When Was BeReal Popular? Tracing the Rise of the Authentic Photo App

BeReal is not the first social app to promise a more genuine glimpse into everyday life, but it arrived at a moment when many users grew tired of perfectly staged feeds and filtered perfection. For a period spanning roughly late 2021 through 2023, BeReal climbed from a niche curiosity to a bona fide cultural phenomenon. In this piece, we take a clear-eyed look at when BeReal became popular, why it struck a chord, and how its momentum evolved over time. By unpacking the timeline, features, and user behavior, we can understand BeReal popularity without chasing headlines or hype.

Origins and early growth

BeReal began in France in 2020, created with the simple idea of showing what people were doing in the moment, not what they wished others to see. The app sends a daily notification at a random time, prompting users to snap a photo using both the front and rear cameras within a short window. There are no elaborate filters, no branding overlays, and no strict posting schedule. This restraint—paired with the social pressure to respond quickly—became BeReal’s defining characteristic and the seed of its appeal. In the months and years that followed, BeReal slowly built a dedicated user base, especially among younger audiences who were eager for something different from ultra-curated feeds.

During its early years, BeReal didn’t dominate the app stores or headline feeds. Instead, it grew in a more understated way, riding the tide of a broader curiosity about authenticity in social media. People who tried BeReal often stayed because the app rewarded candid sharing with a sense of community rather than status signaling. For many users, BeReal became a daily habit rather than a once-in-a-while peak moment. That incremental growth laid the groundwork for what would become a broader wave of BeReal popularity in the next couple of years.

The surge in 2022: Why did BeReal go viral?

The true inflection point for BeReal came in 2022. Several cultural and platform factors converged to push the app from a niche tool into a mainstream conversation. First, the concept of authenticity resonated at a moment when many people felt overwhelmed by highly curated feeds elsewhere. BeReal’s no-frills approach offered a refreshing counterpoint to the glossy, edited images that dominated other apps. Second, the daily prompt created a sense of shared experience. If your friends were posting at a given moment, you felt compelled to participate, which increased engagement and visibility for everyone in your circle.

Additionally, the timing coincided with a shift in how younger users discover new apps. BeReal benefitted from word-of-mouth, school and campus networks, and social chatter on other platforms that highlighted its unique angle. People who had experimented with BeReal in small groups began inviting friends, expanding the app’s footprint in schools, neighborhoods, and online communities. As more users joined, the “everyday life” moments became more relatable, which in turn fueled further adoption. This cycle is a core driver of BeReal popularity—the app grows strongest when peers see real moments from people they know.

From a product standpoint, BeReal’s mechanics reinforced the trend toward spontaneity. The window to post is short, and the absence of filters nudges users toward honesty, not perfection. The lack of a polished, aesthetic-driven feed meant that posting on BeReal felt more about connection than curation. That simple shift mattered. It allowed BeReal to carve out a distinct niche in a crowded market where competing apps were constantly iterating on new features to optimize engagement. The result was a brand that felt less performative and more human, a quality that many users found appealing during a time of scrolling fatigue on other platforms.

BeReal by the numbers: what “popularity” looked like

When we talk about BeReal popularity, it helps to move beyond likes and downloads to the lived experience of the user base. In 2022 and 2023, BeReal appeared near the top of many app lists and saw substantial growth in daily active users and time spent in the app. While exact figures vary by source and region, the broader picture is clear: the app transitioned from a curiosity to a staple in the daily routines of millions of people. By late 2023, BeReal had established itself as a recognizable cultural phenomenon, with its distinctive notification-driven rhythm and a growing ecosystem of user-generated content.

Performance metrics often cited in discussions of BeReal popularity include rapid download velocity, increased share-of-voice in tech media, and rising conversations among students and young professionals. The app’s growth wasn’t a smooth curve; it included spikes around certain events, such as school start times, exams, or social campaigns that encouraged friends to join. Yet the underlying dynamic remained constant: BeReal appealed to users looking for a more authentic, less performative way to connect with people they know. This adherence to an authentic experience is a key reason BeReal could sustain attention even as many one-size-fits-all social platforms continued to evolve.

Demographics and regional trends

BeReal’s popularity did not spread evenly across all groups. It tended to resonate most with younger demographics—often high school and college students—who felt comfortable sharing casual moments and who valued a sense of immediacy. Regional trends also played a role. In several Western markets, the app gained traction quickly, aided by school networks and peer recommendations. In some regions, BeReal functioned almost as a social accelerant: students used it to keep in touch with classmates, share real-life moments between classes, and discuss everyday activities in real time. This grassroots diffusion helped BeReal become less about influencers and more about everyday people sharing snapshots of their day-to-day life.

However, popularity wasn’t limited to any single country or city. As the app matured, it also found communities beyond its original audience—young adults returning to campus life, friends coordinating plans, and even families experimenting with a more candid family feed. The broad appeal is part of what makes BeReal a case study in digital culture: it shows how a simple concept, executed with restraint and clarity, can cross cultural and geographic boundaries when it taps into a universal desire for authentic connection.

1. BeReal launches in France with a focus on real-time sharing and dual-camera captures. Growth is measured and steady rather than sensational.
2. The concept gains traction among early adopters; the app begins to spark conversations about authenticity in social media.
3. Early 2022: A breakout moment arrives as more students and young adults discover BeReal, driving a rapid uptick in downloads and daily usage.
4. Mid to late 2022: BeReal becomes part of the broader cultural conversation. More people explore the idea of spontaneous posting, and the app lands on the radar of mainstream tech media.
5. 2023: BeReal maintains strong momentum with continued growth in active users and engagement. The platform solidifies its identity as a place for authentic moments, not a curated gallery.
6. 2024 and beyond: The ecosystem evolves as competitors imitate the concept and BeReal experiments with features to retain users. The app remains relevant, but the explosive growth of the early peak years slows to a steadier rhythm.

Why its popularity has shifted—and what that means today

Like many social platforms, BeReal faced the challenge of sustaining explosive growth over time. A few factors shaped its trajectory after the initial surge. First, as more apps experimented with authenticity-inspired formats, BeReal needed to differentiate itself without losing its core ethos. Second, user fatigue can set in when the daily prompt becomes predictable or when the window to post feels too constraining. Third, algorithmic and product changes across the broader social landscape influenced how people discover and interact with BeReal content. In short, BeReal popularity is not a binary state; it fluctuates as the app balances novelty with consistency, and as users’ social media habits evolve.

Today, BeReal remains a meaningful option for those who crave candid connections with friends. Its appeal often hinges on genuine moments—ordinary activities, quick snapshots from daily life, and a sense of presence that other platforms sometimes mask behind glossy finishes. For many, BeReal is less about chasing followers and more about keeping in touch with a close circle in real time. This enduring quality sustains the app’s relevance even as trends come and go in the fast-moving realm of social media.

• BeReal’s rise was anchored in a universal longing for authenticity, not just novelty. The authenticity thread helped it resonate beyond tech circles and into everyday life.
• The daily prompt creates shared rituals. When friends post together, the sense of togetherness reinforces continued use and word-of-mouth growth.
• Simple design, minimal filters, and a casual tone lowered the entry barrier. The app invites participation rather than performance, which appeals to many users who want a low-friction experience.
• Competition and adaptation are part of the lifecycle. BeReal popularity is dynamic, and ongoing success depends on balancing core principles with user expectations and new use cases.

BeReal’s popularity timeline shows a clear arc: a founding vision in 2020, a quiet but persistent growth phase, a transformative surge in 2022, and a sustained but maturing presence through 2023 and beyond. The core idea—sharing real moments in real time with a close circle—continues to attract people seeking a more grounded social experience. While the sharp ascent of BeReal’s early hype may settle into a steadier pace, the app’s influence persists. It reminded the social world that authenticity can be a powerful differentiator in a market crowded with highly polished feeds. If you’re exploring why BeReal became popular, the answer lies in a combination of timing, design choices, and a cultural shift toward valuing ordinary moments as worthy of sharing. For many users, BeReal remains a reliable way to stay connected in a world that often rewards polish over presence, making BeReal popularity a meaningful, enduring chapter in social media history.