RealChat is BeReal’s new texting function

BeReal claims 20 million daily active users. Despite a $60 million Series B financing, the app has no ads or paid services, limiting its revenue possibilities. BeReal will try a conversation feature in Ireland.

At debut, users can message friends, share a private BeReal (no time limit, just a front-back photo), and react with RealMoji (BeReal’s proprietary emojis).

Only BeReal friends can message each other. Blocking and reporting will launch with the chat system. If two people in a chat erase messages, BeReal claims they will be deleted from their system within 30 days. Deleting a message won’t remove it from friends’ apps. If you’re holding top-secret talks on BeReal, you might be better off using an encrypted messaging service anyway.

In a response to , the business said users seek private messaging most often. Sure, it’s easier to directly converse with a friend in the app about their BeReal without making a comment that all their friends can see. However, BeReal hopes this will keep users in the app longer and encourage them to submit more than once a day.

BeReal, created in 2020, became popular last year. Its unpolished social media approach attracted Gen Z and millennial consumers.

Every day at a random hour, all users receive a “Time to Be Real” notification. You have two minutes to snap a front-and-back camera photo (RIP Frontback) to share with friends. Because we spend so much time watching Netflix or working, BeReal has more photographs of TVs and computers than Instagram. Computer-screen selfies are authentic, but they get monotonous.

Despite TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat imitation features, the app didn’t iterate until this spring. In April, BeReal integrated with Spotify to display your music when you post. Then, the app introduced the Bonus BeReal function, which enables users to publish multiple BeReals each day if they upload their first on time.