Snapchat can no longer rely on disappearing photos and stories to differentiate itself. Other apps have recently taken over those possibilities. We look at which app does this most successfully.
Update 28/03/2017: Facebook now supports the report function and can be found at number 4 on the list.
These apps are increasingly similar to Snapchat apps
Lately we have often been able to describe how companies ‘get inspiration’ from Snapchat for new functions in their own apps. Snapchat always distinguished from other chat apps by focusing on image. This way you send photos and videos to each other that disappear after a few seconds. In addition, you create a ‘Story’ for all followers by pasting such images in succession, which are deleted after 24 hours.
Snapchat is no longer the only app that offers these possibilities. In this article, we’ll take a look at five apps that have taken over the Snap features, then pick the one that did it best. Because better stolen than badly invented.
Also read: How should things continue with Snapchat?
1. Instagram
Photo service Instagram has had its own Instagram Stories since August 2016, which has since been embraced by users. In addition to uploading photos in the app as standard, you can also publish images as a story. These photos and videos will be placed at the top of the app, so that they stand out for everyone.
Benefits: all your existing Instagram followers see your Stories immediately, so you immediately have a number of followers. The interface of Instagram will also be a lot clearer for many than the often complicated operation of Snapchat. The photos and videos can be spiced up with a small number of stickers and all emoji, and you can add text, filters and scribbles. After sharing you can see who viewed your story. You can also easily navigate through stories of others and add photos to your story that you have recently taken.
Cons: There are only a few stickers to put on the photo at the moment. If we compare it with Snapchat, we still miss selfie masks and the geofilters (although they are being tested in a few cities).
2. WhatsApp
On WhatsApp, the feature is called WhatsApp Status and it has been available since February 20, 2017. The stories are bundled in a separate tab within the app, where you can view and post them.
Benefits: You probably have some different contacts on WhatsApp than on other messaging apps. WhatsApp is one of the most used apps in the world and that potentially means a large target group. Adding images is simple, you can take a photo directly or select previously taken photos and screenshots. You can crop it and provide it with emoji, text and scribbles.
Cons: WhatsApp is basically much less about images and much more about text. In addition, the Status function is too hidden to be noticed, so you do not quickly view stories from others. Chances are that few of your contacts are now using the option, also because it works better on Snapchat or Instagram. Furthermore, WhatsApp is not very extensive in terms of stickers, filters or other forms of dressing.
3. Facebook Messenger
At this point, you can individually send contacts on Facebook Messenger photos and videos through the Camera function of the app. They won’t go away on their own, but the platform has begun to roll out ‘Facebook Messenger Day’. This allows you to post stories that can be seen by others and that do disappear automatically. It may take a while before you can use it.
Benefits: Facebook Messenger is a chat app that has been combining images and text for some time, for example with GIFs and stickers. In addition, Messenger is linked to Facebook, which means that you can reach many people at the same time, perhaps even more than on Instagram and WhatsApp. With Messenger Day, the stories appear above the chats so that they are clearly visible. Furthermore, the app has a lot of fun and cool filters and stickers that you can put over the images. Of course you can also add text and scribbles.
Cons: The story feature is not available to everyone at this point, and when you send photos and videos to friends, they just appear in a chat. In addition, it is a pity that Facebook does not make its masks from the acquired company MSQRD available in this function, because selfie masks work very well in Snapchat.
4. Facebook
Not only Messenger, also the regular Facebook app now has a report function. You open the option within Facebook by swiping to the right on the news overview. It is possible to take a new photo or video or grab one from your gallery. After 24 hours they are gone.
Benefits: You probably already have dozens if not hundreds of friends on Facebook. They can all view your report. Whenever someone looks at it, the circle around your report turns blue. You can then see who has watched. The camera function has masks and Prism-like filters that you can put over your face or environment, in addition, there are frames and color filters to edit the photos and videos. Of course you can also add texts and scribbles, although the functions are not very extensive.
Cons: Compared to other apps such as Snapchat and Instagram, the options are still somewhat limited. It is also unfortunate that you cannot view the reports in the web version on mobile and PC yet.
5. Viber
With chat app Viber it has recently also been possible to send messages that disappear after a certain period of time. You can send these photos and videos to individual users, but there is no ‘Story’ option for all of your contacts to see at once.
Benefits: Viber has dozens of stickers to put over images. You can also add drawings and there is a brush thickness that can be made thinner or thicker. In addition, adding text is simple and give your messages a certain number of seconds if you don’t want recipients to be able to view them forever. You can also send previously taken photos.
Cons: The app is not very extensive when it comes to the decoration of your photos. There are a number of stickers, but no special filters, for example. In addition, the story function is a great loss, because it allows you to reach all contacts at once. An added drawback is that you probably have fewer contacts on Viber than on the other apps on this list.
Which app has the most Snapchat potential?
The app most likely to make Snapchat-like features the biggest success after Snapchat is Instagram after all. Simply because that app is all about images. In addition, we see that the Stories option is well picked up by users and that the app offers enough tools to make photos more beautiful.
Least of all, the possibility comes into its own on WhatsApp. Unfortunately also because the option is hidden in another tab, because most of the interaction takes place in the Chats tab.
Do you prefer an app? Let us know below!
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