25 Best Social Media Apps and Sites You Should Use

Choosing where to spend your time is a powerful strategy to optimize the limited time we all have in a day. With the rising number of social media apps out there, it can get intimidating to pick a platform when you want to scroll and unwind after a long day. Keeping the emerging social media trends in mind, we have compiled a list of the best social media apps and sites you should check out in 2022 and beyond.

Top Social Media Apps and Sites (2022)

1. Reddit

Often considered the ‘front page of the internet’, Reddit is an interesting place to find communities grouped around your interests. These communities are called subreddits, and each subreddit has multiple moderators to ensure that the posts are abiding by community rules and guidelines. I’m not kidding when I say there’s a subreddit for almost every niche interest you might have.

reddit

That said, your experience on Reddit will vastly differ based on the subreddits you visit. As long as you are on the lighter side of Reddit, you will likely have a great time. For starters, I recommend checking out subreddits such as r/cats, r/catswithjobs, r/aww, r/AnimalsBeingBros, and r/MadeMeSmile. We have also compiled a long list of the best subreddits you should follow on Reddit.

ProsCons
Interest-based contentSome subreddits can get toxic
Pseudonymous and privacy-friendlyPoor moderation in some subreddits
Active community for almost everythingSome subreddits can be an echo chamber
Focuses on the content and not the user’s identity

Availability: Web, Android, and iOS
Visit Reddit

2. TikTok

At this point, you would be lying if you say you haven’t heard of TikTok. The viral short video platform took the internet by storm and has established itself as one of the key players in the social media space. Although TikTok is banned in some countries like India, popular social media apps like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube have copied its core idea and created their own versions of short video services.

tiktok

If you are someone who likes watching bite-size funny and engaging videos, you should give TikTok a shot. You could also take a look at our list of TikTok alternatives if the short video app is banned in your country.

ProsCons
Short viral videosCan get addictive
Keep up with trendsBanned in some countries
Engaging content

Availability: Android and iOS
Visit TikTok

3. Facebook

facebook

With the platform posting a huge decline in daily users for the first time ever last year, Facebook is no longer as appealing as it once used to be. However, it is still a key player in social media. As you might probably be aware, you can use Facebook to create text, image, and video posts, engage in groups, buy/ sell products in the Facebook marketplace, and lots more. If you have never tried Facebook before, it’s worth checking out even in 2022.

ProsCons
Vast userbaseMultiple privacy scandals
Stay connected with friends and familyToo many ads
Share thoughts and ideasBreeding ground for misinformation

Availability: Web, Android, and iOS
Visit Facebook

4. Twitter

Twitter is one of the best social media platforms to help you stay updated with what’s happening around you. If you want instant updates on incidents from around the world, Twitter is the place to be. Other than creating and sharing tweets, the platform is now shifting focus to Twitter Spaces, its Clubhouse clone for audio rooms. However, the micro-blogging service is gradually losing relevance in the modern age. Read on to find out why!

twitter

At the time of writing this article, Twitter has found itself in the middle of an acquisition from billionaire Elon Musk, which has further created negative sentiment both internally and externally about the platform.

ProsCons
Share your thoughts and opinionsCertain portions of Twitter can be an echo chamber
Understand what’s happening around youMisinformation
Timely news updatesShaky leadership and product vision

Availability: Web, Android, and iOS
Visit Twitter

5. Instagram

After starting off as a platform for editing and sharing pictures, Instagram has now evolved to become a destination for photo posts, videos, short videos, and even Snapchat-style stories. You can use Instagram’s direct messaging feature to stay in touch with your friends too, and it keeps adding new features regularly to keep users engaged. The platform also enables you to post photos and videos using the Instagram website from your Mac or Windows PC.

instagram

The Instagram app also has a modern interface, offering users a pleasant experience. However, since Instagram is free to use, there are ads everywhere, and you will even find ads across the platform. A word of caution, though. Scrolling through Instagram Reels is addictive and if you find yourself in the middle of this crisis, check our detailed post on how to overcome smartphone addiction.

ProsCons
Share photos, videos, and stories with friendsAds everywhere
Modern interfaceToo much focus on video content
Active user baseAddictive

Availability: Web, Android, and iOS
Visit Instagram

6. Discord

Just like Reddit, Discord is another appealing social media platform to find communities of your liking. Starting off as a platform focused towards gamers, Discord has now evolved to accommodate users across a wide range of interests. You get all the advanced chat and calling features on Discord, making it a well-rounded communication tool in 2022.

discord

Whether it’s for streaming Netflix on Discord to watch together or hosting Spotify listening parties, Discord has got it all. Discord is also a good place to nurture and grow your community, making it one of the top social media platforms in 2022.

ProsCons
User-friendly and modern interfacePoor moderation in some servers
Community-focusedSome servers can be an echo chamber
PseudonymousChances of cyberbullying
Has advanced chat and calling features

Availability: Web, Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS
Visit Discord

7. Goodreads: Best Social Media for Readers

Consider yourself an avid reader? Goodreads is the best social media platform for users like you. With Goodreads, you can rate and review books, discover new books to read, update your reading progress and share it with friends, and see what your friends are reading.

goodreads

The platform also delivers suggestions based on your reading activity, making it convenient to find newer books that match your interests. Goodreads also has curated lists of the best books based on genres to help new readers pick up the habit. Whether you’re a new reader or someone who reads a lot, Goodreads is the place to be!

ProsCons
Ideal for bookwormsThe interface could be better
Engaging communityPeer pressure to keep up with friends’ reading progress
Explore and review books

Availability: Web, Android, and iOS
Visit Goodreads

8. Pinterest

pinterest

Pinterest can be considered the social media equivalent of paradise. There’s no hate speech, no violence, just pretty pictures and inspirational content. You can curate your own sets of posts to create vision or mood boards on Pinterest. You also have the option to follow your favorite creators while you are at it. If you often find yourself looking for the best home decor ideas, tattoo ideas, or aesthetic images, you should not miss out on what Pinterest has to offer.

ProsCons
Visually pleasing contentContent is often reposted/ plagiarized
Content-focusedToo many ads
Get ideas and inspiration

Availability: Web, Android, and iOS
Visit Pinterest

9. Letterboxd: Best Social Media for Cinephiles

letterboxd social media for movie lovers

Home to the true movie enthusiasts out there, Letterboxd is the go-to social media platform for movie lovers. You could say that Letterboxd is the Goodreads equivalent in the movies space. You can discover new movies, keep track of movies you’ve watched, rate and share reviews, and create curated lists of movies. If you consider yourself a cinephile, I’m sure you will love your time on Letterboxd.

ProsCons
Ideal for cinephilesPrank reviews on some movies
Rate and review moviesNot too popular
Find likeminded community

Availability: Web, Android, iOS, and Apple TV
Visit Letterboxd

10. LinkedIn

linkedin

Although LinkedIn isn’t necessarily an entertainment-focused social media site, it’s a key platform to grow your professional network. With LinkedIn, you can find and connect with peers and industry leaders in your field, opening up key opportunities for career growth that would be impossible otherwise. LinkedIn also offers a job search tool that you can use to land jobs that match your skillsets.

ProsCons
Perfect for networkingPosts can get too inspirational
Find new professional connections in your fieldCould trigger self-doubt and career anxiety
Helpful in job search

Availability: Web, Android, and iOS
Visit LinkedIn

11. Meetup: Top Social Media Website For Meeting People

Are you looking for a social media platform to connect with and meet people in real life? Look no further than Meetup. As the name suggests, the platform facilitates and encourages real-world connections. You can sign up for an account and take a look at Meetup events near you.

meetup best social media to meet people

If any meetup piques your interest, you can choose to attend it and network with new people in your area. That said, it’s recommended to exercise some caution while attending meetups due to privacy and safety concerns.

ProsCons
Meet people in real lifeSome meetups could be risky
Find people with similar interestsToo much pressure to attend events
Host events of your interests

Availability: Web, Android, and iOS
Visit Meetup

12. YouTube

Although most of us would argue that YouTube is primarily a video-sharing site, the community aspect is what makes people come back to the platform and engage in videos of their favorite creators. YouTube has engaging content across multiple categories, including tech, music, movies, gaming, news, sports, fashion, and more.

youtube

While YouTube is not essentially a platform to socialize, it has become part of the lives of most people. If you have been staying away from YouTube all along, do give it a try and see if you like it.

ProsCons
Vast user baseUnskippable ads on certain videos
Active communityToo much focus on short videos
Many informative videos

Availability: Web, Android, iOS, Android TV, Apple TV, and Fire TV
Visit YouTube

13. Snapchat

Popular among teenagers and Gen Z users, Snapchat is another social media platform to stay connected with your friends. The key appeal of Snapchat is the focus on ephemeral photos as the mode of communication. Besides, Snapchat Lenses and Snapchat filters are used by millions of users to make their photos more enticing.

change emoji snapchat - iphone

Snapchat has gamified the act of interacting with each other with what it calls Snapchat Streaks, a measure of your activity with a Snapchat user. Snapchat’s messaging feature is also ephemeral and is built with privacy in mind.

ProsCons
Ideal for teenagersSteep initial learning curve
Wide variety of filtersCyberbullying and mental health concerns
Ephemeral messaging

Availability: Android and iOS
Visit Snapchat

14. Telegram

Telegram is primarily a messaging service, but with its groups and channels, it can be considered a social media platform of sorts. Over the past couple of years, Telegram has gained popularity as one of the best secure messaging apps and evolved to be a space for different types of communities.

telegram

Thanks to its cloud-first approach, Telegram is available on all major platforms, and you can pick up right where you left off. You can also create audio and video rooms to broadcast on Telegram. Overall, Telegram has a ton of features, and you should consider trying it out.

ProsCons
Feature-rich messaging featuresNo end-to-end encryption by default
Cross-platform availabilityContent moderation is limited
Active user base

Availability: Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS
Visit Telegram

15. WhatsApp

Another messaging service that acts as a social media platform is WhatsApp. For those who don’t know, WhatsApp is an instant messaging service that you can also use for voice and video calls. Thanks to groups and channels, you can create communities on WhatsApp and interact with them. While the group and channel member limits are not as extensive as Telegram, it’s handy for close-knit communities.

WhatsApp Highlights 3 Features to Improve Chat Experience

While WhatsApp was primarily a mobile-based messaging app, the company recently rolled out multi-device support. This allows the user to message friends and family from the desktop or web app without having an active internet connection on their phones.

ProsCons
End-to-end encrypted messagingMisinformation
Have all the basics coveredLimited features
Easy to get started

Availability: Web, Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS
Visit WhatsApp

16. Quora

Quora is a place for you to ask questions and find answers. Although the quality of the platform has arguably declined over the past few years, there’s an active community on Quora.

25 Best Social Media Apps and Sites You Should Use

I also like the fact that you can request specific authors to answer your queries. A fair warning, though, most Quora users have a hard time keeping their answers concise. You might end up reading through an elaborate wall of text before finding the apt answer.

ProsCons
Find answers to your questionsPosts can get unnecessarily wordy
Ask questionsSpam and troll posts
Request answers from people

Availability: Web, Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS
Visit Quora

17. BeReal

BeReal is a novel attempt at social media. The idea of the platform is to keep moments of your social life spontaneous. The app will notify users to capture and share an image showing what they’re up to. What’s important to note here is that you’re given a total of 2 minutes to complete your daily photo, and the notification is sent at a different time every day.

bereal

The concept proved to be an instant hit, and BeReal is currently the top 6th social network in the US App Store.

ProsCons
Unique attemptFOMO-driven
See spontaneous momentsToo much pressure to send images
View timeline with memories

Availability: Android and iOS
Visit BeReal

18. Messenger

Messenger is Facebook’s standalone messaging app. You can use Messenger to stay in touch with your Facebook friends and contacts. It’s worth mentioning that you can use Messenger without an active Facebook account. The process involves creating your Facebook account and deactivating it, resulting in what the social media giant calls Deactivated Except Messenger Account (DEMA).

Facebook Messenger Gains "@Everyone" and "/Silent" Shortcuts; More to Come Soon

If you want to interact with your Facebook friends and acquaintances without scrolling the feed, Messenger is what you should be looking at. Also, with Facebook parent Meta looking to merge Messenger and Instagram DM to enable cross-app communication has seen a lot of new features being added to both platforms.

ProsCons
Feature-rich messaging platformNo end-to-end encryption by default
Chat with Facebook users
Can use without an active Facebook account

Availability: Web, Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS
Visit Messenger

19. Twitch

Fan of live streams, especially gaming ones? Well then, Twitch is the best social media platform for you. You will find an active community for popular games, including Valorant, League of Legends, Apex Legends, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS: GO), and more.

twitch social media for live streams

Although the platform predominantly focuses on gaming, there are dedicated sections for music, art, sleeping, or just chatting too. You can explore the platform and watch the stream that interests you. Having said that, do keep in mind that some viewers often tend to be trolls on Twitch.

ProsCons
Watch live streams from favorite creatorsToo many trolls
Cross-platformGaming community can be toxic
Modern interface

Availability: Web, Android, iOS, Fire TV, PS4/ PS5, Xbox, Apple TV, and Chromecast
Visit Twitch

20. Tumblr

Tumblr might not be as popular as it used to be, but it is still around. After Tumblr’s ban on NSFW content back in late 2018, the platform has struggled to stay relevant and mainstream in the league of other leading social media apps. For the uninitiated, Tumblr is essentially a blogging platform where you get your own space to post content.

tumblr

One unique aspect of Tumblr is that you get extensive customization features to personalize your Tumblr page. If that excites you, check out Tumblr from the link below.

ProsCons
Your own creative spaceCommunity can get toxic
Theme-based fandoms
Friendly interface

Availability: Web, Android, and iOS
Visit Tumblr

21. Flickr

Whether you are a budding photographer looking for inspiration or an established expert who’s looking for a platform to showcase your work, Flickr is the perfect place for you. After creating a free account, you can upload your photos and even categorize them as albums on this website.

flickr social media site for photographers

Flickr also offers groups that you can join to share photos and interact with other members in the comments. If you are a photography and camera nerd, Flickr is the best social media site for you.

ProsCons
Ideal for photography enthusiastsNot too active
Niche but loyal audienceSome content is reposted
Find photo inspirations

Availability: Web, Android, and iOS
Visit Flickr

22. WeChat

wechat social media for china

WeChat has evolved from a messaging app to a full-fledged super-app for multiple use cases in China. Thanks to WeChat’s focus on mini-apps, users can do everything, ranging from booking a taxi ride to ordering food online. Over the years, WeChat has slowly become an indispensable part of the lives of Chinese citizens. While users outside China can access WeChat, it is banned in some countries, including India.

ProsCons
Thriving user base in ChinaToo many features
Super-app for multiple use-casesLack of global users
Stay updated with Chinese market trendsBanned in some countries including India

Availability: Web, Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS
Visit WeChat

23. Weibo: Best Social Media App in China

weibo best social media in china

Weibo is another popular social media platform in China. Widely regarded as the Twitter of China, Weibo is a micro-blogging platform where you can share text posts, images, and videos with users. Although Weibo is widely used in China, global users will have a hard time navigating the platform due to the Chinese interface.

If you know Chinese, however, Weibo is a social media platform worth checking out to find out what’s happening in the country.

ProsCons
Active user base in ChinaNavigation could be better
Get updates from Chinese mediaLack of global users
Twitter alternative for ChinaBanned in some countries, including India

Availability: Web, Android, and iOS
Visit Weibo

24. ShareChat: Best Social Media App for Indian Content

sharechat Indian social media app

ShareChat is a popular Indian social media platform created with India’s diverse and vernacular users in mind. At the time of writing this article, ShareChat supports a total of 14 languages, including Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Punjabi, Telugu, Malayalam, Tamil, Bengali, Odia, Kannada, Assamese, Bhojpuri, Haryanvi, and Rajasthani. If you are looking for regional Indian content, you could consider checking out ShareChat using its website or mobile apps.

ProsCons
Vernacular social media platformNot too active
Regional contentSpam and troll posts
India-focused

Availability: Web, Android, and iOS
Visit ShareChat

25. Clubhouse – Best Audio Social Media App

If you have been active on social media in the past couple of years, you must have heard of the social audio platform Clubhouse. Although leading social media platforms have created their own apps like Clubhouse, the app still has an audience that keeps healthy discussions going.

clubhouse - best audio socia media app

The popularity of Clubhouse was at its peak when it used to have invite-only access, but as we all know, the popularity and general interest have relatively faded since then. However, if you prefer voice chats to interact and engage with people, Clubhouse is still one of the popular players in the social audio segment.

ProsCons
Audio roomsNot too engaging anymore
Network and find unique roomsDeclining user interest
Host and participate in discussionsSpam and trolls

Availability: Android and iOS
Visit Clubhouse

Try These Best Social Media Platforms in 2022

Unlike the last decade, we now have a variety of social media apps and websites to choose from. Since most of these social media sites are catered to a specific theme or purpose, picking one that suits your interests is no longer a hassle. Regardless of the social media platform you end up picking, we hope you have a pleasant time there. If you like spending time on a social media site or app that’s not listed above, feel free to let us know in the comments below. And if you have time to spare and are bored, do check out this list of cool and interesting websites to kill time.

comment Comments 1
  • Samuel Ensminger says:

    how about amino or steam chat

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