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Saudi Arabia’s Gen Z population has a unique relationship with Snapchat.
Unlike the curated, often idealised content found on Instagram or the viral-chasing nature of TikTok, Snapchat’s appeal lies in authenticity. It offers a space for unpolished, real-time sharing.
This focus on genuine, in-the-moment communication deeply resonates with young Saudis. It becomes a key distinction that separates it from more public-facing platforms.
This cultural fit extends to how the platform is used for self-expression. Snapchat’s filters and playful features allow for creativity and humour without the pressure of creating a public persona. It’s a low-stakes environment where users can experiment with their identity and connect with their friends on a more personal level.
This aligns with the values of Saudi youth culture, where privacy and close-knit social circles are often prioritised.
Snapchat has become a primary communication hub. For many young Saudis, it’s a go-to app for daily conversations. The chat function, combined with the ability to quickly share photos and videos. Making it a seamless tool for staying in touch.
This deep integration into daily life solidifies its position as a lifestyle statement, not just another social media app. It’s the digital equivalent of a community hub where people feel most comfortable and connected. Thus, it is the top platform for youth user engagement in the region.
The social media app entered the Saudi market early and quickly became a cultural staple. Unlike Instagram’s curated feeds, its disappearing content and playful AR filters resonated with a generation craving authenticity. Today, Saudi Arabia is Snapchat’s biggest market in the Middle East, with reports showing over 20 million active users, most of them under 30.
This dominance explains why Snapchat is popular in Saudi Arabia and why it continues to outperform rival platforms in youth adoption.
Recreate in brand theme
Know how Snapchat features drive dominance in Saudi Arabia:
Saudi youth prefer quick, real-time updates over permanent posts. Snapchat’s disappearing Snaps and Stories allow them to share freely without the pressure of creating a “perfect” feed. Unlike Instagram.
With a deep love for creativity and personalisation, Snapchat’s Augmented Reality filters resonate strongly. From fun face lenses to regionally customised filters, this feature strengthens emotional and cultural connections.
Privacy is a huge factor for Saudi youth. Snapchat’s direct chats and small group interactions provide a more secure and intimate space. As compared to public social feeds, fostering genuine engagement.
Beyond peer-to-peer sharing, Snapchat’s Discover and Spotlight tabs deliver curated entertainment for youth. This feature keeps users engaged beyond messaging. Making Snapchat an all-in-one hub.
The “Snapstreak” culture drives daily interaction. For Saudi youth, maintaining streaks is not just a fun activity but also a way to nurture friendships. This is encouraging high daily app usage.
Snapchat invests in regional AR filters, brand collaborations, and Saudi-centric campaigns. Reinforcing why it’s seen as the best platform for youth engagement in Saudi Arabia.
For businesses, Snapchat is a high-return advertising ecosystem. Snapchat’s features translate into powerful advertising strategies in Saudi Arabia:
Full-screen, immersive vertical video ads appear between Stories, capturing undivided attention. This format delivers exceptional engagement.
Interactive branded AR filters are a favourite among Saudi youth. Whether it’s a new product launch or a campaign tied to Saudi National Day. These filters enable brands to blend into user-generated content seamlessly.
Snapchat’s Discover tab offers premium placement for publishers and brands. From fashion to food, youth in Saudi Arabia actively consume localised Discover content. Making it a prime space for brand storytelling.
Perfect for eCommerce and retail, these swipe-up shoppable ads let Saudi youth browse and buy directly within the app. Bridging entertainment with instant conversion.
Snapchat allows brands to geotarget campaigns to specific Saudi cities, malls, or even events, ensuring maximum cultural and contextual relevance.
Snapchat’s authenticity makes influencer-led campaigns more trustworthy. Unlike Instagram’s polished aesthetic, Snapchat influencers often deliver real, raw, and relatable product endorsements.
Why build an app like Snapchat, if you might ask? We bring you an opportunity brief.
If you’re targeting Gen Z in Saudi Arabia or the broader Middle East youth cohort, building a Snapchat-style app is less “copycat” and more “category playbook”. Learn why it’s a strategically smart move:
Offers high high-intent and engagement audience. Saudi youth favour ephemeral, private, and playful formats over curated feeds. That’s the exact behavioural vector a Snapchat-style product exploits. Positioning your product here is positioning for a daily habit, not one-off viral spikes. Features like AR filters, localised stickers, and ephemeral groups map well to national events, holidays, and social rituals. Fast routes to relevance and virality in-country.
Platforms built around short, immersive moments are highly monetizable with native ad formats, AR experiences and shoppable content. Advertisers love sticky, high-frequency touchpoints.
Private messaging plus small-group sharing fuel retention better than public broadcast networks. That’s crucial when the goal is community stickiness rather than transient reach. Rich ephemeral interaction data powers better personalisation and advertising strategies over time.
Below is a pragmatic, deliverable-driven roadmap for turning the idea into a production app. Each phase lists objectives and outputs, so it’s easy to hand off to the product.
Prove there’s a viable product/market fit before you burn engineering cycles.
Translate strategy into a tangible product concept and prototype.
Build a resilient, scalable foundation that supports real-time media and AR.
Ship the smallest high-value product that demonstrates core behavior.
Make sure it’s reliable and safe.
Acquire users and validate core retention loops.
Move from product-market fit to scale while maintaining UX quality.
| Stage | Description | Estimated Cost (USD) | Estimated Cost (SAR) |
| Discovery & Research | Market analysis User research Competitor benchmarking Feature roadmap | $5,000 – $10,000 | SAR 18,750 – 37,500 |
| UI/UX Design | Wireframes Prototypes Camera-first UI AR-friendly layouts | $8,000 – $15,000 | SAR 30,000 – 56,250 |
| Core Development (MVP) | Basic snaps Chat Stories Ephemeral content Notifications | $40,000 – $60,000 | SAR 150,000 – 225,000 |
| Advanced Features | AR filters Streaks Discover/Spotlight Media pipeline optimization | $30,000 – $50,000 | SAR 112,500 – 187,500 |
| Backend & Infrastructure | Real-time messaging Cloud storage Database CDN Security protocols | $20,000 – $40,000 | SAR 75,000 – 150,000 |
| Testing & QA | Functional Performance Load Security testing | $8,000 – $12,000 | SAR 30,000 – 45,000 |
| Launch & Deployment | App store deployment Analytics integration Monitoring setup | $5,000 – $8,000 | SAR 18,750 – 30,000 |
| Ongoing Maintenance & Updates | Bug fixes Feature enhancements Server scaling AR filter updates | $5,000 – $15,000 / month | SAR 18,750 – 56,250 / month |
MVP Range:
Full-Featured Snapchat-like App:
Building an app like Snapchat takes more than coding brilliance.
A strong Snapchat competitor would require:
That’s where Techugo comes in, a global app development company trusted by startups, enterprises, and Fortune 500 brands alike.
With a team of 250+ strategists, designers, and engineers, Techugo has delivered 1400+ apps across 20+ industries. Our headquarters in the UAE and India, along with our presence in USA, Canada, and Saudi Arabia, allow us to combine a global perspective with local expertise.
Techugo’s strength lies in turning ambitious social media ideas into market-ready platforms. Take a closer look at some of our flagship projects that highlight our ability to build youth-centric apps.
To Build a Community Around Authenticity
The aim behind building the app was to compete in an oversaturated social media market dominated by curated feeds and algorithm-driven noise. Techugo built Daylyy as a camera-first, ephemeral-sharing platform designed for Gen Z’s craving for real and unfiltered connections. The app integrated streak-style gamification, group privacy controls, and AR readiness to maximize stickiness.
Redefining Celebrity-Fan Interactions
Fans often crave personal engagement with celebrities, but existing platforms lack authenticity and monetization opportunities for creators. Thus, Techugo developed TrueFan, a social platform that gives fans exclusive access to personalized video shoutouts, contests, and interactive content from top celebrities. Built to handle mass engagement at scale, the app mirrors Snapchat’s Discover/Spotlight experience, but with a celebrity-first twist.
Results:
Daylyy’s niche youth communities and TrueFan’s celebrity-driven scale prove Techugo’s ability to deliver apps that thrive in competitive social media markets.
Costs vary widely by scope. A basic MVP with snaps, chats, and stories can range from $40K-$60K, while a full-featured app with scalable infrastructure may exceed $150K-$200K. Ongoing costs for cloud hosting, updates, and moderation can add $5K-$15K/month. Final budgets depend on platform choice (iOS/Android), feature complexity, and compliance needs.
Essential features include:
Advanced features include:
For performance, use native iOS (Swift) and Android (Kotlin) to handle advanced camera pipelines. Backend stacks like Node.js, Go, or Python power real-time chat. WebRTC, Socket.IO, and Kafka ensure low-latency messaging. Storage via AWS S3 + NoSQL (MongoDB/DynamoDB) works well for ephemeral media. ARKit/ARCore handles augmented reality. For analytics, integrate Snowflake/BigQuery. Cross-platform tools (Flutter, React Native) are an option, but they sacrifice AR and camera precision.
A working MVP typically takes 4-6 months with a dedicated team of designers, developers, and QA. This covers strategy, prototyping, and core features. A full-scale app with advanced AR, scalable backend, and monetization features may extend to 9-12 months.
Implement end-to-end encryption for private snaps and chats. Enforce ephemeral storage policies and use signed URLs for short-lived media access. Include robust age-gating and parental controls where applicable. Moderate with AI and human review to flag inappropriate content. Ensure local data residency laws in markets like Saudi Arabia.
Snapchat monetises options, including:
The hardest parts are real-time media handling, scalability, and moderation. Managing millions of daily photo/video uploads requires robust infrastructure. Privacy and compliance demand careful planning. Scaling AR features across devices is another challenge. Lastly, keeping communities safe with effective moderation is critical. Apps that fail to handle these at scale often crash under growth pressure.
The dominance of Snapchat in Saudi Arabia’s youth market proves one thing loud and clear. Gen Z isn’t looking for polished feeds but relatable connections. That’s why platforms like Snapchat continue to thrive.
Our track record in social media innovation proves that when visionary ideas meet robust technology, the results are game-changing. Two of our flagship projects, Daylyy and TrueFan, are prime examples of how Techugo transforms bold concepts into thriving digital communities. If you’re ready to capture Gen Z’s attention and build the next Snapchat-style success story, Techugo is the partner who can make it happen.
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