What is the Lemon8 app? Will it be the “new” TikTok?

Discussions around a potential TikTok ban or sale to an American company are ongoing. And with the fate of TikTok hanging in the balance, more and more creators are looking for potential alternatives. But many of them have looked no further than the app Lemon8.

What is Lemon8?

Creators are describing Lemon8 as a mix between Pinterest and Instagram. Lemon8 is an app owned by TikTok’s parent company ByteDance. It’s a photo and video-sharing app that creators who consistently use other social media platforms have been advertised to use, according to The New York Times.

The description of the app on the App Store reads: “Lemon8 is a content sharing platform with a youthful community. Here is where you can discover beautiful, authentic, and diverse content. It is THE destination for sharing and exploring.”

But there is no vertical scrolling in the app like Instagram reels and TikTok users as accustomed to. And instead of the app serving up any and all content, the content on Lemon8 is centered around a specific topic. And Lemon8 has its own photo editing tools built in too.

The app gained significant popularity in the last few weeks. During the final days of March the app entered the top 200 apps in the App Store for the first time, TechCrunch reported. And as of April 5, it was ranked #3 in the Lifestyle section of the App Store.

Who owns Lemon8?

ByteDance is Lemon8’s parent company, yes, the same ByteDance that owns TikTok. And TikTok is facing continued turmoil in Congress. So it makes sense that ByteDance would be concerned with safeguarding its user base in the United States. But it’s still unclear whether Lemon8 could eventually face the same fate as TikTok and be targeted for a potential ban.

In the meantime, it could be a good app for creators to explore.

How can creators get Lemon8?

Lemon8 is available to creators in the App Store and on Google Play. The developer of the app is called Heliophilia Pte. Ltd. So when you search for the app and download it, be sure that you download the right one. The developer of the app you download should match that name.

The good news is: Creators can go ahead and download the app now! And they can sign up for an account to be one of the earliest users of the app. The app is free to download. And creators can start thinking about how Lemon8 can fit into their existing social media tools.

It could be a good idea for creators to sign up early so they get their preferred username. And so that they can figure out how to use the app sooner rather than later. Because it could be a big advantage to be able to use it and use it well if the app does continue to grow in popularity.