The global popularity of both TikTok and Triller is based on original user-generated content. The two apps can look quite similar in appearance, allowing people to create casual videos and share them with the world.
What differs from them is the approach to the video formats users can upload. There are also ways of providing the music for the videos themselves. With over 30 times Triller’s monthly active users, TikTok is clearly more popular. But that may change in the future, with Triller growing exponentially at 500% annually.
TikTok
Launched in 2016, TikTok initially only served the Chinese market. It took the internet by storm when it appeared on mobile platforms around the world a year later. Today, it is one of the most popular apps overall, with 1.5 billion downloads and over 800 million monthly active users.
Videos and Music
With TikTok, you can record a video with your smartphone, edit it, add some music and post it on the platform. The only limitation is that your last run was no longer than 15 seconds. After that, other TikTok users can watch, like and share your video on other social platforms.
There’s a lot you can do with your video when it comes to editing. You can cut it however you want, add effects and overlays, and even play back in slow motion. If you want to add some text to your clip, you can do that too.
Although you cannot add music from external sources, you can select songs from the app’s library. Since TikTok has signed with many music companies, you can be sure that you can find a track that fits the mood of your video.
Platform’s AI Algorithm
When you upload your video, you can add hashtags to help other people find your video based on their interests. Of course, there’s always a chance that your video will show up on the app’s Discover page and make it visible to a significantly wider audience.
Alongside the Explore page, TikTok’s algorithm also organizes uploaded content to display trending hashtags and current top videos. If you want to make your video stand out, you can do so through promoted campaigns.
The app’s artificial intelligence takes note of a user’s viewing history and interaction, providing a personalized experience for each individual. When it comes to music, TikTok’s algorithm doesn’t seem to support any particular genre.
trills
Triller, which emerged a year before TikTok, currently has 75 million app downloads. With 26.5 million monthly active users, these numbers don’t even come close to TikTok’s success. But with growth that has increased fivefold in recent years, Triller is definitely proving to be a worthy competitor to TikTok.
Videos and Music
The main difference between the two is that Triller does not have manual video editing capabilities. Instead, users can record any number of videos with their smartphone, choose a song, and let the app do the hard work. The final result is a special music video that runs for the duration of the song.
To do this, Triller uses an advanced AI algorithm to analyze both your body and lip movement. Using this information, the app selects your best video footage and synchronizes them to the beat of the song you choose. Considering that everything is done automatically, the result is truly amazing.
It’s important to highlight that Triller uses all the songs to create your music video. It also lets you choose music from the app catalog, Apple Music or Spotify. In this way, Triller directly supports artists whose work appears in user videos.
The way this support works is quite simple and ingenious at the same time. If you add a song from Apple Music or Spotify, each time your video is viewed, that view will also count towards the artist’s streams on that platform.
Platform’s AI Algorithm
Since Triller is basically a video editing tool based on artificial intelligence, it automatically adds effects to your videos. These consist of random overlays, slow and fast motion, and some basic text that appears in your Triller clips.
When choosing content for Discover pages, the algorithm organizes it in several different ways. There are leaderboards, genre categories, top videos with trending hashtags, and inevitably promoted campaigns. All this makes finding new videos much more accessible. When deciding what content to show users, the app’s AI seems to favor artist accounts over random accounts.
While getting your exclusive music video to a wider audience may be a bit more difficult, Triller certainly stays true to its purpose. By supporting music artists from all over the world, you can now use all the songs in your videos. If you organize your favorite clips in custom playlists, you can share them with other users on the platform.
Comparing the Two
Regardless of the different approach to creating user videos, both TikTok and Triller provide a great way to showcase your creativity. By mixing your own videos with existing music, the end result is sure to be a truly authentic experience.
While TikTok doesn’t focus on any particular genre, Triller seems to prefer hip-hop and EDM (Electronic Dance Music). This is no surprise, as some of Triller’s investors are actually celebrities in this genre. Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, The Weeknd, and Marshmello are just a few popular names that financially support the app’s efforts.
This certainly proves Triller’s intention to support the music industry and individual artists. By contrast, TikTok seems to be moving in the opposite direction. The owner of TikTok, a Chinese company called ByteDance, is said to be planning to launch its own streaming platform. With this, he will become another competitor in the music industry.
Use Both!
Although both TikTok and Triller offer similar features, each offers a completely different experience. If you want to create a short and funny clip, use TikTok. If you have musical creativity, jump into Triller and create your own music video.
Have you tried using both apps? Do you prefer one over the other? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.
