One of the largest video-sharing app TikTok’s fate was quite short-lived in India after the government decided to ban it. It was among the 59 Chinese mobile applications that were banned by the government in June 2020. It affected a large number of people from all strata’s were registered on the application and were enjoying fame with the help of their videos.
Well, not to worry as there are plenty of apps like TikTok that follow the same concept and are fun to use.
Understanding The TikTok App
The TikTok mobile app is a platform that allows the users to record short videos with their favorite songs playing in the background, live stream videos, and share the recorded videos on social media. While the teenagers were making videos and adding background music to them separately, Alex Zhu understood what they exactly wanted and created the TikTok app.
Take a look at some important stats of the app:
- The maximum number of users of Tik Tok are aged between 16-24, 41 percent of the users belong to this age group.
- It has proved to be one of the most valuable start-ups that have almost 500 million users every month.
- The average time spent by a user daily on the app is 52 minutes.
- Tik Tok generates revenue of USD 3.5 million per month.
- The in-app purchases help the app earn $3.5 million in a month.
Features that Make Such an App Outstanding
The videos made on a video-sharing app like TikTok do not only allow its users to watch and like the content of other users but also allows them to re-share. Several distinct features make such apps outshine others. Take a look at the additional features available in apps like Tik Tok:
Editing a video:
As one of the most used features of Snapchat, TikTok also offers engaging AR effects to the users, letting them change their eye colors and putting effects in videos. Users can also use stickers and animations from the many options available.
Uploading a video:
While the users make their videos on these video-sharing apps, they can simultaneously post them for their followers from their accounts. With a base of millions of people using the app, one can have many followers. The videos can be edited and cropped on the platform for better effect.
Live streaming:
There is something known as TikTok coins, which the fans earn through the app and can spend on giving virtual gifts to their favorite Tik Tockers. The users can do a live stream on the application just like it is done on Facebook and can receive virtual gifts for the same.
QR code scanner:
Each user has a unique QR code scanner, which allows the users to subscribe to each other’s accounts.
Social sharing:
Social media is a major deal for those who made videos on TikTok. While their followers are watching them on the app, there is a wider audience that helps in more reach on other social media platforms as well. Therefore, social sharing helps them get more likes on their videos.
Add soundtracks:
Tik Tok has a song library, from which the users can select the songs of their choice and use the song in the background of their short videos.
Option for conducting a duet:
What can be better than doing a duet with a user virtually? You can meet people who have similar talents, and ask them to join them for a duet.
Geolocation:
The option of geolocation helps the users identify the nearby users of the app who are running a live blog broadcasting.
Top 10 video sharing apps that can be considered in place of TikTok
Are you an ardent fan of Tik Tok, but cannot use it for any reason? Well, not to worry as there are plenty of other apps that follow the same concept and are fun to use. Take a look at the top 10 apps that can be considered an option, if you don’t want to be on Tik Tok.
It is the latest Indian app to join the bandwagon of video-creating and sharing apps. This app is free of cost for Android users. A look at its features:
- It shares similarities with Tik Tok when it comes to the interface.
- The app allows users to show their talent in numerous ways in these 15-second video clips.
- One can choose from the music available in the library of the application.
- Users can browse through the videos posted by other users on the mobile app.
- It gives the users access to the top and trending videos on the platform.
- The application is rich in filters, offering more than one expects from a video-sharing app.
- One can easily share the masterpieces created by them on several social networking sites, with the share button that is integrated into the application.
- Users can lip-sync their videos with any dialogues or music available.
Compatible with both iOS and Android, the app is free for purchase on the app store. This app is quite old and has over a hundred million installs. This is another app that has formed a community of people making lip-sync videos and post them on the platform. Let’s look at some features of the app:
- Thousands of different sounds can be used by a user in their videos for the background score.
- Movie and TV quotes are also available in the music library of the app.
- Fresh material and content are always available for the users for an enhanced experience.
- The videos can be made more fascinating with the stickers and text overlays that one can use on his videos.
- It has two segments – one which enables the users to follow the celebrities and the other where the users can keep a track of the latest videos posted by the people they know, which can be anyone from their friends, family to acquaintances.
- The app also has an inbuilt sharing option, that allows the users to share their videos directly on any other social networking platform.
One can not only make lip sync videos with the app but use the app for several cool things like creating slideshows, vlogs, movies, etc. The app is free for purchase on both iOS and Android. Let’s look at some interesting features of this application:
- Apart from letting its users make lip-syncing videos, the video show app lets the users do vlogging and make fashion and humorous videos.
- The videos made on the app are of HD quality and can be exported to the device of the user without the loss of its quality.
- The inbuilt editing functions give the user access to the photo editor, wherein he can get rid of all the mistakes that occurred while making the video content.
- It offers a music library with hundreds of licensed music of various languages and genres.
- One can get addicted to this app as it offers special lenses for the users to make and publish their original video clip, without having to edit it.
- Once a user updates the app to VIP, he will not have to view any ads and the watermark will also get removed from their videos.
Offering in-app purchases, this one is again free for installation and is compatible with both iOS and Android. This has its own set of unique features including the following:
- One can change the style of making videos such as a slow-motion video, compilation of a plethora of videos in a single clip, loop videos, and more.
- The app has a huge music library, which ranges from the latest songs to all-time popular songs.
- There are more than 20 effects are available for the users to choose from.
- Content can be made hilarious with the use of any sticker/stickers from the ones available on the application.
- A user can collaborate with his friends to make a virtual video featuring them together.
- Apart from this, one will have to make in-app purchases to make their content exceptional, with the help of the additional features available.
Another one of the free video-sharing applications, triller can be purchased without having to pay a single penny and is available on both Android and iOS users. The advanced features of the application can be purchased at a later stage. This app has been used by the likes of Selena Gomez and Kevin Hart for editing their videos. Take a look at some features of this mobile video sharing and editing app:
- It has an auto-editing algorithm that requires the users to simply upload their video and sit back relaxed, as it will edit the video on its own.
- It consists of various video editing tools such as trimming, cropping, using filters, and even writing text on the videos.
- It has a special feature that allows users to collaborate with their friends while making videos.
- One can share the videos made and edited by them on their social networking pages.
- The videos created on the platform can also be directly saved to the users’ camera roll.
This one lacks the networking option as it is one application for making charming videos and editing them.
Free for purchase in Android and iOS, MuStar offers several features that are free of cost, while some additional tools can be purchased while using the app. Take a look at how the app allows its users to create and share content:
- MuStar is the best option for those who want to create lip-syncing videos along with musical battles.
- It outshines the others when it comes to the musical collection, as it has a huge database of music and movie dialogues.
- One does not have to register on the app and can start making videos soon after its installation.
- New video effects are constantly added to the app for the users to see something new each time they open the app.
- Sharing is easy on the app as it has an integrated sharing option that allows users to share them on WhatsApp, Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, and others.
Another alternative for Tik Tok and almost identical to the Chinese app, Cheez also enables the users to make attractive and funny videos on both iOS and Android. It is already being used by several people and has a good reach. One can be a part of this community and make videos along with doing vlogging. Take a look at the special features of the app:
- Users can record videos of themselves and also make vlogs with the help of this app.
- One can share the videos directly on some of the major social media platforms like Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, etc. as the share option is integrated into the app itself.
- The app is quite engaging for the users as it holds several contests involving the participation of the users.
- Users can create distinct and attractive profiles for themselves.
- One can enter a video battle with their contemporaries on this platform and showcase their talent.
- It has an in-app game of dance-off battles.
Available for both iOS and Android, is completely free of cost and has features like Tik Tok. It has a large fan base across the globe who have installed the app on their devices and love to use it for creating attractive videos. Take a look at some interesting features of the app:
- Enables users to make homemade videos for up to 30 seconds.
- It consists of a special feature that enables the users to shoot and view the video content vertically and horizontally at the same time.
- Like Tik Tok, this app allows the users to insert music from its music library into their videos and put a self-timer to it. The speed of their videos can also be adjusted according to their preferences.
- People who have installed the app on their phones can communicate with their friends or other users through messages.
- The Firework community can easily share the homemade videos with their friends and acquaintances directly on any social media platform as the share button is integrated within the application.
This video community is for both iOS and Android users and has got everything that the Tik Tok app has. Take a look at its interesting features that make it one of the top 10 video makings and sharing apps:
- It is a 6 seconds video looping app.
- It is equipped with a sharing tab enabling the users to post their videos directly on several social networking platforms for more popularity and wider reach.
- Videos can be shot on the app or can be accessed from the gallery of the users’ devices.
- Like most other video-sharing apps, this one allows users to create their profiles and have a personalized feed.
Steps to develop an App like TikTok
We are now going to share some of the best tips for those who are planning to develop an app like TikTok. Keep reading to know the steps:
1- Conduct research on the audience (users) you are willing to target:
List down the details of the user’s persona and create something that will attract them. The following two should be considered while doing this:
- Research the user’s demographic profile.
- Study the behavioral trends of the users.
2- Select a monetization model:
Once you can choose the kind of users you are going to target, you must then select a business model for monetization from the app. We are sharing some monetization models below:
- In-app purchases
- Fundraising
- Advertisements
3- Work closely with the app development team:
The third phase of app development is getting the team of developers on board and working closely with them. The following activities should be conducted in this step:
- Defining the scope of the application.
- Developing a workflow for the development of the app.
- Listing down the features that you want to include in the app.
- The last step is to design the concept of the app.
4- It is always recommended to launch your product as an MVP (Minimum Viable Product) initially and take it further step by step.
Wrapping up
Social video apps have become a huge trend in all countries and among people from rural areas to popular celebrities. It has helped many mobile app developers earn huge amounts of profits because of the technology it has to offer. Since TikTok has always been in a win-win position, several other apps are doing equally well and have been rated well by the users on the app stores. These apps are the best alternatives for TikTok and should be tried instead.
Rahul Mathur
Rahul Mathur is the founder and managing director of ARKA Softwares, a company renowned for its outstanding mobile app development and web development solutions. Delivering high-end modern solutions all over the globe, Rahul takes pleasure in sharing his experiences and views on the latest technological trends.