💬 Social apps and messaging
BeReal
By BeReal SAS. Visit BeReal
Desk research from the maker's own pages. Not yet tried by us. Checked 2026-10-24.
A photo app built around one daily post: every day at a random time everyone gets the same two-minute window to share a front-and-back camera photo, and you see friends' posts only after sharing your own. Friends react with selfie reactions called RealMojis. Location sharing is optional, and for minors it is approximate by default. BeReal says it removes accounts that seem to belong to under-13s, checks every image at upload, has no in-app purchases and does not show targeted ads to anyone under 18. There are no parental controls.
Our take: A lower-pressure social app for teens 13+ with real-life friends; younger kids should wait.
| Ages it suits | 13+ |
|---|---|
| What its terms say about age | You must be a real person at least 13 years old; depending on where you live, a parent or guardian may also need to consent if you are under the local age of consent. (terms) |
| Price | Free. Free (Oct 2026); no in-app purchases. |
| Works on | iPhone and iPad, Android |
| Account | The child's own account |
| Ads | Yes |
| In-app purchases | None |
| The AI in it | Automated classifiers scan images at upload for rule-breaking content; ads for adults are selected partly from interests inferred from photos. |
What's good
- One post a day, not an endless feed
- No in-app purchases
- No targeted ads for under-18s
- Approximate location by default for minors
Watch for
- No parental controls
- Photos can reveal home or school
- Pressure to post on cue each day
- Interest guessing from photos for adult ads
Data and privacy
BeReal collects photos, contacts if allowed, device and advertising IDs, and IP-based location. Its privacy policy says it infers interests from your pictures to pick ads, but its child-safety page says advertising profiling is off and no targeted ads are shown to under-18s. Read the privacy policy.
Does it work?
The maker's own claims only: BeReal says every image is checked at upload and reports involving young users go to a priority queue. No independent study was found.
Alternatives to BeReal
Desk researchFreeNo ads
Apple Messages and FaceTime (Communication Safety)
Apple · ages any age with a parent-made child account; teens 13-17
Worth turning on for any child with an iPhone or iPad; pair it with contact limits for younger kids.
Desk researchFree, with paid extras
Discord (Family Center, teen-by-default)
Discord Inc. · ages 13+
Workable for teens 13+ who mainly chat with real-life friends, with Family Center on; too open for younger children.
Desk researchFree
Instagram (Teen Accounts)
Meta · ages 13+
For teens 13+ only with supervision set up in Family Center; parents should not rely on Teen Accounts alone.
Desk researchFree, with paid extrasNo ads
Kinzoo Messenger
Kinzoo · ages young kids to tweens, on a parent-made account
A good first messenger for under-13s whose friends will also join; check the in-app store settings.
Desk researchFree
Lemon8
TikTok USDS Joint Venture (US) · ages 13+
No reason for kids under 13; for teens it carries the same data terms as TikTok without TikTok's parent tools.
Desk researchFreeNo ads
Messenger Kids
Meta · ages under 13 (App Store rating 4+)
A reasonable first messenger for under-13s whose family already uses Facebook; skip if you don't want Meta holding your child's messages.
Where these facts come from
- https://bereal.com/terms
- https://bereal.com/privacy
- https://bereal.com/child-safety
- https://apps.apple.com/us/app/bereal-photos-friends-daily/id1459645446
Prices, terms and features change. Nobody paid to be listed, nothing here is an affiliate link, and Peabody never rates itself. Where we and the maker disagree, the maker's own pages are the ones to trust.