Ready to Ditch TikTok? Check Out These 9 Apps for Short-Form Video Alternatives
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Apps like Upscrolled, Skylight and Loops are gaining attention as users become disenchanted with the new US version of TikTok.
The transfer of TikTok’s US operations has left many of the service’s users uncertain about its future.
NurPhoto/Getty ImagesLast week, TikTok officially split off its US operations by divesting them to TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC, an American consortium led by Oracle, MGX Fund Management Limited and Silver Lake.
TikTok will remain functional in the US for the foreseeable future, but the ownership transfer and potential changes to the service’s algorithm have prompted many TikTok enthusiasts to ditch the app. Many of the site’s users are already reporting that the new version is much worse, and others allege censorship of posts about Jeffrey Epstein or the killing of people by immigration enforcement agents in Minnesota, among other politically driven content moderation.
If you’re one of the nearly 200 million people in the US who use TikTok and think it’s time to ditch the app, we’ve put together a list of nine other short-video social media apps worth checking out.
Also: I’ve Loved TikTok for 6 Years. But the US App Lost Its Secret Sauce
This Australian social media platform has surged up Apple App Store charts, where it currently ranks No. 2 among free apps. Launched in June 2025, the app looks more like a cross between Twitter and Instagram than TikTok, and lets users post photos, videos, and text, though it currently showcases tons of short-form videos.
Founder Issam Hijazi remarked on Jan. 25 that the app was struggling technically under the weight of increased usage, noting the site was “increasing its capacity” to meet the demand.
Skylight Social is a decentralized short-form video app launched in 2025. Unlike TikTok, which uses an algorithm to serve content, Skylight has a human-curated feed.
Skylight is built on an open network called the AT Protocol (Authenticated Transfer Protocol), which helps users sync their information across supported social networks. You can import your followers and content from, say, Bluesky to Skylight, so that you aren’t locked into one platform. (If you delete your Bluesky account, it won’t affect anything you’ve transferred to Skylight.)
Loops is another decentralized platform for short-form videos, focused on privacy and algorithmic transparency. Through the ActivityPub protocol, Loops users can reach audiences on compatible apps like Mastodon and Pixelfed.
Loops is an open-source project intended to empower online creators and communities. Though it’s still in beta, you can access the platform through TestFlight on iOS or via APK download on Android.
Reels is a video feature on Instagram that lets you film, edit and post video clips in the app. Clips must be between three and 90 seconds long. To get started, make sure you’ve got the latest version of the Instagram app on iOS or Android. You can find Reels by swiping right to open the camera and tapping Reels. (Read our full Reels tutorial here.)
If you’ve used Vine or TikTok, Reels should feel familiar. On the left side of the screen, there’s a slew of filters, songs to add, timed text options and other effects.
You can easily swap and post to your Instagram page or story. Plus, you can save a Reel to your drafts to keep working on it later.
Much like its Instagram counterpart, Facebook Reels allows users to post video clips up to 90 seconds long. Since Facebook and Instagram are both owned by Meta, you can automatically share Reels you post on your Facebook account to your Instagram account and vice versa. The Facebook app is available on iOS and Android.
YouTube offers a TikTok-style video feature called YouTube Shorts. Shorts allows creators to film quick, catchy videos up to 60 seconds long. YouTube also provides tools to edit multiple video clips together, as well as speed controls, a timer, and countdown options for hands-free recording. The YouTube app is available on iOS and Android.
Snapchat Spotlight
Snapchat’s Spotlight feature, which delivers short-form video like TikTok, has grown in popularity since its introduction in 2020. Snapchat reported last month that users’ total time spent watching Spotlight content increased by more than 125% year over year. The company gives creators an extra incentive to use their platform: If their content gets enough views, Spotlight creators can get monthly rewards called Snap Crystals, which can be redeemed for cash.
For more information on how to get rewarded on Spotlight, see the official guidelines. The Snapchat app is available on iOS and Android.
Xiaohongshu, also known as RedNote, is a lifestyle app owned by Xingyin Information Technology, a private company based in Shanghai. It’s been described as a cross between Pinterest and Instagram. It’s also been described as the “Chinese version of TikTok,” which many US users joined around last year’s TikTok ban.
Like Xiaohongshu, Lemon8 is a Chinese-owned company. In fact, it’s owned by TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance (and for a time, TikTok was encouraging its US users to migrate to Lemon8). TikTok’s sister app has drawn comparisons to Pinterest, with videos focused on lifestyle topics such as food, home and wellness.
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