal differentiates itself from other social networks by encouraging spontaneity over polish. Rather than chasing perfect frames, the app nudges users toward impromptu moments and real-time posting.
Each day, every BeReal user receives a notification at the same moment, though the exact time changes across the week. Once the alert arrives, users have two minutes to capture two photos from different perspectives: the front and rear cameras on their smartphones.
Users can retry the shot as many times as they like within those two minutes, but once published, the image can be deleted and replaced only once. The app intentionally excludes filters and heavy editing tools, reinforcing the goal of authenticity.
If a user misses the two‑minute window, they can still post later, but the post appears outside BeReal’s synchronized rhythm and may not align with the rest of the community’s timing for that day.
The posted photo remains visible in the user’s feed for 24 hours. A RealMoji feature enables comments and reactions that disappear after that same period, reinforcing a transient, moment‑based experience.
My Memories Library
All photos are stored in a private library that organizes memories into a collection called My Memories. These images stay accessible to the user and are saved on a monthly basis, allowing someone to revisit the first post at the end of the month or anytime within the month’s span.
To view photos shared by others, a user must first post their own image for the day. If they skip posting, they won’t see other users’ posts until the next day’s notice has given its timing. The app groups photos into two sections: My Friends displays images from contacts, while Discover showcases posts from other BeReal users.
When uploading the daily image, users can choose to share it only with their contacts or make it visible in the Discover tab, depending on their privacy preferences and the norms of BeReal users they follow.
Instagram and its new dual function
Instagram has introduced a feature that mirrors BeReal’s core idea: capturing moments from two perspectives with both the front and rear cameras. This capability appears in the Stories section after Create, Boomerang, Design, and Hands‑free and it allows users to create short video content in addition to photos.
Unlike BeReal, Instagram’s dual‑camera option supports video, and the platform offers a broader suite of filters and editing tools tailored for Stories. This gives BeReal’s approach a competitive contrast within the same social space, highlighting how each app prioritizes user expression and creativity in distinct ways.