New gen Z apps

Apps dedicated to gen Z’s connection and interaction online have gained popularity and raised millions in funding this year, making way for new platforms curated to meet gen Z’s needs for authenticity, independence, wellness and connection. We’ve rounded up the newest apps to know that are attracting gen Z.

Social

BeReal is the “anti-Instagram app” that gen Z is flocking to for its authenticity and spontaneity. The social-media app offers no photo filters or curated posts to scroll through for hours on end. Instead, users are alerted to post a photo of their day at a random time every 24 hours, and they have a limited amount of time to scroll through friend’s posts before the app resets its feed for the next day. The app’s creators aim to manifest a space for more genuine connection where friends can share their true everyday lives without the influence of more curated posts.

Dating

Snack is a dating app popular with younger daters, self-deemed the “TikTok meets Tinder” app. Users can choose to connect with potential matches after viewing quick, bite-sized video clips posted on the app. Snack embraces younger users' attention in a quick and simple set up, where swiping is “out” and chatting is “in.”

Investing

Bloom is a finance app for teens to learn about and begin investing smarter and sooner. Featuring lessons, modules, and protective safeguards, the app aims to better prepare teens to invest starting at age 13. Started by 3 Asian Americans in their early 20s, the app received $3.3 million in funding in April.

Mental wellness

In May, the audio peer-support mental health app Chill Pill launched in app stores. The supportive online community for female-identifying, non-binary and gender fluid teenagers and young adults offers peer support groups and a safe space to share their own personal experiences “built by our community, for our community,” founder and CEO Hayley Caddes said in a statement.

Metaverse

Bud, launched in November, is a new metaverse app targeting gen Z that closed $36.8 million in Series B funding this spring. Founded by two former Snap engineers, Bud allows users to create and accessorize avatars and connect with others in their age group. Right now, it’s ad-free and free to use, and it’s currently the top free social app in Thailand and Vietnam according to the market intelligence company SensorTower.

Gen Zers are expanding traditional social media into a place for genuine connection, frank discussion and education. The latest apps targeting the digital native generation are reflective of their new patterns of engagement in digital spaces.

Main image courtesy of Chill Pill.