What BeReal. does

BeReal. is a Paris-based mobile social networking company founded in 2019 and operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Voodoo since June 2024. Its flagship product, the BeReal app, serves 40+ million monthly active users globally across the U.S., France, and Japan, and is built around a once-daily, randomly-timed two-minute notification window during which users capture and share an unfiltered, unedited photo taken simultaneously with the device's front and back cameras. The product architecture is a Golang-backed iOS/Android platform that explicitly rejects filters, likes, follower counts, and algorithmic ranking, and bans AI/bot accounts as a core brand promise. The company monetizes primarily through a native advertising platform (Targeted In-Feed Ads, Full Day Takeovers, First Impressions Takeovers, Boosted Posts, Cost Per Click campaigns) launched in the U.S. in April 2025 with 400+ advertisers, and secondarily through low-ARPU in-app consumable purchases (Streaks) and unlaunched premium features. The go-to-market combines a product-led, word-of-mouth consumer acquisition motion with a dedicated enterprise field-sales team in the U.S. and an inside-sales team in Japan, complemented by a 300+ member Creator Program and an in-house BeReal Creative Studio. BeReal is led by CEO Aymeric Roffé (formerly CEO of Voodoo-owned Wizz) following the founder Alexis Barreyat's transition out post-acquisition.

Name

BeReal.

Legal name

BeReal SAS

Website

https://bereal.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Acquired

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

BeReal. is a Paris-based mobile social network with 40+ million monthly active users that shares unfiltered dual-camera photos during a daily random two-minute notification window, monetized through native advertising and in-app purchases, and operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Voodoo since June 2024.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Networking

NAICS

Software Publishers (5132)

SIC

Services-Advertising (7310)

akta.pro primary industry

Creator Tools & Production (Overlays, Alerts, Encoding, Editing, Audio) (MPAFAEAC)

Keywords

• Social networking app
• Photo sharing platform
• Mobile social media
• Authentic social network
• Native advertising platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Native In-Feed & Takeover Advertising: Primary monetization stream launched in 2025 in the US, with additional formats including Targeted In-Feed Ads, High-Impact Takeovers (Full Day Takeover, First Impressions Takeover), Boosted Posts, and Cost Per Click campaigns. Sold to 400+ advertisers.
2. In-App Purchases (Streaks): Consumable virtual items sold via Apple App Store and Google Play Store that restore a single expired daily Streak. Transactions processed by third-party platforms; non-refundable once applied.
3. Premium Features: Reference to premium features as part of monetization efforts, alongside advertising. Specific tiering and pricing not publicly disclosed.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Core offering

BeReal is a mobile social networking app where users receive a single daily push notification at a random time and have a two-minute window to share an unfiltered, unedited photo taken simultaneously with the device's front and back cameras. The core product is free to consumers and monetized primarily through a native advertising platform (BeReal Ads), in-app purchases (Streaks), and supporting modules including BeReal Creative Studio, the BeReal Creator Program, and BeReal Verification for brands and public figures.

Product overview

BeReal is a single-product mobile social network built around its flagship BeReal app, which is then extended by an integrated advertising platform (BeReal Ads) with multiple ad formats, an in-house BeReal Creative Studio for native ad production, a BeReal Creator Program for content creator partnerships, and a BeReal Verification module for brands and public figures. The core app, the ad platform, and the supporting modules share the same dual front-and-back camera format and the no-filter, finite-feed, anti-AI/algorithm positioning that defines the product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• BeReal Mobile App Flagship free mobile social networking app for consumers: once per day, at a random time, all users receive a push notification and have a two-minute window to capture and share an unfiltered, unedited photo taken simultaneously with the device's front and back cameras. No filters, no likes, no follower counts; feeds are finite and disappear after 24 hours (unless saved to Memories). Built for iOS and Android and used by 40+ million MAU globally.
• BeReal Ads Native advertising platform built on BeReal's dual front/back camera format, offered to brand advertisers. Includes Awareness formats (Full Day Takeover, First Impressions Takeover, Share of Voice) and Consideration formats (Boosted Posts, Cost Per Click campaigns, Creator collaborations), with the proprietary Dual Take ad format, brand-lift measurement, and creative guidelines. Sold via direct sales to 400+ advertisers.

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

AI capability5 records

Feature7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Snap Inc. Snapchat operates a social media platform with ephemeral photo/video sharing, advertising monetization, and strong Gen Z demographic overlap with BeReal. Both platforms emphasize authentic, in-the-moment content and sell advertising to brands seeking younger audiences.
• TikTok: TikTok is a short-form video social media platform with sophisticated advertising monetization and Gen Z focus. BeReal hired Ben Moore from TikTok to lead its U.S. ad platform, and both platforms compete for brand advertising budgets targeting younger demographics.
• Wizz: Wizz is a social networking app owned by Voodoo (BeReal's parent company), making it a direct portfolio peer. Both apps target younger users with social networking features, and Aymeric Roffé (BeReal's current CEO) previously led Wizz.
• Yubo: Yubo is a French social networking app focused on Gen Z users with live streaming and social discovery features. Both BeReal and Yubo are French-founded social platforms targeting younger users, though Yubo emphasizes live video while BeReal focuses on photo sharing.

Broad incumbents

• Instagram (Meta): Instagram is the dominant photo-sharing social media platform with massive scale, sophisticated advertising, and recent 'authenticity' features (Candid Stories) that directly compete with BeReal's positioning. Meta's resources and user base make it a significant competitive threat.
• Discord: Discord is a communication platform popular with Gen Z for community building and real-time interaction. While focused on messaging/voice rather than photo sharing, both platforms serve the same demographic seeking authentic, unfiltered social interaction outside mainstream social media.

Emerging players

• Threads (Meta): Threads is Meta's text and photo social media platform launched in 2023, competing for the same user attention and advertiser budgets as BeReal. While focused on text-based conversation, it represents Meta's broader push into alternative social formats.
• VSCO: VSCO is a photo-editing and social platform popular with Gen Z creators, offering photo sharing and creative tools. While more focused on editing/creativity than BeReal's raw authenticity, both platforms serve photo-focused social media use cases for younger demographics.
• Poparazzi: Poparazzi is a social photo-sharing app where friends post photos of each other rather than selfies, similar to BeReal's anti-selfie, authenticity-focused positioning. Both apps emerged as alternatives to Instagram's curated aesthetic, though Poparazzi has struggled to maintain traction.
• Locket Widget: Locket Widget is a photo-sharing widget app that lets users send photos directly to friends' home screens, emphasizing real-time, authentic sharing. Like BeReal, it positioned itself as an alternative to curated social media, though focused on intimate friend networks rather than broader social discovery.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/bereal_app
• Facebookfacebook.com/BeRealApp
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bereal-app

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors9 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about BeReal.