Without a doubt, Instagram is one of the most widely used social networking sites. Although Instagram continues to upgrade and add new users daily, it is not the most usable app in low-network regions.
It is where Instagram Lite enters the picture. Introduced in 2018, Instagram Lite is different from Instagram in many ways.
In today’s blog, we will discuss these differences in detail to provide a better understanding of which app is appropriate for your needs. So, get ready to choose between Instagram and Instagram Lite.
What Is Instagram Lite?
Instagram Lite was first released in 2018. However, it was removed from the Google Play Store in 2020 for reasons still unknown.
Instagram Lite reappeared on the Play Store later in 2021, much to everyone’s astonishment. This time, it had significant enhancements to make it substantially more accessible.
Instagram Lite is a lighter version of Instagram that uses less data and space on your phone. With Instagram Lite, you won’t need to set up a new account because it’s always the same Instagram service.
Instagram vs Instagram Lite
Here are the top ten differences between Instagram and Instagram Lite:
1. Size Of The App
Instagram can be very draining on your phone, especially if you don’t have a good data connection and a lot of storage space. It is why the company decided to start a Lite version.
The Instagram-based app takes 30-80MB to download, based on your phone. When you consider the storage used by the app for data and storage, the total becomes very high.
This app, its cache, and data can consume up to 500-600 MB on a smartphone.
On the other hand, the Instagram Lite base application ranges between 2MB and 5 MB depending on your phone.
If you include the cache and user data, the total space can go around 25MB which is considerably lower than the Instagram app.
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2. Direct Messaging (DM)
Direct Messaging on Instagram offers a lot of features. You can switch themes when you wish by choosing from several options. Additionally, it provides Vanish Mode.
Instagram Lite offers the same DM feature for the users. It is a plus sign as photos, texts, stickers, GIFS, and videos can now be sent as Direct Messages to individual or group chats.
However, you won’t be able to personalize your chat theme, use vanish mode, or text using swipe controls.
3. Supported Languages
Instagram App is available in 40 languages worldwide. These languages include Hindi, English, German, Japanese, Chinese, Italian, Russian, French, Dutch, Greek, and more.
Instagram Lite is also available in these languages. But what differentiates it from Instagram is that it supports regional languages for countries like India.
It offers nine regional Indian languages: Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil, Bengali, Marathi, Kannada, Gujarati, Telugu, and Punjabi.
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4. Instagram Live
Instagram Live allows you to stream videos for up to four hours to your audience in real time as part of Instagram Stories. The “Live” sign will appear on any profiles that are currently live.
Furthermore, Instagram Live video is short-lived: as the broadcast stops, the video goes. There would be no replays available.
Instagram Lite does not support live video since it is a smaller app. However, viewing reels, IGTV, video autoplay, and uploading the videos to your stories are all available in the application.
Of course, you will notice latency in videos if you are in a region with slow or poor internet connectivity.
5. Dark Mode
A few years back, Instagram rolled out the dark mode feature for users. Simply updating your iOS and Android versions and changing the display to Dark from Settings will do the job.
All the compatible apps, including Instagram, will work in Dark Mode. However, dark mode isn’t available on Instagram Lite.
We understand if you are like us and want to use dark mode on Instagram. So, the absence of a dark mode feature is unfortunate for such users.
6. Advertisements
After watching three to four stories from various people, Instagram shows an advertisement. When you’re going through your Instagram feed, the same thing happens.
We understand that it is inconvenient and deprives you of your user experience. The solution for this is Instagram Lite.
When all you want to do is catch up on your feed, Instagram Lite doesn’t bother you with advertisements.
So, Instagram Lite is the route to go if you don’t want to view adverts because Instagram doesn’t offer an add-free subscription yet.
7. Sharing Songs On Stories
To share music on your Instagram Story, you can utilize Instagram’s music function or one of the third-party apps like Spotify or Apple Music.
To use Instagram Music Feature without relying on any other apps, select a story background and choose the sticker icon in the upper right corner of the Story interface. Choose ‘Music’ from the options and add your song.
Keep in mind, though, that your song choices are very limited in Instagram’s music library.
Instagram Lite, on the other hand, lacks this feature. It does not allow you to add tracks from Instagram’s music collection to your Stories for your IG followers.
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8. Instagram Shopping
Instagram Shop, which debuted in 2020 helps companies create digital stores on their accounts.
People can explore, select, and buy things listed by businesses or labeled by creators under the Shop tab.
Advertisements under the Shop tab have a Sponsored designation. Otherwise, they behave like other ordinary posts or product categories’ posts.
However, the same feature was not available for Instagram Lite users. So, if you are a business promoting your products via Instagram, the Instagram Lite app might not be a wise option for you.
9. Mobile Operating System
Instagram is available for both iOS and Android users on respective Play stores. So, both Apple and Android users can easily download it and access their accounts using it.
On the flip side, Instagram Lite is currently available for Android users only. There has been no announcement on whether the app will launch for iOS users or not.
So, if you are an Apple smartphone user, this might be a little disheartening for you.
10. Data Usage
The Instagram app requires a good 4G Internet connection to run smoothly. Otherwise, your videos will buffer and run slower than expected.
Instagram Lite can work fine using a 2G internet connection. This is why it is suitable for smartphones with minimal specifications.
Also, when you explore the feed in the current version of Instagram Lite, videos will immediately start playing.
When compared to the previous edition, it goes without saying that the application will demand more data if you continue to consider watching videos on the Lite app.
However, the app’s data usage is similar to the Instagram app’s data saver option. So, you tend to save data using Instagram Lite.
Conclusion
Instagram Lite enables you to maintain a balance in keeping up with friends and other artists while also ensuring that you do not waste too much storage space on your smartphone.
Additionally, unlike the original Instagram app, the app does not close abruptly or crash.
However, with the pros come the cons. The Instagram Lite app does not offer Dark Mode, a song or TV show sharing feature, or a shopping tab. Moreover, it is still not available for Apple users.
So, it is up to you to decide which feature weighs more for you and then choose which app to download on your smartphone. We hope this blog helps you make the right decision!
