Snapchat vs Instagram: Which One Excels & WHY?

Snapchat vs. Instagram is the most brutal battle among all social media platforms. Both platforms are popular among Generation Z and are rapidly expanding. Many companies and influencers are using these platforms to gain notoriety and cash. It is challenging to decide which platform to use.

We addressed your concern and decided to put an end to this conflict by demonstrating the differences between Snapchat and Instagram. We have also reviewed several resources to determine the final winner of this war by compiling data from multiple resources. 

With that, let’s find out who is the winner in the battle of Instagram vs Snapchat! 

Snapchat vs. Instagram: In a Nutshell

If you are in a hurry, look over the Nutshell below to get a quick comparison of Instagram and Snapchat.

InstagramSnapchat
Audience1.28 billion+ monthly active users.464.8 million monthly active users.
FiltersLess unique filters than Snapchat.Unique and animated filters.
AdsRobust ad manager with powerful targeting feed ads, stories ads, and boost posts.Robust ad manager with powerful targeting snap ads, geofilters, and lenses.
Content typeStories, images, videos, and reels are curated, high res, and polished.Stories and snapsRaw and unfiltered.
AnalyticsInstagram insights, free analytics tools.Snapchat insights paid analytics tools.
DiscoverabilityUser-generated content, public profile, and engagement.Info on profile, private snaps, and replies.
StoriesDisappear after 24 hours; no alerts on screenshots.Disappears after 24 hours, alerts any screenshot.

Difference Between Snapchat And Instagram.

If the above Nutshell left you with some queries, don’t worry. We will be covering each element of comparison between Instagram and Snapchat below! 

1. Audience

Instagram has a vast user base with 1.28 billion+ monthly active users. At the same time, Snapchat has a much smaller user base, with 464.8 million monthly active users. This may be because Instagram is comparatively an older platform than Snapchat. Therefore, we can clearly announce Instagram as the ultimate winner in terms of audience number.

2. Filters

Snapchat offers various filters to its users intact. The main feature of Snapchat is picture filters. But, Instagram is seemingly suggesting filters similar to Snapchat to its users. Still, the variety of filters available on Instagram is much less than that on Snapchat. So here we can announce Snapchat as the ultimate winner in our battle for better filters.

3. Ads

When it comes to ads, both Instagram and Snapchat have robust ad managers targeting feed posts, stories, and boost posts ads on Instagram and targeting geo-filters, snap ads, and lenses on Snapchat. 

According to the influencer marketing hub, charges for Instagram ads range between $2 per click, whereas on Snapchat, the average cost per impression is $2.95. Here, people with tight budgets should go for Instagram ads, and Instagram wins the race. However, other factors also come into play when it comes to advertisement, including your target audience, location, and more.

4. Content-Type

It is getting to the type of content on each platform. We all know Snapchat is mainly famous for its snaps and stories, whereas Instagram has ranged in the form of stories, images, text posts, videos, and reels. The content on Snapchat is raw and unfiltered. On the other hand, Instagram content is curated, polished and high res making it a better platform for businesses and influencers. Therefore, deciding a winner in the content-type parameter is difficult since both have their own preferences. 

5. Analytics

Instagram offers an Instagram insights feature to its audience to view their overall engagement on posts and their audience. Snapchat, on the other hand, provides Snapchat insights to only selected accounts of brands and influencers. 

Furthermore, free analytics tools are available in the marketplace for Instagram; however, this is not the case with Snapchat, where you have to purchase a paid tool to get Snapchat analytics. 

6. Discoverability

Turning to the Discoverability of Instagram offers the public profile option to its users resulting in a better reach and transparency across users, whereas Snapchat is a more private platform where very little information is shared on the accounts. 

The other content, including snaps, is shown to people added to your friend’s list. Here Instagram gets the win with greater discoverability than Snapchat.

7. Stories

Both Instagram and Snapchat stories disappear after 24 hours of uploading them. However, the significant difference between Instagram and Snapchat stories is the notification or alert sent to you if any of your Snapchat story’s screenshots are taken. 

However,  is not the case with Instagram, where you are not given any alerts for screenshots of stories. Again we see a win-win situation for Instagram over Snapchat.

Which Platform Should You Choose?

A straightaway answer to this question is Instagram. Instagram is indeed the best platform for influencers, marketers, and businesses. Instagram accounts are accessible considering the number of active users and their reach.

If you wish to grow your Snapchat account, you can choose the “My Public Profile” feature to increase your account’s outreach. According to DemandSage, Snapchat’s active users are growing dramatically where the active user count of Snapchat by 2021 was 428.4 million, and now is 464.8 million active users in 2022.

Google Trends Data

Regarding Instagram, the monthly active user went from 1.21 billion in 2021 to 1.28 billion+ in 2022. This is enough to realize the growing love for Instagram among the public. 

Country Wise Searches

We decided to look over the Google trends to find the search interest of people. We are shocked to see how Instagram is all over the search list of Google compared to Snapchat.

The blue line in the graph represents Snapchat, and the red represents Instagram. The rise of the red line indicates the worldwide popularity of Instagram over Snapchat.

Source: Google trends

We can say Instagram is the best, and choosing it over Snapchat is a good idea.

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Wrapping Up!

Lastly, the preceding article provided a deep comparison of Instagram vs. Snapchat. Still, we recommend Instagram because of its more extensive user base and superior tools for influencers and marketers to make things easier for you. However, if you want a more private social networking experience with a fun image filter, Snapchat is the way to go.

Following what others think to be the greatest is a tremendous error. Snapchat and Instagram are regarded as similar social media sites but have distinct characteristics; thus, knowing your demands and selecting the one is essential.

We hope the information in this article has helped you decide between Instagram and Snapchat. Let us know what you think is the best option between Snapchat and Instagram in the comments below.

FAQs

Is Snapchat the safest social media?

Youtube is the safest social media app with the least toxicity rate of 5.38.

What age groups use Snapchat the most?

According to a survey, Snapchat is used by people ages 15-25 in the USA with 48% of audience contribution, followed by the people ages 26-35 with 30% contribution.

Who uses Instagram the most?

Instagram is used mainly by people ages 25-34. Females are more active on Instagram compared to males.

Which is the best platform for influencers between Snapchat and Instagram?

Clearly, Instagram is a leading platform if you want to build your audience and thrive with the influencer culture. With all the options and possibilities, Instagram should be your ideal focus initially. 

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