TikTok competitor Triller is getting ready to go public, however estimates from Apptopia name its self-reported person numbers into query.
Per Triller’s S-1 submitting, the short-form video app has had 550 million lifetime sign-ups. However market intelligence agency Apptopia estimates that Triller has been downloaded simply 73.2 million instances since launch in 2015 — that’s 87% decrease than Triller’s personal reviews. Apptopia’s information is barely inclusive of cell app installs, which implies if Triller’s numbers are right, the remaining deficit must come by way of internet sign-ups.
Apptopia, a preferred supply for app analytics, says that its estimates are 70% to 90% correct, on common. The corporate has lots of of shoppers, together with Visa, Andreessen Horowitz, Coca-Cola, Goal, Zoom and others.
Reached for remark, Triller maintains its numbers are correct. However this isn’t the primary time its personal numbers have come into query.
Picture Credit: Apptopia
When Triller tried to go public by way of SPAC in 2021, Billboard reported that the corporate claimed greater person numbers to the general public than it did to music rights holders. In a December 2019 press launch, Triller mentioned it had 26.5 million month-to-month energetic customers, although sources advised Billboard that its person base was truly half the dimensions; then, when Triller mentioned it had 50 million month-to-month energetic customers, Billboard’s sources mentioned this quantity was truly nearer to 25 million.
Triller CEO Mike Lu said on the time that “there isn’t a authorized definition of MAU/DAU.” (MAU and DAU are customary business metrics used to measure an app’s month-to-month or day by day energetic customers.)
“Triller’s worth is in monetizing customers, not MAU or DAU. Previously, the press has had a tough time understanding this,” he advised Billboard.
On the Google Play retailer, Triller’s obtain numbers additionally look comparatively low. Google Play signifies that Triller has over 10 million downloads. This might imply that the app has been downloaded anyplace between 10 and 50 million instances (Google Play has badges for 10+ million downloads and 50+ million, however no designations in between).
Triller has had a number of more unusual authorized dalliances all through its existence, past simply debates over person numbers. In the previous few years, Triller confronted particular person authorized actions from Sony Music, Universal Music Group and Timbaland and Swizz Beatz, all of whom accused Triller of owing them thousands and thousands of {dollars} in missed funds. Within the case of the UMG dispute, Lu described it as “a foul ‘Punk’d’ episode.” The corporate was additionally present in a Washington Post report back to have missed many funds to creators in a Triller incubator program.
Picture Credit: Apptopia
Apptopia’s estimates additionally discovered that customers spend, on common, about 11 minutes monthly per system on Triller. Triller didn’t verify the determine, however a spokesperson advised TechCrunch that it “will not be one thing that has any relevance to our enterprise mannequin.”
Per its S-1, Triller earned $47.7 million in income in 2022, however it has misplaced cash every year it’s operated. The corporate misplaced $195.6 million final 12 months, and in 2021, it misplaced $773.6 million.