6 things you should know about BeReal

BeReal is a social media app built around authentic, in-the-moment content, and it has had a genuinely eventful few years.

It generated more than 56 million downloads in 2022, catching the attention of TikTok, which launched a copycat feature called TikTok Now that same year. TikTok ended up discontinuing TikTok Now in mid-2023 as interest in the format cooled, but BeReal itself kept going. After a decline in active users, BeReal was acquired by mobile game developer Voodoo in 2024 for roughly $537 million, and it has since rebuilt around 40 million monthly active users, including about 5 million in the U.S.

But what is BeReal? Essentially, the app prioritizes more authentic, in-the-moment content. Originally launched in 2020, BeReal offers a "new and unique way to discover who your friends really are in their daily life." Gen Z users are still the majority of BeReal's base, and the app is worth understanding if you're trying to reach a Gen Z audience.

The following are six things you should know about BeReal.

The daily BeReal notification is global and random

BeReal sends you a daily alert asking you to post a picture within two minutes that shows whatever you're doing at the moment. This alert is sent at a random time each day and at the same time to all users globally.

While users can post after the two minutes is over, the text below that shared photo will say that the deadline was not met. For instance, the text could say: "3 hours late."

You're actually taking a 'double photo'

To take the prompted photo when alerted, you open BeReal and snap a selfie with your phone's front camera, while the back camera captures the view in the other direction.

Images are only visible to your contacts on the app for 24 hours.

You have 'friends' not 'followers'

On BeReal, you don't have followers. You have "friends," which means that only the people you personally add can see your posts. In addition, you can't see your friends' photos until you upload your own.

Keep in mind that there are no friend/follower counts, removing the temptation to build "influence."

The app also has built-in emojis, and users can react to and comment on each other's images. There's also a "RealMoji" feature, which is a photo taken with the front camera of the user's face reacting in some way. It allows users to see their friends' real-time reactions to what they're doing at that specific moment.

No filters or photo editing

Part of what is making BeReal so popular is its lack of filters and editing. You also can't import edited photos, so you can only capture an image from within the app in real-time.

You can retake the photo up to 10 times, but the app will tell your friends how many times you've retaken the photo before you uploaded it.

BeReal has a Discovery section

While users specifically connect with the people they know, BeReal does have a discovery section. It enables you to see other posts from around the world from other users who have their privacy settings unlocked.

It emphasizes the mundanity of the world, where other apps (like Instagram or X) tend to promote over-the-top lifestyles and images.

BeReal now has advertising and brand tools

This is the biggest change since BeReal first launched. The app used to be entirely ad-free, but that's no longer the case. In April 2025, BeReal rolled out a full advertising platform in the U.S., including in-feed ads that match the app's signature dual-camera format and full-day brand takeovers. More than 200 advertisers have already run campaigns on BeReal, including Nike, Netflix, Amazon and Levi's.

BeReal also introduced "RealBrands" and "RealPeople," which let brands and celebrities post behind-the-scenes moments the same way regular users do, rather than running traditional ads. For brands, this is a meaningfully different opportunity than what existed when the app was ad-free: you can now show up on BeReal both organically, through a RealBrand profile, and through paid placements.

In conclusion

Just like with any other social media app, the best thing to do is to try it out yourself. Only then can you better understand the nuances and value of BeReal and how it may or may not fit into your brand's digital marketing strategy.

Check out the eight most common social media mistakes that you should avoid, and if you're weighing BeReal against other platforms for reaching a younger audience, see our comparison of Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok for reaching teens.