Home » News » 9 TikTok Alternatives: Is It Time To Jump Ship? 9 TikTok Alternatives: Is It Time To Jump Ship? We may receive a commission from our partners if you click on a link and purchase a product or service on their website. Learn more Written by Emma Ryan Published on January 15, 2025 Sign up to our weekly newsletter Your expert advice is here! Grow your website with help from our FREE, weekly newsletter – sign up today! SUBSCRIBE Comments: 0 On this page 1. Instagram Reels 2. YouTube Shorts 3. Snapchat Spotlight 4. RedNote 5. Triller 6. Lemon8 7. Likee 8. Fanbase 9. Fable What's Next for TikTok? Unless the Supreme Court decides to intervene, TikTok must either sell its US business or face a nationwide ban on January 19. And the clock is ticking.Many of TikTok’s 170 million US users are already seeking alternatives to TikTok ahead of the shutdown, but can the short-form video app really be replaced? For many businesses, TikTok is an essential channel to engage with customers, build brand awareness, and boost sales – but, with the impending ban, the importance of diversifying your marketing and sales channels couldn’t be clearer.To help you prepare for the possible ban, I’ll walk you through some of the best TikTok alternatives below: 1. Instagram Reels Go to the top Source: Instagram✔️ Pros: Trending sounds, video recommendations, large audience, varied content style, familiar creators❌ Cons: Algorithm isn’t as personalized yetInstagram is an incredibly well-established social media platform with a large user base, and it’s likely you already use it in your personal or business life. Reels were first introduced in 2020 to compete with the popularity of TikTok, and its vertical video format feels very familiar. Plus, a good portion of creators already cross-post their content on TikTok and Instagram, so many TikTok users will feel right at home. 2. YouTube Shorts Go to the top Source: Website Builder Expert✔️ Pros: YouTube’s library of music, short and long-form videos, large user base❌ Cons: Repurposed contentIntroduced in 2020, YouTube Shorts became part of the YouTube ecosystem to compete with TikTok’s shorter style of content. It’s a great alternative to TikTok if you’d like to share both short and long-form videos, tap into YouTube’s extensive library of music and sounds, and connect with an engaged audience ready to watch content. However, with many creators trimming down longer videos and repurposing them for Shorts, your feed can end up feeling quite repetitive. 3. Snapchat Spotlight Go to the top Source: Website Builder Expert✔️ Pros: Trending content, songs❌ Cons: Limited demographic; mostly young usersSnapchat Spotlight skews young, trendy, and fun – it’s ideal if you’re looking solely for entertainment, instead of the more serious content, lifestyle tips, or product reviews you can find on TikTok. Of course, this won’t be a good replacement for many, especially considering TikTok’s broad age range of users, but I recommend checking it out if your business targets a younger audience. And, if you’re into TikTok trends, Snapchat Spotlight can help you keep your finger on the pulse. Get free credit for Snapchat Ads Snapchat can help you grow your business. Discover our limited-time offer: when you spend $350, you get $375 back. Visit Snapchat 4. RedNote Go to the top Source: RedNote✔️ Pros: Social shopping, live streams, familiar content❌ Cons: May run into similar issues as TikTokA recent surge in app downloads has made RedNote one of the most popular TikTok alternatives in 2025. The app, which is already a dominant TikTok competitor in China, combines the features of TikTok and Instagram. However, its longevity might be cut short due to its Chinese ownership – it could end up facing a similar ban to TikTok, especially as new joiners continue to flock to the app. 5. Triller Go to the top Source: Triller✔️ Pros: Focus on music and dance content, migrate TikTok content, ex-TikTok employees❌ Cons: Smaller audience, less varied contentTriller is another great alternative to TikTok. Its focus is on music and dance content, which feels like we’re going back to TikTok’s roots. Plus, Triller is making the transition over to its app easy by offering a website to help you migrate your existing TikTok content over to Triller. And, on top of that, Triller’s one to watch going forward! The company has hired an ex-TikTok executive to act as its CEO, so it’s likely we’ll see more similarities between the two as time goes on. 6. Lemon8 Go to the top Source: Lemon8✔️ Pros: Familiar video feeds, creative filters/effects, share photo slideshows, connect your TikTok account❌ Cons: May run into similar issues as TikTokSwitching to Lemon8 from TikTok could feel more natural than other alternatives since the two are owned by the same parent company, ByteDance. The platform resembles TikTok, Instagram, and Pinterest, with a real emphasis on visuals and lifestyle content. You can also sign up for Lemon8 using your TikTok account, showing Lemon8’s enthusiasm to poach fleeing TikTok users. However, Lemon8’s ownership could cause issues down the line under the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act (the same bill that’s threatening TikTok). 7. Likee Go to the top Source: Likee✔️ Pros: Creative filters, content editing, live streaming, large music library, creator monetization features❌ Cons: Smaller audienceLikee is a pretty good replica of TikTok’s platform, focusing on short-form content, live streaming, and championing creators. Currently, the app is used by millions of people around the world, but its reach doesn’t quite match that of TikTok so I’d recommend pairing its use with larger social platforms, like Instagram. That said, if you’re a creator, the similarities between the two, especially when it comes to monetization of content, make it a great alternative. 8. Fanbase Go to the top Source: Fanbase✔️ Pros: Subscription model, champions Black creators, varied content style, “Flickz” feed for content recommendations, ad-free❌ Cons: Users pay for exclusive content from businessesFanbase was built to provide Black creators with the recognition and promotion they deserve online. The app appears to be a hybrid of other existing social media channels, like Instagram and TikTok, but there’s one key difference. Fanbase is free to use, but it also adopts a subscription model which means you don’t need to worry about ads on your content or disruptive algorithm changes. 9. Fable Go to the top Source: Fable✔️ Pros: Community features, great for BookTok creators, social tools❌ Cons: No video content, niche audienceThe absence of TikTok in the US could have a real impact on the book publishing industry and independent bookstores, as well as BookTok (TikTok’s reading community). There are plenty of reading apps, but Fable is targeting the BookTok creators with its social tools and the ability to engage with other readers through book clubs. Unfortunately, Fable’s niche audience means it’s not a suitable TikTok alternative for every user – plus, it lacks TikTok’s primary feature: video content. What's Next for TikTok? Go to the top We’re still not certain about what lies in store for TikTok, with rumors of Trump saving the platform or Musk purchasing the app floating around ahead of the deadline. As of today, even YouTuber MrBeast has jumped on the bandwagon and is trying to unite billionaires to fund the purchase of TikTok.That said, the TikTok ban hasn’t come into effect yet. Still, it’s smart to consider your alternatives before it’s too late – especially if you want to save your existing TikTok content somewhere. Related Articles TikTok’s US Ban: An Up-to-Date Timeline About the App’s Fate Date: Jan 29, 2025 TikTok Ban Delayed Until April: Is There Still Hope for the App? Date: Jan 22, 2025 I’ll Explain RedNote: Is The Chinese App Suitable For Your Business? Date: Jan 21, 2025 Supreme Court Upholds US TikTok Ban: What Happens Now? Date: Jan 17, 2025 Written by: Emma Ryan Writer Emma is Lead Writer at Website Builder Expert, having first joined the team in 2022. She manages the website's topical content strategy to help website owners navigate the highs and lows of being online. Emma also specializes in following the development of leading website builders Wix, Squarespace, and Shopify, through hands-on testing and research. Her work and expertise have been featured in Startups.co.uk, Digiday, TechRound, Industry Today, and Digital Information World. Leave a comment Cancel replyYour email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *Comment*First name:*Email address:* Δ