X

Facebook says Instagram Stories now more popular than Snapchat

The social networking service's photo app, purchased for $1 billion five years ago, has slowly been adding Snapchat-like features. And Facebook says it's working.

Ian Sherr Contributor and Former Editor at Large / News
Ian Sherr (he/him/his) grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, so he's always had a connection to the tech world. As an editor at large at CNET, he wrote about Apple, Microsoft, VR, video games and internet troubles. Aside from writing, he tinkers with tech at home, is a longtime fencer -- the kind with swords -- and began woodworking during the pandemic.
Ian Sherr
instagram-selfie-sticker.png
Enlarge Image
instagram-selfie-sticker.png

It's more than just another selfie.

Instagram

Facebook's been busy integrating features made popular by Snapchat into its Instagram photo sharing app, and now it says those efforts are paying off.

The social networking giant said it counted more than 200 million people using Instagram Stories, a feature where people can publish a series of photos and videos that disappear after 24 hours. That's more than the 158 million users Snapchat counted across its entire app at the end of last year. Snapchat didn't respond to a request for comment about the numbers.

Facebook continues to borrow ideas from Snapchat and other apps, adding new features like location-based digital stickers you can put on your posts (think a sticker celebrating you're in Chicago) and even the ability to create a mashup of multiple selfies.

Facebook bought Instagram for $1 billion five years ago.