article

Young People Do Not, In Fact, Want to BeReal

After being named Apple’s app of the year, we dive into how popular BeReal actually is with Gen Z…

Written and Edited by the YPulse Editorial Team

Mar 2 2023
North America

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Gen Z adopted BeReal more than Millennials, but even their use of the app is on the decline
BeReal’s main source of popularity really came from its ability to be shared on other apps (namely TikTok)
Now, posting pics of their mundane days makes the app a bit too real, and young users are tapping out

Since TikTok took on its role as Gen Z’s favorite social media platform, other apps have merely come and gone quietly, but BeReal appeared to have actually taken off—at least in the form of viral posts on other social media platforms. It was even named Apple’s “app of the year” in their 2022 App Store Awards. Brands like Chipotle, Rare Beauty, and e.l.f. jumped in on BeReal’s quick success, but these days it’s looking a little vacant on the app and its growth has significantly slowed. Digiday reports that “In October, worldwide downloads reached an average of 15.2 million and has since decreased to around 4.2 million in February, according to data from Apptopia.” Similarly, Data.ai shows “BeReal was ranked in 8th place for social platforms” as of February 15, but “from February 4 to 8, its ranking among all apps declined from 64th to 109th. YPulse has been keeping tabs on the app since April, and our data shows that despite the buzz, BeReal is not measuring up...