In 2013, Instagram’s parent company Facebook attempted to buy Snapchat two years into its launch to boost its appeal to the younger audience. The social media giant had a $3 billion bid turned down by Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel.
Then, in August 2016, Facebook executives revealed Instagram Stories, a brand-new product they had developed. It mimicked everything, even its name, from Snapchat Stories.
But it didn’t end there. Facebook continued to take more features from Snapchat and add them to its sister company, Instagram. Since then, there has been a Snapchat vs Instagram debate.
Creators, businesses, and ordinary users are divided on which app is better. There are pros and cons to both Instagram and Snapchat. The trick is finding which one fits your needs best.
Another approach is to juxtapose the two photo and video-sharing apps to see which one passes your eye test. That’s what I have done. In this post, I compared every aspect of both apps and weighed the pros and cons of each to help you figure out which platform is suitable for your specific need.
Let’s begin the showdown!
Snapchat vs Instagram: Introduction
What is Snapchat?
Snapchat is a social media app that allows users to communicate with friends and family by sending quick snaps. Snaps can be anything from a photo to a short video and text. Snapchat also has filters, lenses, and other features that let users edit their photos and videos.
This app is a fun, easy way to stay in touch with loved ones, and with its disappearing messages, it’s also a great way to keep your conversations private.
Evan Spiegel and Bobby Murphy, CEO and CTO respectively, with Reggie Brown, founded Snapchat in 2011. The photo and video sharing app was formerly known as Picaboo, an iOS-only app developed in Spiegel’s father’s living room. After forcing Brown out of the company, they re-incorporated as Snapchat.
The app is now available not only for iOS but Android as well. And its popularity has continued to soar.
Find out the best alternatives to Snapchat in this post.
What is Instagram?
Instagram is a photo-sharing social networking service that enables users to take pictures and share them privately or publicly, as well as through various other social media sites, such as Facebook, Tumblr, Flickr, and Twitter.
In October 2010, Kevin Systrom launched Instagram, which is now one of the world’s most popular social networking platforms.
On April 9, 2012, Facebook announced that it had acquired Instagram. The deal was reported to be around the $1 billion mark. Facebook has since then updated the app multiple times to include more features like Boomerangs and Superzooms.
Instagram is available for iOS, Android, and desktop devices.
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Snapchat vs Instagram: Creating an Account
Snapchat
Creating an account on Snapchat is pretty straightforward.
To sign up for Snapchat:
- Download the app and launch it.
- Select signup and provide the necessary information, like your name, birthday, and username.
- Set your password and click Continue.
- Add your email or phone number.
- Next, choose your Bitmoji/avatar. Select Done and you are good to go.
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There are two options to signup for Instagram. You can log in with your Facebook credentials or create an account via email. If you choose to sign up with an email after downloading the app or visiting the site
- Fill in the necessary details like your name, email address, phone number, and password and click Sign Up.
- Next, enter your bio and add your birthday and gender information.
- You can also upload a profile picture by clicking the camera icon on the top right corner of the screen.
- Click Done once you are done setting your profile image.
Both platforms make it easy for users to create an account and start sharing with friends immediately.
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Snapchat vs Instagram: Demographics
Snapchat
Snapchat has 347 million active daily users. More than 60% of Snapchat users are Gen Z, with the other age groups making up the rest. As a result, businesses or creators that want to target a younger audience should consider promoting their products or services via this platform.
On the other hand, Instagram boasts an incredible 500 million daily active users.
Males account for 51.6% of Instagram users, while females make up 48.4%. Approximately 31.2% of Instagram users are between the ages of 25 and 34. In the 25-34 age group, 16.4% of users are male, and 14.8% are female. A third of Instagram users are between the ages of 18 and 24.
Whether you are a business, creator, or ordinary user, the appeal of Instagram is that it can connect you with a wide range of people from different demographics and interests.
Check Out: What Does GTS, GTG, & LOL Mean On Snapchat?
Snapchat vs Instagram: Discoverability
Snapchat
Discoverability for social media platforms means how easily users can find content. Snapchat doesn’t make this easy. On Snapchat, you can view live content constantly changing along with all the channels from brands.
But if you are not on a user’s friends list, there is no way to see their stories or other content they share. This can impact your experience on the platform and get frustrating.
With Instagram, various algorithms and classifiers oversee what people do and don’t see on the app. This helps you browse more engaging content even from people you don’t follow as long as their profile is set to public viewing status. A rough breakdown of the most critical signals are as follows:
- Information about the post
- Your history of interacting with the person who posted
- Your activity
- Information about the person who posted
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Snapchat vs Instagram: Direct Messaging
Snapchat
The Snapchat Chat feature lets users swipe the name of one of their friends in their Snapchat contact list to start a text conversation. Users can save these instant messages manually by tapping on them. But unsaved messages will disappear after viewing.
Users can also take screenshots of messages, but the sender will get an alert about a screenshot being taken if they check the “Show Story” button on their chat screen. You can also video chat with up to 15 people on your Friends list if they are online.
Instagram Direct lets you send messages to one or more people. These messages can include text, photos, or videos you take or upload from your library. You can also send disappearing photos and videos, Instagram profiles, and posts you will see in your feed.
Like Snapchat, you can video call your online friends. However, with Instagram, you can only video chat a maximum of eight people.
Also Read: What Does MK, ICYMI, FYI, SCB Mean On Snapchat?
Snapchat vs Instagram: Location Tag
Snapchat
Although it may seem esoteric, I use this feature constantly on both apps, and it is one of my favorite filters or stickers.
Snapchat was the first to use location services (Snap Maps), and its initial attempts were just fine. The current version of the location filters is better, but they aren’t great, either. You see, when Snapchat introduced this feature, it was cool.
But then they introduced the option for filters to be sponsored. This means you must scroll through several branded filters before finding a sticker for your geolocation filter. It can be a very unpleasant experience.
Moreover, the location filters are typically large, and you cannot change their size and location. Sometimes, I struggle to use them because they are so big that they cover crucial parts of my picture.
Instagram’s location tag is so appealing because it’s effortless to use. After slapping it on your screen and tweaking the size, angle, location, and color, you can decide in detail what you’d like the location to say. That level of customization is unparalleled, which makes the user experience richer.
I love using the location tag to update my friends who live far away and keep them updated on my whereabouts.
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Snapchat vs Instagram: Content Type
Snapchat
The types of content users can share on Snapchat are:
- Video Snaps: Videos recorded by Snapchat users can last up to 10 seconds, and the user can choose a filter to add a pop of color or a unique effect to the video. It can be saved to the camera roll or shared to your Story or Snapchat Chat.
- Photo Snaps: The photos and videos Snapchat users capture can be saved to the camera roll or shared to your Story or Snapchat Chat.
- Story: The Story feature lets users share photos and videos for up to 24 hours that all of their friends can view.
- Chat: Snapchat users can send real-time messages. These messages can be text and photos or videos, like photo snaps and videos.
Explore: Meaning of HMU, BRB, & SMH On Snapchat
On Instagram, you can post different types of content:
- Photos: Instagram users can share photos and videos taken with their smartphone or camera.
- Videos: Instagram users can share videos shot with their mobile devices or upload videos from their camera roll or Instagram library.
- Boomerang: Users can record a clip that loops back and forth to create a mini video that can play forward and backward.
- Stories: Instagram users can share photos and videos in a slideshow format that friends can view for up to 24 hours.
- Carousel Photo Posts: Users can upload up to nine photos in a collage format to tell a visual story.
- Reels: Users can create mini-movies with a series of clips up to one minute long strung together to share with friends in an Instagram story.
- Live: Users can share live videos for up to one hour, though the video will expire after that. Users can also share Stories after the video ends.
- Direct Messages: Instagram users can message private photos or videos through Direct. Users cannot see the content of these messages unless they follow the user who sent them.
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Snapchat vs Instagram: Advertising and Business
Snapchat
If you are contemplating which one of these social media apps to use for your social media marketing, the answer is both.
Each app has different features and audiences, so combining them in your strategy will help you reach a wider audience. However, it is still good to highlight their characteristics, so let’s look at how they differ.
Snapchat Ads and Public Profiles are made for every business, regardless of size or industry. The platform offers a self-service ad manager that allows you to create ads, launch campaigns, measure performance, and optimize your campaign for maximum ROI.
Also Read: Best Apps Like Snapchat For Kids
With Instagram, you can also advertise your business on Instagram’s platform. But they take it up a notch.
Instagram is a highly effective social media marketing tool because of its array of features. Switching to a ‘business’ account allows brands and businesses to maximize the platform’s features, such as being searchable and allowing others to reach out directly.
Besides Instagram’s standard video format, brands can post longer videos called Instagram TV. Many influencers for brands use this feature to showcase their products or services. A button on Instagram Stories also allows businesses to host “Ask Me Anything” events.
Snapchat vs Instagram: Analytics
Snapchat
With Snapchat Insights, you can track and analyze engagement on Snapchat and get detailed audience information. The results of this analysis will help you refine your social media strategy.
You can tweak and optimize your Snapchat strategy by measuring and understanding Snap’s performance. Then you can logically determine the return on investment with Snapchat’s analytics tool.
However, this feature is available only to a select group of brands and influencers.
Instagram analytics lets you know how your posts are performing and how your account is performing.
While Instagram metrics provide individual statistics, Instagram analytics lets you interpret those statistics and identify patterns. An example of a metric is follower count, while a measure of analytics is the follower growth rate.
You can improve your social media strategy by looking closely at them. An Instagram analytics report is an excellent tool for identifying your account’s successes and failures. And unlike Snapchat, Instagram offers free analytics tools.
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Snapchat vs Instagram: Face Filters
Snapchat
Snapchat was the first social media platform to introduce face filters in 2015. Since then, the Snapchat community has fallen in love with this feature. Heck, I also love it!
You can turn yourself into a cartoon or animal using face filters. This is great when you want to create a fun atmosphere at a party or event without too much effort.
I have an unwavering stance that Snapchat is the superior social media network for fun features like this. Who else can make looking like a dog cool? They just get it.
Instagram added this feature after Snapchat and copied it to a certain extent, but I maintain that the filters are not as fun as the ones offered by Snapchat.
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Snapchat vs Instagram: Stickers and Photo Filters
Snapchat
There are an overwhelming number of stickers and filters available on Snapchat. There are so many Bitmojis, emojis, and sparkles. There isn’t much to write home about when it comes to photo filters.
I find Snapchat’s stickers and filters inconsistent and confusing since they don’t follow any logical order.
With Instagram, you can only choose from a few filters and stickers. There is no clutter, it is well-designed, and it is to the point. However, it still lacks some variety.
Snapchat vs Instagram: Drawing on Photos
Snapchat
Snapchat has some drawing features that allow you to make ‘our story’ style photos with text or emojis and share them to your Stories or Snapchat Chat. These fun and innovative features make taking selfies more fun and enjoyable.
There are some fantastic drawing tools on Instagram. No matter how you write, the tools make it look great. With the app, you can choose from different colors of pens, an eraser, and a rainbow marker. And it’s incredible how cool it is to produce handwriting that looks like a neon sign.
Also Read: Best StoriesIG Alternatives
Snapchat vs Instagram: Privacy
Snapchat
Most parents are concerned about their children’s privacy since teenagers increasingly use social media apps. It is, therefore, crucial to ask whether Snapchat or Instagram offers more privacy.
Privacy is the top priority when it comes to Snapchat features. The system alerts the account owner when someone takes a screenshot of their Snapchat, which gives them peace of mind knowing their snaps are safe from prying eyes.
In addition, Snapchat users receive alerts if a contact screenshots their story, which is a significant difference between Snapchat and Instagram Stories. When a contact captures a screenshot of a story you uploaded, a specific symbol appears: arrows crossing each other.
To protect users’ privacy, Instagram lets them send images and videos that can only be played once. It is also possible to share videos and pictures using Vanish Mode. Vanish Mode deletes messages upon closing the chat.
A few people can also be added to your Close Friends list on Instagram so that they can see your stories only. Additionally, Instagram enables you to select profiles and people that won’t be able to view your stories.
Snapchat vs Instagram: User Interface and Ease of Use
Snapchat
Snapchat is a lightweight app and the graphics are fun, simple, and easy to navigate. The user interface is intuitive and feels personal. Once you are logged in, navigating from one feature to another is easy.
A few individuals complained that the Snapchat interface is outdated and confusing, but most people agree that the app is simple and easy to use.
Instagram is a beautiful app. The user interface is simple, and many things are easy to find. The graphics are outstanding, and these features make navigating the program easy and enjoyable.
You can upload photos directly from your gallery or camera roll, unlike Snapchat, which requires you to upload pictures using the Snapchat application. Overall, the interface is simple and fun to use.
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Snapchat vs Instagram: Pro & Cons
Snapchat
Pros
- Over 300 million people use Snapchat every day. As a result, businesses can increase their brand awareness and regular users enjoy engaging content.
- It is also capable of helping users stay safe while surfing online due to its security features that delete photos and videos after a specified period.
- Snapchat is also easy to master because it has fewer features than its competitor, although most of its features are as efficient as those on Instagram.
Cons
- Compared to Instagram, its reach is considerably limited. Most users are teenagers and kids, so unless they are your target demographic, you are better off using another platform to increase brand awareness.
- Snapchat interface can be temperamental
- It doesn’t offer much in terms of analytics
Pros
- With over 500 million daily users, Instagram has more reach than Snapchat, which also means a higher potential for reaching more people
- The platform is easy to navigate and is very user-friendly for most users
- Easily share images from this app to Facebook, including tags, through seamless integration with Facebook
Cons
- There are too many sponsored posts and advertisements on Instagram
- Fewer features on the web version
- Instagram suffers from many technical shortcomings despite its great interface and features
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Similarities & Differences
| Snapchat | ||
| Direct Messaging | âś” | âś” |
| Location Tag | âś” | âś” |
| Face Filters | âś” | âś” |
| Stickers and Photo Filters | âś” | âś” |
| Ads | âś” | âś” |
| Analytics | ✔ (However, this feature is available only to a select group of brands and influencers.) | ✔ |
| Content Type | Video, photos, story, chat | Video, photo, story, direct messaging, boomerang, carousel, reels, live |
| Drawing on Photos | âś” | âś” |
Final Verdict: Snapchat vs Instagram – Which is Better?
Snapchat and Instagram are two photo and video sharing apps with so much in common – thanks to Spiegel, CEO of Snapchat, turning down Facebook’s offer. Despite their similarities, users experience these apps differently.
For instance, Snapchat is primarily loved by younger adults and teenagers because of its fun filters and creative sharing options. On the other hand, Instagram also caters to a younger demographic, but the older audience is more comfortable using this app.
You need to identify your target customer base if you plan to use these apps for business purposes. Which of the two platforms do they mostly use? Once you answer that question, deciding whether to use Snapchat or Instagram for your business will be much easier.
I prefer Instagram. I belong to the “older demographic,” plus, most of my prospects are on Instagram.
The only downside of Instagram is that there are too many advertisements and sponsored posts on the platform.
Ultimately, the social media app you choose depends on your liking, target customers, and other needs.
