Is Instagram over? It’s a conversation that’s growing louder in various corners of the internet, mainly perpetuated by a viral post imploring to “make Instagram Instagram again”. It’s a feeling that’s been growing for some time following multiple algorithm changes and a new reliance on video, spurring many to express their frustration at how their feed has been clogged by TikTok-esque videos, and suggested accounts to follow, rather than any of the content they like, want to see – or people they actually know. 

The conversation came to a peak recently when both Kylie Jenner and Kim Kardashian shared the post, essentially giving the newest version of the social media app a veritable thumbs down. This in itself has sent the internet into a tailspin: if someone like Kardashian who makes a billion dollar living off the app, and would be considered the zenith of social media popularity, is losing interest, then perhaps the tide really is turning. Lest we forget how, in 2018, when Jenner tweeted that she no longer opened Snapchat the app knocked $1.3 billion dollars off its market value. Indeed, if the latest Instagram update proved to be the mass exodus of its now-wavering following, that would be pretty meta. 

We know by this point that social media platforms have an expiry date: it was noted earlier this year that Meta’s (formerly Facebook) users and financial performance are both in decline. That being said, if you leave Instagram, where do you go? While we’d like to think it would be an excellent opportunity to go off-grid and stop scrolling altogether, here’s a round-up of the other social apps having a moment right now. 

Main image: Jason Lloyd Evans.

Clubhouse is a social audio app where users can communicate in audio chat rooms that can accommodate groups of up to thousands of people. The app is available for iOS and Android and, while it used to be that users could participate by invitation only, it removed its invite system in mid-2021 so that any user can now join the platform. 

Be Real is a French social media app designed to dismantle the hyper-reality and perfectionism created by Instagram. The French platform was launched in 2020 but has only really shot to popularity this year. At some point each day users receive a prompt to share an image that’s a real snapshot of what life is like in that exact moment. The aim is for authenticy; a move away from filters, poses and the non-reality we’ve become accustomed to via the internet today. 

Steller is a multimedia app that focuses on storytelling, as well as the visual medium. Ideal for creatives, it encourages users to play with a combination of video, text, images and prepared slide layouts. (Think Instagram stories, but with a little more pizzazz.)