20 Tiktok Alternatives: The Ultimate Guide for 2025
In a Reddit group discussing the best TikTok alternatives, the standout response is often: none. This clearly shows your love for TikTok, even as its future in the U.S. stays uncertain for some time. After briefly going dark following a critical deadline, TikTok made its comeback.
If you’re feeling lost in this ongoing TikTok saga, don’t worry! We’ve put together the most important milestones and latest updates:
While we wait for a final answer to the question—can we keep enjoying TikTok dances in the U.S. or not?—it’s a good idea to explore the alternatives out there.
20 Top TikTok Alternatives at a Glance
Here’s a complete list of TikTok alternatives to help you explore your options – including some lesser-known gems you might not have heard of before.
Lemon8
“A lifestyle community powered by TikTok”
Lemon8 combines Pinterest and Instagram, focusing on lifestyle content. Despite its launch in 2020, it’s only recently gained traction, largely due to the TikTok ban debates in the US. ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, is heavily promoting this app as its next big thing.
The app includes basic features such as uploading content, interacting with users, and adding friends.
Highlights:
🟢Longer captions that are supposed to encourage real storytelling rather than endless scrolling.
🟢Ideal for lifestyle influencers seeking an aesthetic, visually pleasing platform.
🟢Greater control over your feed’s appearance, which offers a refreshing change from TikTok’s fast-paced video culture.
🔴It faces a ban along with TikTok as its parent company is ByteDance.
RedNote (Xiaohongshu)
“Share life, connect the world”
RedNote is a Chinese social media platform that merges short-form videos, live streaming, and lifestyle content. Often compared to a combination of TikTok, Instagram, and Pinterest, it offers a mix of entertainment and e-commerce.
With a global audience exceeding 300 million monthly active users, on RedNote you can share product reviews, lifestyle advice, and personal stories. Shopping is incorporated into its design.
Launched in 2013, this TikTok alternative has become one of China’s top social platforms, boasting a valuation of over $3 billion.
Highlights:
🟢Short-form videos with trending sounds and hashtags & community-based chatting.
🟢 Covers diverse topics like beauty, fashion, and travel, making it a dynamic community space.
🟢Streamlined music and video features make it less overwhelming than TikTok.
🔴Limited international reach compared to TikTok, but its user base is steadily growing.
🔴Privacy concerns due to data storage policies in China.
Check out our article that helps you kick-off your journey on Rednote:
YouTube Shorts
It appears to be one of the safest and most popular TikTok alternatives. Users appreciate the ability to pause videos, but many still find it falls short compared to TikTok. You’re likely familiar with YouTube’s answer to our ever-shortening attention spans: YouTube Shorts. If you’re already using YouTube Shorts or planning to start, be sure to explore how you can schedule your YouTube videos with Metricool.
Highlights:
🟢Vast library of content.
🟢Easy to use.
🟢Large audience reach.
🔴Can be less discoverable compared to TikTok’s “For You” page.
Here’s our guide to get you started:
Instagram Reels
In the same vein, Instagram Reels continues to establish itself as a compelling alternative to TikTok. Known for its ease of use and integration with Instagram’s existing features, Reels allows users to create, share, and discover short-form videos. This format is particularly appealing to content creators, brands, and influencers looking to maximize engagement within Instagram’s ecosystem.
Highlights:
🟢Seamless sharing across Instagram Stories, Explore, and the main feed.
🟢A wide variety of editing tools, audio tracks, and AR effects.
🟢Integration with Instagram Shopping, making it ideal for e-commerce.
Want to know the ultimate secrets to mastering this format? Check out our guide below:
Clapper
“Be heard. Be seen. Be valued.”
Clapper is a Texas-based, adults-only app alternative to TikTok that has recently jumped to #3 in Apple’s U.S. App Store.
Launched in 2020, it’s gaining much awaited momentum, especially with recent TikTok ban discussions. With over 10 million monthly active users, Clapper promises unfiltered, ad-free content and freedom for creators without algorithmic interference.
Highlights:
🟢No ads, no algorithms, just authentic local connections.
🟢Audio-only feature for up to 2,000 listeners with 20 speakers.
🔴Limited reach due to small user base (so far).
🔴Minimal moderation can lead to questionable content.
🔴Fewer video editing features compared to TikTok.
Likee
“Explore what you like”
Likee lets you create short-form videos with cool editing tools and share them with a global audience. Launched in 2017 by Singapore-based Joyy, the app has 100 million users from all over the world.
Besides video-sharing, you can enjoy livestreams as well. Creators can use AR filters in their videos and live streams. It has an extensive music library and monetization features: as a creator you can earn money using SuperLikes from your followers.
However, reviews suggest some content may not be suitable for younger users, despite its 12+ rating.
Highlights:
🟢 Built-in video editing tools and AR filters.
🟢Monetization opportunities for creators.
🔴Engagement somewhat limited compared to TikTok.
🔴Privacy concerns and bot issues. No option to make private profiles.
Yubo
“Yubo is all about chilling. Meet like-minded people, or find a group to hang with. Then kick back and feel your vibeeee.”
Yubo, Yubo is a French app, launched in 2015, is designed to help Gen Z make new friends online. It has attracted 80 million users so far.
By removing likes and follows, Yubo aims to empower young people to present their authentic selves and build genuine connections.
Safety is a priority for Yubo, with advanced verification features like face recognition and age estimation.
Highlights:
🟢Socializing app for young people aged 13-25.
🟢Livestreams as the main form of communication.
🟢No “likes” and “follows”.
🔴Primarily appeals to Gen Z, so it’s a bit niche.
Neptune
“Revolutionizing Social Media—Power Back to The Creators”
Nepture is a female-founded TikTok alternative from the U.S. that promises a “new era of social media”, prioritizing genuine interactions and creator uniqueness. Neptune’s marketing strategy frames the app as a TikTok alternative, but better. It blends TikTok and YouTube, supporting both short and long-form content. Currently in beta, its public release is set for spring.
Highlights:
🟢Customizable feeds and a focus on quality content over numbers. (“focus on the art, not the numbers”).
🟢No algorithms—content shines based on quality and impact. (no follower counts—just quality).
🟢Fair monetization options.
🔴Yet to launch, with a waitlist for beta testers.
Snapchat Spotlights
“Less social media. More Snapchat.”
Spotlight is Snapchat’s answer to TikTok. It features entertaining videos, a trending section, and keyword-based search. While popular among younger audiences, it may not appeal as much to older users.
All in all, however—another interesting TikTok alternative for short and fun content.
Highlights:
🟢 Trending content and searchable hashtags.
🟢Funny videos in the spotlight, no serious stuff.
🔴Mostly caters to Gen Z, limiting its audience.
Triller
“We see ourselves as the adult version of TikTok”
Triller, based in the U.S., boasts 65 million active users. Known as the “adult version of TikTok,” it’s particularly popular with music artists and offers over 250 million downloads.
Highlights:
🟢 Focuses on music-driven content, perfect for artists.
🟢 Similar to TikTok but more tailored for a mature audience.
🔴 Smaller user base compared to TikTok.
Fanbase
“Be you. Without limits.”
Fanbase, founded in 2020 in the U.S., describes itself as a next-generation social creator hub that allows users to monetize their content from day one.
The mission behind its foundation was to value Black creators, whose content is often undervalued on traditional social media platforms. This subscription-based TikTok alternative is, unlike other apps, ad-free and doesn’t suppress content. It features short-form videos, images, long-form videos, Stories, livestreams, and audio rooms.
Users can post both free and exclusive content, with subscription prices ranging from $2.99 to $99. Each “love” a post receives equates to one cent for the creator.
Highlights:
🟢Supports photos, videos, audio chats, live streaming, and long-form content.
🟢Allows importing content from Instagram and TikTok directly.
🔴Not yet well-known so reach is limited.
Zigazoo
“The World’s Largest Social Network For Kids!”
Zigazoo, founded in 2020 in the U.S., describes itself as a safe, positive social media app designed for children. It is educator-created and human-moderated, ensuring a bully-free environment. Users can participate in video challenges with celebrities, brands, and kid creators. Based on its target audience, it’s rather an interesting fact in the tech space, rather than a viable TikTok alternative.
Highlights:
🟢No text comments; users respond with emojis, stickers, or video responses, promoting positive interactions.
🔴Offers in-app purchases like Zigabuck bundles.
Favorited
Favorited, founded in 2021 in the U.S., is a live-streaming TikTok alternative that enables creators to engage with their followers in real-time, similar to TikTok Live. It offers features like gifting, interactive games, streaks, and leaderboards.
The app provides a 70/30 revenue split for creators, which is more favorable than TikTok’s 50%. Users need at least 100 followers to start their own streams but can join existing streams without restrictions. Founded in the U.S., Favorited has 1.3 million users.
Highlights:
🟢Gamified live-streaming experience.
🟢Higher revenue share for creators compared to some other platforms.
🟢Focuses on interactive and collaborative content.
🔴Not yet well-known so reach is limited.
Fable
“Welcome home, Bookworms and bing-watchers”
Fable, founded in 2021 in the U.S., is a social reading app that connects book lovers and binge-watchers. Users can join book clubs, discuss their favorite reads, and discover new content. The platform aims to foster a community of readers and provide a space for thoughtful discussions. Since its niche content, it’s also not the strongest TikTok alternative.
Highlights:
🟢Curated book recommendations.
🟢Community-driven discussions.
🟢Focus on mental wellness through reading.
🔴Niche content and target audience.
Flip
“Watch, create, earn”
Described as “The Shopping Social Network”, Flip combines social media and e-commerce, allowing creators to share product reviews and monetize their content. Users can watch videos, shop for products, and share their experiences, creating an interactive shopping community. Due to its strong focus on shopping, Flip (founded in 2016 in the U.S.,) cannot be considered a fully-grown TikTok alternative either.
Highlights:
🟢Seamless integration of video content and shopping.
🟢Opportunities for creators to earn through affiliate marketing.
🟢Focus on authentic user-generated content.
🔴Heavily focused on shopping.
Loops
“Capture. Share. Loop.”
Loops, founded in 2020 in the UK, is a TikTok alternative that emphasizes authentic content sharing. It encourages users to capture real-life moments and share them with their community, fostering genuine connections.
Highlights:
🟢User-friendly interface for spontaneous sharing.
🟢Prioritizes real-life content over curated posts.
🟢Aims to build a community based on authenticity.
🔴Less well-known.
Faves
“Save and organize your videos from anywhere without using your storage.”
Founded in 2022 in the U.S., Faves is a video-saving and organizing app designed for users who want to keep their favorite online content in one place. Instead of taking up device storage, Faves allows you to save videos directly to your account for later viewing.
Highlights:
🟢Cloud-based video storage, freeing up device space.
🟢Supports saving videos from multiple platforms, including TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube.
🟢Features organizational tools like tags, playlists, and categories.
🔴Less well-known.
Funimate
Founded in 2014 in Turkey, Funimate is a creative video editing and sharing app that allows users to make professional-looking edits with ease. It’s popular among content creators for its unique visual effects and user-friendly interface, making it a favorite for lip-sync videos, dance challenges, and short stories.
Highlights:
🟢Over 100 advanced video effects for creative editing.
🟢Easy-to-use interface with features like text animations, transitions, and overlays.
🟢Strong community aspect with daily challenges to inspire creativity.
🟢Integrates seamlessly with platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube.
🔴Heavy focus on video editing.
Douyin
Founded in 2016 in China, Douyin is the Chinese version of TikTok, launched by ByteDance before TikTok became a global phenomenon. While Douyin shares a similar interface with TikTok, it operates as a separate app tailored for the Chinese market. It offers localized content, integrations with e-commerce platforms, and features that cater to its audience’s preferences.
Highlights:
🟢Advanced e-commerce integration, allowing users to shop directly within the app.
🟢Sophisticated content recommendations powered by ByteDance’s AI.
🟢Offers live-streaming and monetization features for creators.
🔴Content and trends specific to the Chinese market.
Facebook Reels
As Meta’s other short-form video platform, Facebook Reels serves as a TikTok alternative, however, with less traction. Launched to capture a broader, slightly older audience, it integrates easily into the Facebook ecosystem, making it accessible for brands and creators already active on the platform.
We hope this comprehensive list of TikTok alternatives helps you find a platform that feels like a safe haven in times of uncertainty around TikTok’s future in the U.S. Whether you’re looking for creative expression, community building, or simply a fun way to pass the time, there’s likely an option here that suits your needs.
