Instagram vs. BeReal: Which Platform Will Win Gen Z?
In the ever-evolving world of social media, platforms rise and fall based on how they connect with the latest generation of users. In 2025, a growing battle for relevance is unfolding between two contenders—Instagram, the global juggernaut owned by Meta, and BeReal, the disruptive underdog promoting authenticity and spontaneity.
The question no longer remains whether Gen Z is online. It is about where they are choosing to spend their time—and more importantly, why. While Instagram continues to hold massive global influence, BeReal is increasingly gaining attention by offering an alternative that appeals to Gen Z’s craving for raw, unfiltered reality.
This deep dive explores how both platforms are evolving, what makes them resonate with young users, and who is most likely to win Gen Z’s long-term loyalty.
The Changing Expectations of Gen Z
To understand the competition, one must first understand the mindset of Gen Z. This generation, born between 1997 and 2012, grew up alongside smartphones, streaming, and social media. They are digital natives, but unlike millennials, they are also deeply skeptical of digital perfection.
Gen Z values transparency over curation, community over clout, and self-expression over self-promotion. Their use of social media is less about projecting a perfect image and more about staying connected with close circles, expressing identity, and consuming content that feels relatable.
This shift in values has created friction with platforms like Instagram, which, despite years of dominance, has struggled to keep pace with changing expectations. Enter BeReal—a platform designed to disrupt the curated, algorithm-driven status quo.
Instagram: Legacy Power with a Modern Makeover
Instagram’s journey from a photo-sharing app to a multifaceted social platform has been both impressive and complex. In recent years, it has aggressively borrowed features from competitors—Stories from Snapchat, Reels from TikTok, and now, Candid from BeReal.
Despite criticism for becoming overly commercial and crowded with ads, influencers, and recommended content, Instagram still boasts over two billion active users globally. Its sheer reach, monetization options, and integration with Facebook’s ecosystem give it undeniable power.
For Gen Z, however, Instagram’s appeal is evolving. Many young users no longer post daily photo dumps or aesthetic grids. Instead, they use private Stories, Close Friends lists, and finstas (fake Instagrams) to maintain authenticity within a controlled circle.
Instagram’s efforts to appeal to Gen Z include launching new tools to reduce pressure around likes, showcasing mental health prompts, and rolling out features that push more spontaneous sharing. But for many, these efforts feel like reactions rather than innovations.
BeReal: Raw, Unfiltered, and Rising Fast
BeReal launched with a singular premise—share a photo once a day, using both front and back cameras, at a random time prompted by the app. No filters. No time to stage the perfect moment. The goal is simple: be real.
For Gen Z users, this format offers freedom from perfectionism. There is no incentive to edit, overthink, or chase likes. Instead, the platform becomes a reflection of everyday life—messy, honest, and sometimes boring, but deeply relatable.
BeReal’s growth has been staggering among university students and young professionals tired of influencer culture. It captures a digital intimacy that bigger platforms often dilute. Users often say that BeReal feels more like a group chat than a public stage.
The platform’s main strength lies in its simplicity. There are no feeds to scroll endlessly, no explore pages driven by algorithms. Just you, your camera, and your friends.
However, that simplicity is also a double-edged sword. BeReal’s novelty is at risk of fading if it cannot evolve while staying true to its core mission.
Platform Comparison: Feature by Feature
| Feature | BeReal | |
| Content Curation | Highly curated, aesthetic-driven | Raw, spontaneous, time-limited |
| Monetization | Full influencer tools, shopping | None |
| Algorithm Use | Heavy algorithm-based recommendations | No algorithmic feed |
| User Control | Public and private options | Mostly private, close networks |
| Discovery and Trends | Strong explore and viral content | Minimal discovery features |
| Mental Health Response | Focused on pressure reduction | Built around stress-free sharing |
| Daily Engagement Style | Scroll-heavy, on-demand | Once-a-day prompt |
Both platforms serve social interaction in different ways. Instagram tries to be everything for everyone, while BeReal thrives in its narrow, focused use-case.
Where Gen Z Is Leaning
Data from late 2024 and early 2025 suggests that Gen Z is spending less time posting on Instagram and more time watching Reels, lurking on Stories, and chatting via DMs. Active participation in content creation on the platform is declining in favor of passive consumption.
BeReal, meanwhile, is seeing growing daily participation, especially in student communities, tight-knit friend groups, and among those seeking a digital detox from the performative side of social media.
However, BeReal is not yet a true replacement. It lacks the depth of interaction, content variety, and creator ecosystem that Instagram offers. Gen Z users are often active on both platforms but use them for completely different emotional and social needs.
Monetization and Sustainability
Instagram’s business model is stable. It integrates ads, influencers, branded content, and ecommerce. For creators and businesses, Instagram remains a primary platform for engagement and revenue.
BeReal, in contrast, has no advertisements, no creator payouts, and no shopping features. Its sustainability is still in question. To compete in the long term, it may have to introduce monetization without sacrificing user trust or platform identity.
If BeReal decides to scale, how it handles monetization will determine whether it maintains its authenticity or slides into the commercial patterns it was created to disrupt.
The Future of Both Platforms
In many ways, Instagram and BeReal represent two poles of the social media spectrum. Instagram is a digital mall filled with entertainment, promotion, and influence. BeReal is a cozy hangout with friends in sweatpants. Both are useful. Both serve real needs.
As Gen Z matures, their demands will also evolve. They may return to more curated content as their professional identities develop. Or they may push the industry toward more privacy, transparency, and community-driven spaces.
Instagram is unlikely to be dethroned soon. Its infrastructure, user base, and monetization tools are too deeply entrenched. But BeReal’s presence marks a cultural shift that even giants like Meta cannot afford to ignore.
Final Thoughts
The battle between Instagram and BeReal is not about numbers. It is about trust, identity, and emotional connection. Gen Z does not just want to be seen. They want to be understood. In this context, BeReal offers a refreshing escape from the noise, while Instagram works to reinvent itself for the post-perfection generation.
The winner may not be the platform with the most users but the one that best understands how Gen Z defines authenticity. In a world increasingly defined by screens, the quest for what is real has never been more important.
As 2025 continues to unfold, one thing is clear—social media is no longer just about sharing. It is about belonging. And whoever captures that truth, wins.
