Best TikTok Alternatives for 2026

For social marketers, short-form video content is delivering the highest return on investment, compared to images, livestreamed video, and user-generated content. TikTok is the current champion of short-form video, but it’s not the perfect fit for everyone. 

Additionally, there’s concern about the app’s long-term status. With the TikTok ban still a possibility and questions about whether new ownership will take over, potentially changing the app’s DNA, there are several reasons why businesses, creators, and casual TikTok users might want to explore other platforms.

Below, we’ll share why you might want to check out another short-form video app, as well as a list of the most popular TikTok alternatives right now. 

Why consider TikTok alternatives?

For Ella Gilchrist, founder of social media management company Sociella, the most important reason to consider TikTok alternatives is risk management. 

“When it comes to social channels, we, unfortunately, don’t own our audiences, which poses a risk for businesses if something is to go wrong,” Ella says. “So, it’s a good idea to diversify your presence across other social platforms.”

Other reasons to consider TikTok alternatives include:

• Fierce competition. Millions of users upload content every day to make money on TikTok, so it can be a struggle to stand out as a creator. If you feel like the TikTok algorithm isn’t on your side, trying an alternative short-form video platform could help you find a niche audience with less noise.
• Audience demographics. While TikTok is becoming more influential among millennial and Gen X audiences, it remains the domain of Gen Z, with 73% of 18- to 24-year-olds using the app as of August 2025. If your target audience skews older, you might have better luck on platforms like Facebook Reels or YouTube Shorts. 
• Platform goals and content style. TikTok is a great place for participating in fast-moving TikTok trends and raw, unfiltered content. If your brand personality is more serious and polished, TikTok may not be the best fit.
• Platform instability. TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, has faced ongoing scrutiny over data privacy concerns and potential bans in various countries. If you’re a creator or business relying on TikTok for income, it might make sense to spread out your presence across multiple platforms to future-proof your livelihood. 

Top 10 TikTok alternatives 

1. Instagram Reels
2. YouTube Shorts
3. RedNote
4. Lemon8
5. Likee
6. Snapchat Spotlight
7. Facebook Reels
8. Clapper
9. Fanbase
10. Skylight

Here’s our pick of the best alternative social media platforms that rival TikTok, from other short video platforms to those bringing something else to the table: 

1. Instagram Reels

Instagram Reels is the most obvious TikTok alternative and one of the more established social media platforms, with three billion monthly active users to TikTok’s 1.99 billion. When Instagram first launched its Reels format in 2020, users noted that it felt similar to TikTok’s interface in that you can scroll through video clips on an infinite loop while the Instagram algorithm learns what you like best. 

“Reels don’t really differ from TikTok on a basic level in the fact that they’re just short-form videos,” social media consultant and author of Link in Bio Rachel Karten says. “But there are different trends with Reels that maybe aren’t happening on TikTok.”

Rachel recommends businesses post about 50% of their short-form video content on both TikTok and Instagram Reels. 

“A video of the production process for your product that’s not driven by a trend could go on to TikTok or Reels and it would be just as interesting,” Rachel says. “But if you want to grow and you want to participate in trending content, then you’re going to want to look at TikTok for the trends that are happening there and you’re going to want to look at Instagram for the trends that are happening there and create per-platform.”

Olive oil company Graza posts different videos on Instagram and TikTok, but this recipe for white beans with greens made it onto both platforms:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Graza (@getgraza)

 

Platform-specific tips for Instagram Reels:

• Follow @creators for inspiration.
• Use a third-party app like CapCut to add captions to your Reels.
• Incorporate relevant Instagram hashtags to make it easier for users to find your content.
• Monetize Reels by turning them into Instagram Ads.

2. YouTube Shorts

With YouTube Shorts, creators with YouTube accounts can turn their longer videos into snackable pieces of addictively scroll-worthy content. Shorts launched in the US in 2021 to meet the growing demand for short-form video content. By June 2025, YouTube Shorts averaged more than 200 billion global daily views. 

Long-form content remains an important part of the app (in October 2024, it accounted for 73% of all viewing time in the US), but it’s also emerging as a top TikTok alternative. In April 2024, when President Joe Biden signed a law potentially banning TikTok, 30% of TikTok creators said they would move from TikTok to YouTube, making it the most popular TikTok alternative among creators. 

While YouTube supports video content up to 12 hours long (for verified accounts), Shorts is all about short and quick—videos can be no more than three minutes long. You still have access to all of YouTube’s monetization programs with Shorts, so it can be a great way to boost your bottom line. 

The downside is the YouTube algorithm tends to prioritize creators who already have a strong presence on the platform, which can make it tricky for new creators to stand out. But it can be a lower investment if you repurpose already-existing content like bedding company Cozy Earth did. Cozy Earth held a bed-rotting competition, which it livestreamed on YouTube and TikTok. It then shared highlights of the competition on YouTube Shorts, like this one where participants faced an endurance challenge:

Platform-specific tips for YouTube Shorts:

• Check your YouTube analytics to identify the best time to post YouTube Shorts.
• If you’re a creator, diversify your revenue streams by making merch for YouTube.
• Create intriguing thumbnails.

3. RedNote

In January 2025, more than 700,000 new users joined RedNote over a two-day period, many fearing a TikTok ban. Described as China’s answer to Instagram, RedNote is an emerging platform where users share a variety of short-form content. 

It currently has around 240 million users—mostly in China. It has a largely female audience, with women making up nearly 80% of its active users. RedNote is becoming increasingly more popular as an ecommerce platform, with micro-influencers leading the way. 

But bigger brands like Fenty Beauty are also on the platform, giving them another way to engage with fans. In one short video, Rihanna applies foundation from her brand that leaves her skin glowing. 

Platform-specific tips for RedNote:

• Consider partnering with Chinese micro-influencers.
• Experiment with the platform’s unique sound catalog to find fresh audio tracks.
• Focus on high-energy or emotionally engaging content to resonate with viewers. 

4. Lemon8

Lemon8 is a photo- and video-sharing app often compared to Instagram and Pinterest. In the wake of a possible TikTok ban in January 2025, TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, began heavily promoting Lemon8 as a backup app. But because both apps have ties to ByteDance, it’s possible that any major changes to TikTok would also affect Lemon8.

Despite being around since 2020, Lemon8 is only starting to build up a following as TikTok’s sister app, with about 15 million active users globally. If your target audience are millennial and Gen Z women who enjoy beauty, fashion, travel, wellness, and food, then you might be able to connect with Lemon8 users. 

For example, for beauty brand Saie, users are already posting about its products, giving it a chance to capitalize on conversations. In one clip, Hannah Sofia filmed a video of herself wearing a full face of Saie products:

Platform-specific tips for Lemon8:

• Prioritize high-quality imagery and well-lit shots.
• Add value by writing thoughtful captions or guides alongside your posts. 
• Use Lemon8’s templates to maintain a cohesive style. 

5. Likee 

Likee calls itself a “short video community,” making it a notable TikTok alternative. Like TikTok, it promotes bite-sized video content, but it places a heavier emphasis on special effects and augmented reality (AR) filters. The Singaporean app is particularly popular in Southeast Asia and among younger users who like a more playful, creative editing tool. 

At the moment, Likee’s audience is very region-specific. So unless you want to reach users in other parts of the world, you might not see the traction or engagement you’d get from US-focused apps. 

Platform-specific tips for Likee:

• Take advantage of Likee’s library of special effects to make your video content stand out. 
• Collaborate with other creators on trending challenges to increase your reach. 

6. Snapchat Spotlight 

Snapchat burst onto the scene in 2011, five years before TikTok, as a disappearing-picture platform. The US-based app has continued to steadily grow, reaching 900 million active users in 2025. 

With Snapchat Spotlight, the platform offers a TikTok-like experience, surfacing the best user-generated content on Snapchat. To get discovered, creators must submit their videos to Spotlight. 

Snapchat’s audience skews younger, reaching an estimated 90% of 13- to 24-year-olds worldwide. If you’re a brand thinking of joining Snapchat, consider how you can tailor your Snapchat presence for this audience.

For example, cosmetics company ColourPop emphasizes its kid-friendly products by featuring its Tangled collection on Snapchat:

Platform-specific tips for Snapchat Spotlight: 

• Focus on raw, authentic videos that tie into Snapchat’s casual vibe. 
• Use Snapchat’s AR lenses to add interest to your content. 
• Post consistently to increase visibility on the Spotlight tab. 
• Make money on Snapchat by leveraging Snapchat ads.

7. Facebook Reels

Facebook launched Reels to select markets in 2021 after witnessing the success of the short-video format on sister platform Instagram. Like Instagram Reels, Facebook Reels let users post short videos to their accounts and grow their audience via a continuous-scroll Reels tab in the Facebook app. 

This is a good platform to use if you want to reach a more male audience. Its largest demographic (nearly 19% of Facebook users) is men between 25 and 34 years old. 

Facebook Reels can be any length, and you can use built-in creative tools to add music, effects, and text. It’s worth noting that Facebook’s algorithm heavily favors personal connections over discovery, which can make it harder for new creators to go viral. Plus, younger audiences are less active on Facebook, limiting its appeal to trends and youth-oriented content. 

On Facebook, Dollar Shave Club posts slightly more informational videos than it does on TikTok and Instagram, like this animated guide to the best beards for square faces:

Platform-specific tips for Facebook Reels: 

• Post relatable, bite-sized content that resonates with an older, family-oriented audience.
• Use native features like stickers, captions, and music. 
• Cross-post from Instagram Reels to reach both audiences, but tailor your captions to Facebook’s audience.

8. Clapper 

Clapper is a Texas-based TikTok challenger launched in 2020. It’s a short-form video app focused on real, unfiltered content. Users need to be 17 or older to use the app, and the app targets millennial and Gen X users.

On its blog, Clapper says it aims to give creators a platform to build communities and express themselves freely without judgment and censorship. Clapper also lets creators monetize their content by putting it behind a paywall with the Clapper Fam feature.

Clapper’s audience is smaller than TikTok’s (there were about two million active daily Clapper users in January 2025) but it’s good at helping you grow strong connections with your audience. 

Wheels Over Matter, which sells handcrafted items, uses Clapper to document the creation process. 

Platform-specific tips for Clapper: 

• Clapper discourages cross-posting, so focus on creating original, per-platform content.
• Clapper recommends posting two to three times a week.
• Follow @clapperacademy to learn more about the app. 

9. Fanbase

Fanbase combines many of the features from Instagram, TikTok, Patreon, and other apps to allow users to monetize their content from day one. It brings together short videos with subscription-based content in a platform that is predominantly about monetizing your audience through exclusive content.

Because of this, success on Fanbase depends on having a loyal audience willing to pay for content. If you have that, it can be a great place to build a community and earn money in ways you can’t through TikTok. 

Platform-specific tips for Fanbase:

• Offer exclusive perks like behind-the-scenes content or personalized shoutouts to subscribers. 
• Use free content to draw people in before upselling your subscription offers. 

10. Skylight

Skylight is a smaller short video platform, with 32 million users. It uses the Authenticated Transfer Protocol, which lets users sync content and followers across several platforms. To get started with Skylight, you’ll need a Bluesky account.

Unlike TikTok, which primarily serves videos via its For You algorithm, Skylight offers the option of human curation, likening it more to Tumblr. This means it’s less about popularity and more about genuine connections. 

Platform-specific tips for Skylight:

• Focus on authentic connections since this can help your content gain traction.
• Since the platform prioritizes human curation, it’s a good chance to tap into niche communities.

Tips for choosing the right TikTok alternatives

• Understand your audience
• Define your goals
• Assess the content style
• Check out the monetization opportunities
• Consider community and support
• Consider each platform’s algorithm
• Think about what resources you have available
• Experiment and analyze results

If you’re considering branching out from TikTok for business, the key is finding a platform that aligns with your goals, audience, and content style. Here’s how to approach the decision:

Understand your audience

Start by looking at your analytics to get a clear picture of your audience. With a Shopify store, you have access to robust analytics reporting and can learn more about your audience’s demographic makeup, including age group and gender. 

Then, you can look into each platform’s audience using industry reports and resources like Statista. Not only will these assets provide information about who uses these platforms, it might also include information about what sort of content they gravitate toward. All of this can help you determine whether your audience spends time on a specific platform. 

Define your goals

What do you want to achieve? Using a goal framework, like SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound) or OKR (objectives and key results) can help you come up with well-defined goals and a realistic timeline.

If you’re aiming for visibility and social media engagement, choose a platform with strong discovery features, like YouTube Shorts or Instagram Reels. If monetization is your focus, platforms like Fanbase or Clapper may offer better tools for earning money through direct audience support. 

One way to gain a better understanding of what each platform can help you with is to look at how each brand positions itself. For example, Snapchat reports that its audience is “more excited to share” and that users are two times more likely to share if they receive a gift. This platform might work for you if you want to grow your audience through influencer marketing. 

Assess the content style

Every platform has a unique vibe. Humor and quick edits thrive on TikTok, whereas Instagram Reels lean toward aesthetic, more curated content. “TikTok is moving at a very fast pace,” Rachel says. With Instagram, “the trends move a little bit slower there.”

YouTube Shorts often caters to educational or evergreen material, while Snapchat Spotlight is more casual and fun. Spending time on each platform can give you a better sense of what kind of content is popular and what works. Then, you can determine if that matches the type of content you enjoy creating and if the platform naturally complements your style.

Set Active founder Lindsey Carter recommends treating each social channel like a member of a family. 

“Each one can almost have a different personality,” Lindsey says in an episode of Shopify Masters. “We all love the same thing, but we all operate differently because of our different generations.” For Lindsey, that means posting “the ins and outs of everything I’m working on at Set” on Instagram. TikTok gets content with “a little bit more personality” and a focus on Gen Z.

Check out the monetization opportunities

If you’re a creator looking to earn from your content, dig into the monetization options available. TikTok’s Creator Rewards Program is just one model. Other apps like Fanbase allow for direct audience contributions. 

Look for platforms allowing you to transform creativity into income in a way that suits you.

Consider community and support 

Some platforms foster a stronger sense of community than others. Clapper, for example, emphasizes real, unfiltered lives and may be better for brands who value authenticity. Choose a platform aligned with the type of relationships you want to build with your audience.

Lindsey of Set Active connects with her supporters via a broadcast channel connected to her personal Instagram account. “I talk to them every day, and if I go a day without talking to them, I miss them,” she says. “You can’t fake that type of connection.”

Consider each platform’s algorithm

It can be challenging to figure out all the ins and outs of a platform, making sure it serves your goals is important.

“It’s worth considering the following,” says Ella Gilchrist of Sociella. “Does it help smaller creators get noticed? What tools does it have to help you reach your target audience? How does it prioritize content distribution?” 

Some platforms have smaller user bases, but that can mean they prioritize smaller accounts. As a result, you might have a better chance of reaching your target audience. Clapper, for example, has what it calls an “equal opportunity algorithm,” meaning creators with small followings have as good a chance of showing up on a user’s For You feed as creators with large followings.

Think about what resources you have available 

It might be tempting to start opening accounts on every channel, but as Ella suggests, assess your resources before spreading yourself too thin. 

She recommends asking yourself:

• Does your team have the tools and resources to let them post to multiple platforms?
• Do you need to hire a specialist in a particular content type?

Another thing you can consider is whether you can repurpose your content to other platforms. Many brands cross-post on TikTok and Instagram Reels, but Clapper discourages users from cross-posting, which means becoming active on the platform could be a bigger commitment.

Experiment and analyze results

When choosing a new platform, take time to see if it works for you. Plan your videos using a content calendar, so you have a clear idea of what you want to post. Look at what’s trending and resonating with users and see if you can weigh in to help your content circulate. 

After you test a few alternatives to learn how to approach your content, track engagement metrics, the best time to post, audience growth, and overall experience to determine where your efforts pay off the most.