Snapchat vs Texting: Difference and Comparison

Texting can be the best way of communication. Through a text, one can express his emotions and sentiments in the best possible way without hesitation.

Nowadays, many other advanced alternative texting apps are available to us. One such alternative is Snapchat, with so many more features than texting.

Key Takeaways

1. Snapchat is a social media platform that allows users to share pictures and videos that disappear quickly, whereas texting is a way of sending messages through mobile phones.
2. Snapchat has various filters and features, such as face swap and geotagging, while texting allows sending text messages only.
3. Snapchat is more popular among younger generations, while people of all ages use texting.

Snapchat vs Texting

Snapchat is a social media platform that focuses on visual communication, allowing users to send each other short-lived photographs and videos. Texting is a form of electronic communication that involves sending short messages, using a mobile phone or other portable devices, over a cellular network or the internet.

The snaps, once opened by the person you have sent them to, may disappear if the sender has put a time limit on them, while messages stay until the person deletes them. Text messages need not be for fun purposes, but Snapchat is made for having fun with friends since the messages, images, or videos disappear shortly.

Comparison Table

Parameters of Comparison	Snapchat	Texting
Definition	Snapchat is a multimedia messaging app where you can share pictures and texts that stay for a short duration with the receiver.	Texting is the process of sending messages and images. It is also known as text messaging.
Features	Apart from sending messages and images, Snapchat has many features like face lenses, geo-filters, shazam, snap cash, snap store, etc.	Through a text message, you can send texts and images; you may send videos or documents through a multimedia messaging service.
Advantages	It has more advantages than simple text messages when talking with a friend.	It is better to text your teachers, parents, and bosses rather than send them snaps.
Purpose	The purpose of Snapchat is to make messaging fun through snaps that remain for a short while. It can be used only in an informal way of expression.	The purpose of sending text messages depends on the sender. It can be used both in a formal as well as in an informal way of expressing.
Time for which a message stays	The sender can limit the time for which the message would be visible. Generally, the message, once opened, disappears after 24 hours.	The message stays for an unlimited period unless the recipient deletes it.
Requirements to access	You need a smartphone or a computer and an internet connection.	You need a phone and a sim card.

What is Snapchat?

Snapchat is a multimedia messaging app in which we get a variety of filters to capture snaps? The messages sent through Snapchat stay only for a limited duration and then get inaccessible to the receiver.

Besides, in the Discover section, you get news and ads.

Snapchat has the following features:

• Lenses

Snapchat offers a variety of lenses to make pictures appealing.

• Geofilters

These can be unlocked when you visit a particular place in the World.

• Shazam

It is a special feature that helps you identify a song.

• Snap store

It is a place from where you can buy Snapchat-related stuff

• Snapcash

It is used to transfer money from one user to another

• Discover

Here, you can find different lenses, news, and ads and stalk your favourite celebrities.

• Bitmoji

It is a sticker or avatar of yourself that you can make and beautify yourself.

• Bitmoji T.V.

Here you can watch the bitmoji cartoon series.

• Games

You can even play minigames on Snapchat.

• Memories

You can save your snaps here to watch it later.

• Snapcode

It’s a personal QR code for every Snapchat user, which can be scanned to add someone as a friend.

• Snapchat stories

Any Snapchat user can add any snap to their Snapchat stories, and these stay for 24 hours, after which it disappears.

Apart from so many features, Snapchat sends you a notification if someone takes a screenshot of your snaps or if someone reopens them.

What is Texting?

Texting is the way of composing messages and sending them to someone using a cell phone; of course, you need a sim card.

A message has a word limit; if you exceed that, you will be charged according to the number of messages you send. You can also send the same message to several people.

The World’s first message was sent on 3rd December 1992 through the Vodafone network. Sending text messages could be the best way to say things you would hesitate or stammer to say in person.

Also, government organizations, schools, and offices prefer texting over other ways of sending messages.

Main Differences Between Snapchat and Texting

1. The snaps you send to your friends stay only for some time with the receiver, while texts stay forever until the receiver deletes them.
2. Snapchat has so many features, and it is mainly used to send snaps which are images or short videos, while via a text message, you can only send messages and images.
3. You can share stories on Snapchat, which remains for 24 hours while texting doesn’t have such a feature.
4. You cannot send snaps for official purposes or to your teachers, bosses, parents, or anyone, while a text can be sent to anyone you wish to. Snaps are just an informal way of expression, while texts can be formal as well as informal ways of expression.
5. You can check someone’s location using Snapchat if the person has allowed sharing of his location, but you can’t do the same with texting.

References

1. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0747563216303041
2. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/1369118X.2015.1084349
3. https://academic.oup.com/eltj/article-abstract/62/1/77/417569