Written by, Bojana Atanasovska
Updated September, 20, 2022
TikTok may be one of the most popular apps in the world, especially among teenagers, but for parents that don’t believe the app is safe enough for their kids, there are plenty of TikTok alternatives.
Here are the best apps like TikTok for kids and what they have to offer.
Although it is one of the fastest-growing social media apps in the world, TikTok has had its fair share of security-related controversies.
In 2019, the app was accused of secretly and illegally collecting biometrics and disclosing it to third parties. In August 2022, Microsoft said that it identified a vulnerability in TokTok’s Android app that would allow hackers to hijack accounts with a single-click attack.
What’s more concerning is that numbers show that kids aged 4-15 are proven to spend the most time on the app. This was part of the reason why TikTok eventually banned the app for children under the age of 13 in most countries around the globe.
Luckily, there are plenty of alternatives.
Cheez is a kid-friendly TikTok alternative app that’s Singapore-based and mainly focuses on fashion- and comedy-related content, as well as stunts and dancing videos.
Like TikTok, the app has built-in editing tools, live streaming sessions, and the option to add effects, stickers, filters, and chat with your friends. Furthermore, Cheeze creators receive rewards from the app when their video becomes viral on the platform and there is unique Dance Off features.
The best part about the app is that the content is classified by categories, the app is easy to use, and there’s plenty of content to comb through.
Finally, Cheez frequently holds contests with cash prizes, which can prove to be a fun activity for any creator, regardless of their age.
Likee, formerly known as ‘Like’, is a video creation and sharing app that made its debut in 2017.
The app allows users to share their creations on other social platforms and is compatible with both iOS and Android devices.
Likee, which has more than 100 million monthly active users, has great filters, superpower effects, a live streaming option, lip-sync tools, and an expansive library of songs.
One of the most innovative features on the app is The Music Magic filter which applies effects to videos based on music volume and intonation.
Users also get access to tools that let them control the speed of their clips, crop videos, and merge several clips into one and there are in-app parental controls, which disable direct messaging and filter inappropriate content.
Triller is one of the apps similar to TikTok, but it has some key differences.
Users can follow each other on the platform, message directly, and tag their location on their videos.
The app is easy to use but has basic editing tools compared to TikTok. On the plus side, Triller has a long list of songs and sounds to choose from– including from its library, Spotify, and Apple Music. TikTok may have agreements with most independent labels, but it doesn’t cover as many distributors as Triller.
Finally, there’s a difference in how the apps show content to the users. Unlike on TikTok, the feed is driven by trending hashtags, genre categories, leaderboards and promoted campaigns.
Funimate is a kid version of the TikTok app that’s incredibly versatile.
The app lets users create video loops, add slow-motion effects, and combine more videos into one. They also have the option to merge videos with other content creators on the platform, which is similar to TikTok’s Duet function.
Users also get access to a library with more than 200 different songs and sounds that are great for creating lip-syncing videos, as well as a variety of effects, stickers, and text fonts they can add over videos in-app.
The only downside to the app is that users have to pay to get access to some of the advanced features on Funimate.
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Lomotif is one of the apps similar to Tik Tok whose main hook is simple and easy-to-use editing tools.
The platform, which has around 31 million monthly active users in more than 200 countries, is available on Android and iOS devices and is an excellent pick for those who don’t want to spend a lot of time creating and editing short videos.
Users can easily add music, create a photo collage, trim or turn clips from their camera roll into a music video, and add a title or text overlay over their creations.
There’s also an option to create videos with other users on the platform.
Its most popular feature, mostly among creators, is that Lomotif gives users on the app a boost on special occasions, like New Year’s Eve or Lomotif’s birthday.
Chingari is a social media and video-sharing app that’s immensely popular in India, where it was first launched in 2018. The app saw its popularity skyrocket after India banned TikTok and now counts more than 32 million active users.
The app, which is completely free, allows users to record and upload videos, and add audio tracks, visual effects, and lip-sync to songs from its library.
Moreover, Chingari users can buy merchandise, send messages to other creators, and play games on the platform.
The app supports more than 20 Indian regional languages, in addition to Hindu and English.
Grom Social is a safe alternative to Tik Tok created by Zach Marks in 2012 and designed exclusively for kids under 13.
Kids on the app can do what most people do on TikTok– record and share videos, use hashtags, stream video content, message each other, and gain access to exclusive Grom TV content.
The app is kid-friendly, with a focus on positive social interaction, and gives parents full control over their children’s online activities. It requires their approval to join, including a one-off payment of 99 cents to verify a parent’s identity, and offers live 24/7 monitoring,
Grom Social also recently added in-app features like visibility controls that allow parents and guardians to monitor their kid’s friend requests, comments, chats, and videos.
KWAI, developed by one of the world’s leading video platforms, Kuaishou, is an app for creating short videos that are initially marketed to China users outside the country’s first-tier cities.
On the app, users can lip-sync, use filters, record themselves and share videos, and like and comment on other creators’ posts. What’s more, the app offers Business accounts (like TikTok for Business), which gives users access to data and analytics, as well as KWAI’s ad system.
This means you can create ad campaigns, build your ads, and target audiences all in one place.
Finally, the app also rewards users for being popular through Kwai Gold, which can be converted into money.
Firework is a free kids version of TikTok that allows its users to create, share and find short videos. Its parent company is Loop Now, which was founded by former executives from Snapchat and LinkedIn.
The app curates these short videos from its users and organises them by content type and trending topics with the help of human curators and machine learning to show tailored content that’s based on users’ interests.
To encourage users to share content, Firework lets them report videos from other creators on the app and other social media platforms and organises weekly sponsored hashtag contests, where users can earn cash prizes or donate their earnings to fundraise money for social media causes.
Like most popular social media platforms, TikTok has an age limit of 13. Although you can change your age on TikTok to game the system, there are many other apps like TikTok for kids that are safer, offer something extra, and give parents more control over their children’s online activities.
Bojana is my name and writing is my game. I am a content writer from Bitola who is always interested in the latest research in almost all areas of life. I have a Bachelor’s degree in English literature and a perfectionist character, both of which help me find the most accurate data and information available. Although I have my head stuck in studies and reports most of the time, I still have a bit of free time during which I enjoy knitting and watching classic 90’s Disney movies.