The US ban on TikTok is scheduled to begin on Sunday, Jan. 19. While the decision to ban the Chinese-owned app could still be reversed by the Supreme Court, many fans of TikTok are preparing for the worst. Some users are now scrambling to download their favorite videos before they lose access to the app.
If you’re one of the nearly 150 million Americans who actively use TikTok, you may be wondering where else you can find your fix of short-form content. Could another Chinese-owned app be the answer?
Watch this: US vs. TikTok: What Happens Next
We’ve put together a list of eight other short-video creation apps you can check out.
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Here’s what it looked like when I tried out Instagram Reels.
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Here’s what it looked like when I tried out Instagram Reels.
“,”imageCredit”:”Screenshots by Shelby Brown/CNET”,”imageDoNotCrop”:false,”imageDoNotResize”:false,”imageWatermark”:false,”imageFilename”:”reels-jpeg.jpg”,”imageDateCreated”:”2020/09/18″,”imageWidth”:1600,”imageHeight”:1010,”imageParallax”:””,”imageCrop”:””,”imageEnlarge”:false}” overridecaption=”
Here’s what it looked like when I tried out Instagram Reels.
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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 to you. 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 as well. Plus you can save a Reel to your drafts to keep working on it later.
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Facebook is testing out Reels on its platform.
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Facebook Reels was launched in the US in 2021.
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Facebook Reels was launched in the US in 2021.
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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.
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YouTube Shorts launched worldwide in 2021.
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YouTube Shorts launched worldwide in 2021.
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YouTube offers a TikTok-style video feature called YouTube Shorts. Shorts allows creators to film quick, catchy videos at a maximum length of 60 seconds. YouTube also provides tools to edit multiple video clips together, as well as speed controls, timer and countdown options for recording hands-free. The YouTube app is available on iOS and Android.
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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 the total time users spent watching Spotlight content increased 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.
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Triller’s musical features are starting to get attention.
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Triller’s musical features are starting to get attention.
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Triller’s musical features are starting to get attention.
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Rival TikTok app Triller started gaining more attention when members of the Trump family, including the former president, joined amid early TikTok negotiations. Similar to TikTok, Triller offers video and music features: Choose a song from the app’s library or import their own song, film or upload a video, and edit and share on different social media platforms. You can also collaborate with friends on the app.
Triller also offers a vlog feature that lets you edit your footage in a B-roll documentary style, or Make a Music Video, which lets you upload clips without adding audio.
The app has social features like TikTok with the Community and Following feed. If you amass a large enough following, Triller’s Wallet system can actually make you money. Triller has Gold, its in-app currency, which followers can gift to each other. Earning enough Gold can help you get Gems, which can be exchanged for real cash.
Triller is available on iOS and Android.
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Here’s what it looked like when I tried out Byte.
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Here’s what it looked like when I tried out Byte.
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Here’s what it looked like when I tried out Byte.
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Byte was developed by Vine co-founder Dom Hoffman, and it’s currently available on Android and iOS. The app’s interface is similar to that of TikTok. You can either upload a video from your phone or film a new one. It probably has the fewest special effects features in terms of editing. When I made a clip, I was only able to add text and a song, and the app was rather limited in choices for both. One cool feature Byte does offer is Ghost Mode: If you tap the ghost icon while filming, it’ll make your original image look faded, creating a dream-like or flashback effect.
Until you start following other users, Byte will show a variety of videos in your home feed. If you tap the magnifying glass, you can start exploring. The app sorts videos into different categories like trending stuff, or genres like comedy, anime, weird things, pets, magic and more, instead of hashtags, like TikTok uses.
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Here’s what the user interface looks like on Xiaohongshu.
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Here’s what the user interface looks like on Xiaohongshu.
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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 makes it extremely ironic that some US users are now considering it a possible TikTok alternative.
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If Lemon8 reminds you of TikTok, that’s because it’s TikTok’s sister app.
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If Lemon8 reminds you of TikTok, that’s because it’s TikTok’s sister app.
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Like Xiaohongshu, Lemon8 is a Chinese-owned company. In fact, it’s owned by TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, and TikTok is now encouraging its US users to migrate to Lemon8.
Lemon8 has drawn comparisons to Pinterest, with videos focused on lifestyle topics such as food, home and wellness. It’s hard to imagine that the US government’s security concerns with TikTok won’t eventually extend to its sister app. For now, though, Lemon8 is a viable alternative.
