Social media apps are a dime a dozen these days, but there’s one that stands out from the rest: BeReal. It’s a social media app that dares its users to live in real time. In an age where we’ve grown all too accustomed to perfectly curating our online lives, many see BeReal as a breath of fresh air.

BeReal is a social media app that asks users to post unfiltered photos of themselves once a day.

BeReal is an app that asks users to post unfiltered photos of themselves once a day. The app sends you a notification at a random point in the day telling you to “Be Real,” which triggers a two-minute window where users can post what they’re doing using both the front and back cameras. If you choose to share publicly, only those who have also posted within that two-minute window will be able to see your post.

Within the two-minutes, you can write down whatever is on your mind or post something that's been bothering you. You then have two options: share your post publicly or privately. If you choose to share it publicly, anyone who follows you in BeReal will see it—but if not, only those who are connected with you on Facebook will be able to see what was written in the caption of your original photo that accompanied the post.

The app will snap four photos of your face, which are then automatically selected as the best ones to use for your profile's main image. You can share publicly or privately with friends via text message or email if they don't have the app installed yet.

The aim is to be the opposite of Instagram, where users are encouraged to show their real and unfiltered life.

Conclusion

While the app was released in 2019, most of its downloads occurred this year, potentially indicating a growing shift away from previous social media norms. Whether or not the app can continue to grow is something we’ll witness in the coming months.