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.
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.
Pros Cons Interest-based content Some subreddits can get toxic Pseudonymous and privacy-friendly Poor moderation in some subreddits Active community for almost everything Some 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.
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.
Pros Cons Short viral videos Can get addictive Keep up with trends Banned in some countries Engaging content
Availability: Android and iOS
Visit TikTok
3. 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.
Pros Cons Vast userbase Multiple privacy scandals Stay connected with friends and family Too many ads Share thoughts and ideas Breeding 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!
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.
Pros Cons Share your thoughts and opinions Certain portions of Twitter can be an echo chamber Understand what’s happening around you Misinformation Timely news updates Shaky 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.
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.
Pros Cons Share photos, videos, and stories with friends Ads everywhere Modern interface Too much focus on video content Active user base Addictive
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.
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.
Pros Cons User-friendly and modern interface Poor moderation in some servers Community-focused Some servers can be an echo chamber Pseudonymous Chances 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.
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!
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Ideal for bookworms | The interface could be better |
| Engaging community | Peer pressure to keep up with friends’ reading progress |
| Explore and review books |
Availability: Web, Android, and iOS
Visit Goodreads
8. 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.
Pros Cons Visually pleasing content Content is often reposted/ plagiarized Content-focused Too many ads Get ideas and inspiration
Availability: Web, Android, and iOS
Visit Pinterest
9. Letterboxd: Best Social Media for Cinephiles
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.
Pros Cons Ideal for cinephiles Prank reviews on some movies Rate and review movies Not too popular Find likeminded community
Availability: Web, Android, iOS, and Apple TV
Visit Letterboxd
10. 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.
Pros Cons Perfect for networking Posts can get too inspirational Find new professional connections in your field Could 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.
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.
Pros Cons Meet people in real life Some meetups could be risky Find people with similar interests Too 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.
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.
Pros Cons Vast user base Unskippable ads on certain videos Active community Too 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.
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.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Ideal for teenagers | Steep initial learning curve |
| Wide variety of filters | Cyberbullying 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.
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.
Pros Cons Feature-rich messaging features No end-to-end encryption by default Cross-platform availability Content 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.
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.
Pros Cons End-to-end encrypted messaging Misinformation Have all the basics covered Limited 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.
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.
Pros Cons Find answers to your questions Posts can get unnecessarily wordy Ask questions Spam 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.
The concept proved to be an instant hit, and BeReal is currently the top 6th social network in the US App Store.
Pros Cons Unique attempt FOMO-driven See spontaneous moments Too 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).
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.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Feature-rich messaging platform | No 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.
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.
Pros Cons Watch live streams from favorite creators Too many trolls Cross-platform Gaming 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.
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.
Pros Cons Your own creative space Community 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 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.
Pros Cons Ideal for photography enthusiasts Not too active Niche but loyal audience Some content is reposted Find photo inspirations
Availability: Web, Android, and iOS
Visit Flickr
22. WeChat
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.
Pros Cons Thriving user base in China Too many features Super-app for multiple use-cases Lack of global users Stay updated with Chinese market trends Banned in some countries including India
Availability: Web, Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS
Visit WeChat
23. Weibo: Best Social Media App 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.
Pros Cons Active user base in China Navigation could be better Get updates from Chinese media Lack of global users Twitter alternative for China Banned in some countries, including India
Availability: Web, Android, and iOS
Visit Weibo
24. ShareChat: Best Social Media App for Indian Content
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.
Pros Cons Vernacular social media platform Not too active Regional content Spam 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.
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.
Pros Cons Audio rooms Not too engaging anymore Network and find unique rooms Declining user interest Host and participate in discussions Spam 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.
