Instagram vs Instagram Lite: What's the Real Difference?

The main Instagram app is resource heavy and is over 400 MB on IOS and more than 100 MB on Android.

In 2020, Meta launched Instagram Lite as a lighter, resource-friendly alternative to the main app, and relaunched it a year later.

With a file size of 3.2 MB, Instagram lite is listed in Google Play Store, while the Instagram app is available for 102 MB in size on Android and is not available for iOS.

The Lite version is available in 170 countries, specifically for people with unstable or slow internet connections. Meanwhile, the Instagram Lite app is only available on Android with a considerably smaller file size.

Just like its larger counterpart, Instagram Lite app allows users to share photos and videos, but lacks some of the key features.

Instagram generally allows users to upload photos and longer as well as short-duration videos. On Instagram, people can even post stories and notes that disappear after 24 hours. While the stories are on the home page, the notes are on the messages tab. Users can also create a list of close friends and share stories, exclusive for them. Other than that, users can also go live, to interact with their followers.

While many of these features are also available on Instagram, some of the features such as Instagram Live are not available. Other than that, it offers a very limited IGTV viewing experience. Hence, there are certain restrictions on posting and watching long-form content.

On the other hand, Instagram Lite offers many of these features but lacks Instagram Live. It also has a very limited IGTV viewing experience, making it more restrictive when it comes to posting and viewing long-form content.

Instagram Lite app usually caters to people with less storage in their phones or those who do not have a stable internet connection. Depending on the preference and usage needs, a user can choose what suits best for them.