Social media is undergoing a major shift these days. Users are demanding something more real and spontaneous after a long period of filters, edits, and perfectly timed posts. The fact that people are looking for authenticity has been one of the reasons TikTok Now and BeReal have become popular. These platforms are redefining the existing social norms by allowing users to show the unfiltered moments of their lives. Rather than chasing likes on TikTok or perfection, these applications are centered around real-time experiences and capturing life exactly as it happens.
While both TikTok Now and BeReal promote the idea of being “real,” their influence on digital culture is anything but identical. Each platform reshapes how users interact, express themselves, and define authenticity in a highly modified online world. In this blog, we’ll explore everything you need to know about TikTok Now vs. BeReal to uncover which platform is making the bigger impact and why it matters. Let’s begin!
TikTok Now is a time-based social feature introduced by TikTok in September 2022. It encourages users to post their daily unfiltered moments at a random time by sharing a daily post. Once the “Time to Now” notification appears in the app, users are given a very limited time to take and submit what they are doing. It has to be a quick picture or a 10-second video captured using both their front and back cameras.
In contrast to the polished and well-planned postings that predominate standard social media feeds, the goal is to produce a more natural, real-life moment of everyday life. This feature was initially created to resemble the viral format made popular by BeReal, but it incorporates privacy and sharing options through TikTok's ecosystem and permits both photo and video sharing.
In 2025, a law in the United States that aimed at TikTok's Chinese ownership led to the app's discontinuation in the U.S. This was because its parent firm, ByteDance, which owns TikTok, had been unable to finish a government-approved sale of its American operations by the deadline imposed by the law. As a result, the TikTok Now feature was no longer available to U.S. users and had been taken off the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, becoming inaccessible for a short time.
TikTok tried to recover the service and made arrangements that would enable it to comply with the law, which could mean the app's return in some form. Therefore, the absence is not necessarily permanent, but it depends on the ongoing regulatory and ownership developments.
BeReal is an app that encourages users to be authentic rather than presenting in elaborate, pre-planned moves. It was introduced in 2020, but it gained enormous popularity in the middle of 2022 and now has over 40 million active users. BeReal operates in a fairly straightforward everyday manner. The app notifies all users to snap a picture of themselves and their surroundings at a random, undetermined time.
By utilizing both the front and back cameras, the application makes sure that the creator and their surroundings are recorded. Both filters and follower numbers are absent in that app. My Friends and Discovery are two different feeds that can be used to see the content. However, you must upload your own photo in order to view either of these feeds.
Both TikTok Now and BeReal have almost the same functionalities and idea of creation, but for your better understanding, we have made a detailed comparison between the two platforms:
TikTok Now and BeReal both promote authenticity, but with different priorities. BeReal emphasizes authenticity over engagement, limiting users to one unedited post per day with minimal interaction to reduce performative behavior. TikTok Now, while inspired by BeReal, blends authenticity with social engagement by allowing reactions, comments, and integration into TikTok’s social ecosystem.
Both apps encourage spontaneous, real-time sharing through notifications, but BeReal is strictly notification-driven, reinforcing unplanned moments. TikTok Now combines this with an algorithm-influenced approach, where visibility and interaction still matter.
Posting format: BeReal allows one post per day using dual cameras (front and back) for a photo, with limited video introduced later. TikTok Now supports photos and short videos, also using dual cameras, but feels more flexible and aligned with TikTok’s video-first culture.
Timing and Limits: BeReal sends one random daily notification, giving users a very limited time to post; late posts are marked. TikTok Now also employs daily notifications but the user is allowed a more relaxed time with fewer penalties.
Visibility and Interaction: BeReal content can only be seen by friends, and the only types of interactions are simple reactions and comments. TikTok Now provides wider visibility along with likes, comments, and emoji reactions as well.
Replay and Posting limits: BeReal posts are highly limited and that discourages replays, whereas TikTok Now promotes more engagement and replayability by giving its users the option to interact socially.
TikTok Now and BeReal are different applications, and they each offer unique experiences to their users with diverse intents. Considered a clutter-free yet user-friendly app, especially for novices, BeReal's minimalistic approach with daily notification and publishing flow makes it a little crowded but still more recognizable than its competitor. TikTok Now, on the other hand, has an interface that is slightly busier as it provides more interactions and options, but at the same time, it seems more feature-rich and familiar.
In terms of user experience, BeReal's limited feature set and focused notification system offer a bump-free daily routine with hardly any learning involved. TikTok Now notification is wrapped around a bigger social experience, providing more interaction avenues, but the user has to dig in more to get the full understanding of it.
Both TikTok Now and BeReal have different privacy policies. BeReal allows users to post images privately by default and give others access to view them in case they don't use the public Discovery feed. It is necessary to manage audience settings properly as TikTok Now often defaults to sharing publicly, which is more than the permitted audience.
Talking about data, BeReal collects usage, location, and basic account info; location is shown on the post unless it is turned off. On the other hand, TikTok Now collects more behavioral and personal data for recommendation and advertisement purposes, therefore, location is not shown immediately on the post.
Now that you’ve got an in-depth idea from the above comparison, let's have a look at the pros and cons of TikTok Now and BeReal for better transparency and smooth flow:
Let's you instantly send photos and short videos both publicly and to your friends
Gives you all the features like TikTok likes, comments, and emoji reactions
TikTok is integrated and has more chances of getting noticed and engaged.
You are exposed publicly unless you manage your privacy settings carefully.
Due to the extra features, it can be annoying or overwhelming at times.
The data collection is really huge and includes behavioral tracking for recommendations.
Through encouragement of sharing, the users feel less pressured and are more relaxed.
The simplicity of the interface allows anyone to use it with ease.
In the case of sharing that is mainly private, the content is accessible only to friends unless you decide otherwise.
Very restricted posting, only one post a day is allowed.
Just a little social interaction, which might seem less engaging.
Location sharing is on by default, which may lead to oversharing if the feature is not turned off.
Now, that is quite a tricky question, but it totally depends on how the user perceives it. If you want a laid-back app that is easy to use and only allows you to share genuine moments without edits with your close friends, then BeReal is the option that works best for you. The app provides a single daily prompt, discourages social interactions, and ensures privacy through easy controls so you can share your moments without the fear of being seen.
On the other hand, if you like being socially active and have a bigger audience, then TikTok Now would be a better fit for you. The app supports posting of photos and short videos, and allows interaction through reactions and comments, while its algorithm connects with TikTok to help one gain a larger audience, leading to the possibility of getting TikTok followers.
To put it simply, TikTok Now and BeReal offer certain perks to their audience. Both have similarities and are interlinked with each other to some extent. BeReal focuses on simplicity, privacy, and sharing genuine moments with friends, making it ideal for users seeking low-pressure, real-life interaction. TikTok Now combines spontaneity with social engagement, offering photos, short videos, and wider visibility through TikTok’s ecosystem, perfect for those who enjoy interaction, reach, and creative expression. At the end, it totally depends on how the user perceives it.
Inez Nevaeh
Inez Nevaeh is an author with a passion for social media growth. She specializes in creating engaging content and expert guides for social media success. Skilled in translating complex algorithms into actionable strategies, building striking online presences, and empowering creators to thrive. Inspired by a mission to make social growth accessible and easy.
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