BeReal is acquired by Voodoo for €500 million

BeReal, the app famed for its brief photo sharing window, has been bought. Voodoo, a French software developer, announced the purchase of the company for €500 million.

BeReal, founded in 2020 by French coders Alexis Barreyat and Kévin Perreau, began to gain traction in 2022 as more users took advantage of the random, once-a-day option to share images with pals. However, the excitement surrounding BeReal quickly subsided. According to a Platformer analysis from last year, the app's monthly active users decreased from 15 million in October 2022 to 6 million in March 2023, indicating a decline in popularity.

BeReal has introduced additional features, including secret groups and a "bonus" option that allows users to post multiple times each day, which contradicts the app's purpose. In February, it debuted the RealPeople stream, which features messages from celebrities and corporations.

Signs of danger at BeReal appeared early this year. In March, insiders told Business Insider that the app's growth had plateaued, prompting company management to seek new cash or a sale. Voodoo claims that BeReal today has over 40 million monthly active users, with half of them using the app at least six days a week. Voodoo claims that the acquisition will provide BeReal with "the opportunity to further innovate around new features and refocus on growth."

Barreyat, BeReal's founder and CEO, will also step down and be replaced by Aymeric Roffé, CEO of the Voodoo-owned social app Wizz.