BeReal Pushes Back Against Report of Losing Steam, Now Boasts 25 Million Daily Users

Just under a year ago, the social media landscape was abuzz with the launch of BeReal, an innovative new app that promised to revolutionize the way we share our lives online. With reportedly 20 million users launching the app every day to snap their candid photos, it seemed as though BeReal was on the rise. However, in the months since, its traction has declined significantly, according to a new report from Similarweb.

Declining Traction

Despite its rollout of new features such as messaging, the ability to post more photos, and a ‘Friends of Friends’ discovery feed, BeReal’s monthly active users on iOS and Android have declined from a peak of 3.7 million in November 2022 to just over 3 million this August, according to Similarweb’s data. This decline may seem modest at first glance, but it represents a significant drop-off in user engagement.

BeReal has disputed these estimates, claiming that they are inaccurate and that the app is still growing at a "healthy rate." However, when pressed for further information on its own segmented market metrics, BeReal declined to provide any concrete data.

Global Decline

Similarweb’s report also reveals that BeReal’s monthly active users globally have declined to 16.06 million. This represents a drop from last year’s reported 20 million – a figure that roughly lines up with Similarweb’s estimates from January 2022. While it’s common for social media apps to experience fluctuations in user engagement, the scale of this decline is significant and suggests that BeReal may be struggling to attract new users.

Comparison to Other Social Media Apps

In comparison to other major social media platforms, BeReal’s user base is tiny. Instagram, for example, has over 48 times as many users in the US alone. Even Twitter/X rival Bluesky, which is still in private beta, has nearly four times as many monthly active users.

The Challenges Ahead

While BeReal may have a loyal core of users, it’s clear that the app needs to do more to attract new users and increase engagement. With its internal metrics suggesting growth from 20 million to 25 million daily active users in roughly a year, BeReal may need to accelerate its development and testing of new features to stay competitive.