You've heard about this really cool, new app. After downloading it from the App Store, a big graphic shouts: "Invite-Only". Without an invite, it looks like the app's not for you.
This is an experience that undoubtedly many people have gone through. Invite-only apps seem to be an emerging trend, with several rising in popularity.
But are they just another fad or is there something uniquely valuable about the concept?
What Are Invite-Only Apps?
Simply put, invite-only apps are applications that you need to be invited to by other users or by the company in order to use them.
Why would a company do that? There are a few reasons why an app might market itself as invite-only.
The app might be in beta and the developers don't want everyone to be able to use it. Or the app might be aiming for exclusivity. Some of these apps have a publicly available waitlist if they're expanding the users they're letting in or if they're beta testing.
They may have different reasons, but the concept is still the same: no invite, no access.
While technically many of these apps can be downloaded by anyone, the developers restrict who can make an account. Therefore, you can't make an account to use the app without an invite.
Examples of Invite-Only Apps
In 2020 and 2021, a few well-known invite-only apps started making headlines.
Clubhouse is probably the invite-only app you've heard the most about. It's an audio-only social media platform that trended on Twitter a few times after celebrities hosted conversations on it.
Another example is Raya. Raya is a celebrity-only dating app with the likes of Emilia Clarke and Channing Tatum using the app.
Finally, another app you may have heard of is Dispo—a camera app that tries to recreate the classic viewfinder in the UI. However, it exited this category of app when Dispo stopped requiring an invite.
Reasons Invite-Only Apps Are a Good Idea
Invite-only apps do have some benefits, they're not just a snobby type of app.
Here are some of the benefits for both users and developers...
Hype
This is probably one of the biggest reasons for an invite-only app. As everyone will tell you if you're going to release an app, you need to make it stand out from the crowd. A sure way to do that is to get people talking about it, and it seems exclusivity is the secret to that.
Many of the invite-only apps we mentioned earlier have taken the internet by storm: trending on Twitter for days and making headlines. People start to talk about the app, and popularity grows online. With the popularity comes desirability. You've heard about the app, now you want it.
Not only do you want to use the app to see what all the fuss is about, but you're also going to do anything you can to get on it. Many people were selling invites to Clubhouse on both Twitter and eBay, and people were buying them.
In fact, the hype from the invite-only apps we've already seen has been enough to inspire existing companies to imitate them. Facebook is working on a Clubhouse copycat app to try and follow the same success, and Instagram is adding similar features to try and fulfill the demand.
User Experience
Apps want to make their users happy. And when there are gaps to exploit high-profile people's need for protection from the masses, the two go together.
If you're controlling who can sign-up for your app, you can control the type of users you have. Whether you just want to shelter your users from spam accounts and bots, or whether you're catering to celebrities, you're in control.
With invite-only access, companies can have more control over the experience users have on their app. How good would it be to not be bothered by spam, or to not have to deal with the public all the time if you're a celebrity?
Beta Testing
A final reason that invite-only apps can be beneficial is for beta testing. Companies beta test new apps or updates all the time. They don't want everyone using a really buggy version of their app, especially if it's a new app.
If firms can make sure that only select users or their team get to use the app, they can happily conduct their beta tests without worrying about server loads or an influx of bug reports and bad reviews.
Reasons Invite-Only Apps Are a Bad Idea
Despite some of the benefits, the razzle-dazzle sometimes seems to fade and you're left with just the bare-bones.
So what are some of the drawbacks of invite-only apps?
Hype
Hype is as much of a pitfall as it is a benefit. While it's true that hype gets people talking about an app and then using it, the hype has to end at some point.
There's only so long that topics trend on Twitter, and once every news site has written an article about the app, they're not going to write another. If an app has been relying on its hype to carry its success, it's going to run into some problems when the hype runs out.
Expectations vs Reality
When there's a buzz around an app and it's being talked about, people have a certain idea of what the app will be like. And the exclusivity may amp up expectations of the app.
But often the app isn't amazing. Rather, the app is something that just works. Or, even if it is a good app, it won't live up to the standard people have in their heads.
For example, I started using Clubhouse a few months ago, but I haven't been back on it since. I'll admit, I was intrigued by the hype and I wanted in. But it wasn't for me. That's not to say it isn't a good app, there's been a lot of praise about it in fact.
But when you're just focusing on the exclusivity, you sometimes miss what the app actually is trying to accomplish.
Exclusivity Runs Out
The final reason invite-only apps aren't as good as they appear is because exclusivity runs out. As an app's user base grows, so do the number of people that are invited to the platform. Gradually, more people sign-up, and this grows exponentially because... math.
When there are as many people using an app as there are in other apps, you can't really call the app exclusive anymore. The biggest selling point of the app is gone. And at this stage, what's the point in needing invites anymore when most people can get one fairly easily?
Are Invite-Only Apps Good, or Kind of Pointless?
While invite-only apps have their benefits, these can quickly fizzle out and leave users with a poorer experience than they were expecting. Unless you're beta testing or you need to protect your users from the masses, you probably don't need to make your app exclusive.
But, regardless, they do get people talking; and that's probably why you're reading this article.
