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Instagram Lite vs Instagram: Differences Explained

Instagram Lite vs Instagram: Differences Explained

Instagram Lite was first released in 2020 and was later relaunched in 170 countries a year later.

Written by Dhruv Raghav, Edited by David Delima | Updated: 30 October 2025 17:46 IST

Instagram Lite vs Instagram: Differences Explained

Photo Credit: Pixabay/ Solen Feyissa

Instagram allows users to watch long-form content, unlike Instagram Lite

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Highlights

Instagram Lite was currently only available on Android
Instagram Lite takes significantly less space than Instagram
The Lite version was taken down shortly after its initial launch in 2020

Instagram Lite was launched by Meta in 2020 as a less resource-intensive version of the photo and video sharing platform, then relaunched a year later. It is available in 170 countries across the globe for people with slower or unstable internet connections. Instagram is a resource-heavy app, and its size exceeds 400MB on iOS and over 100MB on Android. Meanwhile, the Instagram Lite app is only available on Android with a significantly smaller file size. Instagram Lite allows users to share photos and videos, just like its larger variant, but it lacks some important features. If you're wondering whether you should switch over to the ‘lite' version, we are pitting the two against each other to see how they fare.

Instagram Lite vs Instagram: App Size, Availability

The Instagram Lite app is listed on the Google Play Store with a file size of 3.2MB. On the other hand, the Instagram app is 102MB in size.

On the other hand, the standard version of the app that offers additional features, is available on both iOS and Android, the Instagram Lite app is exclusively available to download on Android phones.

Instagram Lets Some Users 'Tune' Their Reels Algorithm

Instagram Lite vs Instagram: Features

Instagram allows users to post photos and upload longer and shorter duration videos (reels). You can also post Stories and Notes, which disappear after 24 hours. While the Stories appear on the home page, the Notes feature was added to the Messages tab. You can also create a list of ‘Close Friends' with whom you can exclusively share Stories. Moreover, you can also go live to interact with your followers in real-time. Instagram also allows users to add music and stickers to their stories.

While most of these functionalities are also featured on the Instagram Lite app, some important features, like Instagram Live, are not available. Moreover, it only offers a limited IGTV viewing experience. This means that there are some restrictions on posting and watching long-form content.

Instagram Lite vs Instagram: Which One is Better For You?

If you're wondering whether you should switch to Instagram Lite from Instagram or not, it would depend on your preferences, your use case, and your phone's capabilities. Hence, the Instagram Lite app caters to people who either have less storage available on their phones or do not have a stable internet connection.

However, if you're either a content creator who regularly hosts live sessions with your followers, Instagram Lite might not serve all your needs. Additionally, people who enjoy watching long-form content on Instagram can also stick to Instagram.

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Further reading: Instagram Lite, Instagram, Instagram Lite vs Instagram, Meta

Dhruv Raghav

Email Dhruv Raghav

Dhruv Raghav is currently working as a Senior Sub Editor at Gadgets360. He has previously covered the North American financial markets as a Headline News Correspondent for a major news agency. After taking a sabbatical to prepare for the Civil Services examination, he returned to journalism to cover tech policy, with a special focus on AI laws and online gaming regulation. Now, he is back in Gadgets360 to write features and edit stories. To unwind, he likes to spend time with his PS5, listening ...More