Video sharing apps like Snapchat have become incredibly popular in recent years. These apps allow users to record short videos or photos and share them with friends.
The videos or photos only stay available for a short time before disappearing. This makes the sharing feel more casual, spontaneous, and intimate.
Users don’t have to worry about anything they share sticking around forever. One of the most popular features of apps like Snapchat is the ability to overlay fun filters, effects, captions, and more on the videos and photos before sending them. So what app is best for easily recording and sharing fun, casual videos with friends?
Key Factors in a Snapchat-Like Video Sharing App
When looking for the ideal Snapchat-like app for video sharing, there are a few key factors to consider:
- Ease of recording videos – The app should make it simple and fast to capture videos without a lot of edits required beforehand.
- Creative filters, effects, stickers – Adding visual elements on top of videos should be easy and fun.
- Drawing/text capabilities – Doodling or adding text captions to videos adds a fun, personal touch.
- Disappearing content – Videos or photos shared in the app should automatically disappear after a set time period.
- Private sharing – Users should be able to share videos privately with selected friends rather than publicly posting.
- Video quality – Higher quality videos are preferable, but not necessarily required for quick, casual sharing.
Top 4 Snapchat-Like Apps for Sharing Videos
1. Instagram
Instagram is one of the most popular apps for photo and video sharing. While it may be best known for its photo filters and square-cropped images, Instagram has increasingly pivoted toward video content. The app makes it very easy to capture, edit, and share short videos up to 60 seconds long. Some key features that make Instagram a great Snapchat-like video app include:
- Instagram Stories – Videos can be shared via Instagram Stories that disappear after 24 hours. This is very similar to how Snapchat’s videos work.
- Creative tools – Fun filters, text overlays, drawings, and AR effects can be added to videos.
- Video editing – Basic trimming, music, and some editing options are built into the app.
- Private messaging – Users can share videos through direct messaging as well as via their main feed or Stories.
One advantage Instagram has over Snapchat is its much broader user base, so it can be easier to connect with more friends who are already on the platform. But one disadvantage is there is no option to have videos disappear in fewer than 24 hours.
2. Snapchat
As the OG disappearing video messaging app, Snapchat has to make this list. Some key features that make Snapchat a top choice for casual video sharing include:
- Lenses – Fun AR lenses allow users to overlay animated effects and distortions on faces in videos.
- Bitmoji – Personalized Bitmoji avatars can be added to videos and photos.
- Customization – Drawings, text, stickers, geofilters, and more allow for unique video creations.
- Disappearing content – Snaps can be set to disappear after being viewed once or allowed to replay for up to 24 hours.
Snapchat pioneered the concept of ephemeral video messaging. While growth has slowed more recently, it remains a very popular choice among teens and young adults looking for a fun way to share casual videos without the content sticking around permanently.
3. Facebook Stories
Facebook Stories allows users to share disappearing photos and videos very similar to Instagram or Snapchat Stories. Everything posted to Facebook Stories will automatically disappear after 24 hours. The feature is built right into the Facebook app, so it’s easy to access for the billions of existing Facebook users. Key features include:
- AR effects, filters, text, drawings – Similar creative tools as other apps for enhancing videos.
- Customization – Options to customize the background color or gradient when sharing videos.
- Reactions – Friends can react to video stories with emoji-like stickers and interact within the app.
- Cross-posting – Can easily share video stories from Facebook to Instagram Stories or vice versa.
The sheer size of the Facebook user base makes their Stories feature appealing for easily reaching lots of friends. However, privacy could be a concern for some when sharing to the broader Facebook platform rather than just closer friends.
4. Youtube
While YouTube may not seem like an ephemeral video sharing app at first glance, the platform does have some features that mimic the casual, disappearing video sharing popularized by Snapchat.
Specifically, YouTube Stories allows creators to post videos that disappear after 7 days rather than staying on their channel permanently. This provides a more informal way for creators to give behind-the-scenes looks, share everyday moments, or test out new content ideas.
Additionally, YouTube Shorts provides a TikTok-like feature for uploading brief, entertaining videos up to 60 seconds long. So for users looking to share more casual, temporary videos like Snapchat, YouTube does provide some options beyond permanent video uploads.
Conclusion
When it comes to finding the right app for easily recording and sharing fun, casual videos that disappear after viewing, there are a few great Snapchat alternatives. Instagram, Snapchat itself, Facebook Stories, and YouTube all provide features that mimic the ephemeral video messaging style Snapchat pioneered.
Factors like ease of use, creative tools, audience reach, privacy, and video quality differentiate the options. But the apps discussed above have proven themselves to be the top choices for Snapchat-like video sharing with different advantages power users may appreciate.
So if you’re looking for that quick, informal, fun way to capture and share everyday moments with friends and family, be sure to give these video apps a try!