Can Instagram Beat Snapchat at Its Own Game with This New App?

Instagram just released a new app that combines disappearing photos, like Snapchat, with no-filter photos, like BeReal.

Are you thinking "did we just time travel to 2022"? Because that's what went through my mind...

No. We did not.

Instants launched two weeks ago as both a feature inside the Instagram app and a standalone camera app. Open the app, take a quick photo, send it to close friends or mutual followers, and the photo disappears after it's viewed or after 24 hours.

But... Does anyone care about disappearing filterless photos in 2026? There's an easy way to answer that question, and it's with downloads, so let's take a look at the numbers.

Well, yes. I think, at least.

According to Appfigures Intelligence, Instants had 4M downloads from May 13 through May 31 across the App Store and Google Play.

The main Instagram app did not need to move much after launch, but that's to be expected. Instants is more likely a way to capture new users and not engage existing ones.

That's what makes the launch interesting. Instants did not need to prove Snapchat users are leaving Snapchat, and the data does not show that. It proved something simpler: Instagram can still take an old social behavior and put it in front of millions of people very quickly.

That is also why Snapchat is not a clean side-by-side comparison. Snapchat created the disappearing-photo category more than a decade ago and spent all that time turning it into a daily camera habit. Instants is starting with Instagram's distribution, not with that habit.

So, yes, people still want this kind of app in 2026. But the chart also shows the harder part: Instagram can create the launch. Becoming Snapchat is a much longer job.

It Isn't Really a U.S. Play

Instagram has spent years building growth outside the U.S., and Instants shows how useful that distribution has become.

Although the U.S. was Instants' biggest market since launch, Brazil and India were right behind it with 679K and 657K downloads respectively, according to our estimates. Combined, Brazil and India were larger than the U.S.

Snapchat has that global demand too, just with a different mix. India alone generated about as many Snapchat downloads as Instants got worldwide in the same period. Brazil was not nearly as big for Snapchat, though, so Meta has the upper hand there.

BeReal showed there was demand for lower-pressure, no-filter photo sharing back in 2022. It had 66M downloads that year, according to Appfigures Intelligence, but slowed to 8M downloads in 2025. It is still around, but it is not a real competitor anymore, so I'm skipping the country breakdown and can't say I understand why Instants needs this type of functionality.

Looking at the numbers, I expect Snapchat to increase its efforts in Brazil so Instagram doesn't become the go to disappearing photo app there.

Should Snapchat Worry?

Thinking about Snapchat... should it be worried about this? The concept is far from new and Instants doesn't really offer anything unique.

My take - Not really, but maybe. They should definitely pay attention.

Snapchat's mobile business has amazing momentum right now. Our estimates show that Snapchat earned $224M after store fees in Q1 2026, up 100% from Q1 2025 and more than any prior three-month stretch in the 2025-2026 data I pulled.

Double!

April added another $76M, giving Snapchat about $300M from January through April.

What's more important is that revenue has been growing consistently for a while now, even as downloads have become harder to get.

Does Anyone Want Instants in 2026?

So back to my original question- does anyone need Instants?

Yes, but...

Instants launched to lots of downloads, which is great, but also expected given it's an Instagram app. And downloads sloped down pretty quickly after, suggesting it's not a new teen sensation.

I don't expect that to change, but I expect Meta to push hard for enough time that it will become an option for those looking for a Snapchat that isn't Snapchat, and given enough time, Instants will find a unique feature that will set it apart.

Until then, I expect a slow burn, much like Threads looked when Elon was quiet.

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All figures included in this report are estimated. Unless specified otherwise, estimated revenue is always net, meaning it's the amount the developer earned after Apple and Google took their fee.