Want to create an app like TikTok, but are not well-versed with coding and app development? Then, this blog is for you! Continue reading
TikTok is clearly dominating the global short video market with over 3 billion app downloads and 1.59 billion monthly active users. And there is hardly any other short video app that has even come close to beating it yet. And that’s where lies the biggest opportunity! If you create an app like TikTok, you can probably capture this short video market very easily.
Short videos are one of the most consumed content types on the internet today. Entrepreneurs, artists, sellers, everyone is making short-form videos, and TikTok is one of the most popular social media markets to share them. The reach has broken records, and this is the reason all major social media platforms are building TikTok like video platforms.
If creating such videos is such a profitable business, hosting them is a goldmine. In this blog, we will guide you on how to create an app like TikTok in a step-by-step manner, without writing a single line of code! So, let’s begin.
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TikTok is a short video-sharing platform where you can share videos (usually short but can be up to 10 minutes long) with your followers (in case of private accounts) and other TikTok users (in case of public accounts).
TikTok is immensely popular across the globe, and its popularity can be testified using the number of users it has worldwide. Back in 2018, when it was relatively new, it had around 347.1 million users worldwide. And today, as of 2025, the short-form video sharing platform boasts over 1.59 billion monthly active users globally, and is one of the most popular social networks worldwide.
Currently, the TikTok app is available for download in over 150 countries. As of October 2025, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are the countries with the highest TikTok reach, with virtually 154.3 percent and 134.6 percent of the population aged 18 and older using the popular social video app, respectively.
Mostly, the younger audience is associated with a TikTok-like app. As per Demand Sage’s report, about 66% of TikTok users are between 18 and 34 years old. Among these users, 55.7% are male, and the rest 44.3% users are female.
In 2017, Beijing-based technology company ByteDance launched TikTok as an international version of the already popular Chinese video-sharing platform Douyin. In the first year, it was running well (but not in the way it runs today).
In November 2017, ByteDance acquired Musical.ly, another popular short-video-sharing platform known for its lip-sync videos, and merged it with TikTok in 2018. After this merger, TikTok’s popularity started skyrocketing, and it never looked back!
So, if you’re planning to make an app like TikTok, then it’s important for you to understand what made TikTok so Viral and Popular among the young generations.
Now the question comes: why is TikTok so popular? Logically speaking, TikTok mainly hosts user-generated videos, which might not be of any value at times. But still, it is THE most popular video-sharing app worldwide. WHY is it so?
Actually, the popularity of TikTok can be dissected into two different theories: The first being the users themselves, and the second being the platform features. Let’s start with the users first.
The popularity of TikTok tells us the following things:
TikTok successfully managed to tick all four boxes and hence became a favorite platform for users. But there were some features that helped grow its popularity. Before proceeding with how to create an app like TikTok, let’s first talk about its standout features.
Developing an app like TikTok is not an easy thing; you need to ensure your short video app has all the essential features that would ensure a seamless video streaming experience for viewers. Here we will talk about both the basic and advanced streaming that are must for apps like TikTok. Let’s start with the essentials first.
These features of TikTok let users create videos, add filters, and upload them. In short, these are the most essential features that are needed for the platform’s basic operations. So, if you are planning to create an app like TikTok, then don’t forget to include these essential features in your short video app.
Using this feature, TikTok allows users to upload their videos. There are two options here. The users can either create their own videos on the platform itself or they can upload them from their mobile storage. In the case of uploaded videos, the maximum length can be 10 minutes, but for created videos, it can be up to three minutes. The minimum length of the videos is 15 seconds.
The users can edit the uploaded videos before publishing them. They can crop, rotate, flip, and increase or decrease the playback speed.
The users can choose a song to lip-sync. They can create a video in the app where they dance or act to this song.
TikTok is known for offering a large library of amazing video filters. Also, you can add multiple effects to your short videos to make them more eye-catching.
Your followers and viewers can like your TikTok video and comment on it. This creates a relation between the viewer and the creator, building trust.
TikTok lets you follow other people on the platform. The followers can view your videos and like and comment on them.
You get notified when someone likes or comments on your videos, or requests to follow you.
These are those out-of-the-box special features that make TikTok stand out amongst the crowd. So, if you want higher audience engagement like TikTok in your own-branded short video platform, then you must include these advanced features.
TikTok lets you share your videos on other social media platforms using the social sharing feature.
This feature allows users to lip-sync to a single song with any other TikTok user across the globe.
TikTok lets you stream live videos. You can even earn from your live streams via virtual gifts.
This feature lets you stream your videos to your nearby locations only.
The users can check the performance of their videos in real-time.
Before starting to create an app like TikTok, it’s critical to do a thorough market analysis and answer the following questions.
If you want to create an app like TikTok, then you must understand what type of audience you are catering to. Short video platforms are highly popular among young adults. To ensure good engagement and success, it’s essential to cater to the viewing habits of your target audience. Short videos cannot just be for entertainment. It can be educational as well. Be careful while defining the category.
How many days do you have in your hand? If you have enough time (and by enough, we mean around a year, or even more), then only you can attempt to develop an app like TikTok from scratch. Otherwise, it is advisable to use a no-code app builder like Muvi Shorts and create an app like TikTok instantly. No coding – No technical hassles. Simply sign up and launch your own TikTok.
Do you want to monetize your short videos? If yes, then how? There can be many types of monetization. Including subscription, ad-supported subscription, pay-per-view, and ad-based streaming. It starts with ad-based revenues, but as platforms and artists grow, a certain part of the content can be member-only, giving exclusive access to the people who pay, creating more than one revenue stream.
The internet is flooded with hundreds of apps like TikTok. Now, with AI coming, the level of customization and editing capabilities has further increased. The following core features are non-negotiable for any short-form video platform that aims to compete with apps like TikTok.
At the heart of any video-sharing platform lies the video recording and sharing capability. Users should be able to upload videos seamlessly and even use the in-app camera to record videos directly. Support should also be there for faster uploads and processing of content.
The app must also empower the creator with certain editing tools that can offer basic editing features. This retains more users and at the same time ensures video editing is less difficult, so more and more people can do it.
Social interactions improve chances of virality. Adding features such as like, share, comment, follows, mentions etc improve engagement. Real-time notifications for interactions keep users coming back, while comment moderation tools ensure healthy discussions.
If you plan to create an app like TikTok, you must understand that such platforms have to deal with massive user-generated data daily. To scale responsibly, your video app must prioritise content safety and platform trust. Implement AI along with manual review to maintain platform integrity.
Now, coming to the primary question of this blog, how can you create an app like TikTok very easily, without coding, in a very short time?
Well, the easiest way is to use a no-code app builder like Muvi Shorts.
Muvi Shorts is an end-to-end short video streaming platform that allows you to launch an app like TikTok instantly. Whether you’re a content creator, marketer, or business owner, Muvi Shorts offers the perfect tool to amplify your brand and connect with your audience. Add your short videos, or allow your users to add the short videos that you can review and approve. Manage everything from a single screen.
Below, we will show you the steps to create an app like TikTok using Muvi Shorts.
In the first step, you will have to sign up with Muvi One by clicking on the Sign Up link. Make the payment and purchase a subscription to proceed. If you’re not sure about buying a Muvi subscription, you can take the 14-day free trial and start building your TikTok-like app.
After logging in to your dashboard, go to the “Content Management” section and enter the “Content Settings”.
In “Content Settings”, click on “Advanced”. The following screen will appear.
Here, go to the “User Generated Content” section, and enable it. Also, you will get another option in “Shorts” or Muvi Shorts, so enable it too!
After enabling these two, enable the “Content Review Workflow” too, so that you can review the short videos uploaded by your users before they go live on the platform.
Now, go to the apps section, and click on Android or iOS (whichever you want to build).
Fill out the app request form and submit it.
For the Android app, you will get the app SDK within just a few minutes of submitting the app form using the “Try App” feature.
Go to the App Templates, and choose a design template. Below the template, you will get a “Customize” button, which will take you to the mobile visual designer. You can customize your app banner, logo, and other design elements from the mobile VD.
When your users log in to your created short video app, they will be able to see a “Plus” button at the bottom center of the home screen. So, when they click on the “Plus” button, they will get a content form where they can add their short video content. They can also trim and edit the videos before uploading them.
You can view all the short video content uploaded by your viewers in the content library. You can review those videos and approve or reject them.
Also, you can add comments on the content if you want to tell your user why you rejected the content.
Muvi Shorts gives you an edge over your competitors for the following reasons:
Using Muvi Shorts, you can create your own video app without any coding. You get everything out of the box, from CDN to DRM, and from player to design templates. You just need to sign up with Muvi Shorts, log in to the CMS, choose a suitable design template, customize it, and submit the app application form. It’s as simple as that!
Try Muvi Shorts FREE for 14 days! Sign Up here to get started.
Creating a TikTok-like app is never easy, but with platforms like Muvi One, you can build yours today. If data is to be believed, it is the most popular video format today, the short video format, and that is the reason every social media giant has it. Short video platforms like TikTok are very simple platforms. They do not need an over-complicated UI. All they require is a simple interactive screen and a backend that manages user-generated content and viewer’s interaction.
The opportunity is massive and Muvi can help you grab it globally with its short video platform builder. You can capture this market easily by creating your own short-video streaming app like TikTok, using Muvi Shorts. You don’t need to write a single line of code. Enjoy the complete built-in infrastructure with multiple features out of the box. Sign up to start your 14-day free trial today!
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Yes, you can create an app like TikTok using Muvi Shorts very easily. You won’t have to write a single line of code! For more details, click here.
Yes, due to built-in CDN, multiple payment gateways, and monetization models, apps built using Muvi Shorts are perfectly scalable.
Muvi Shorts is packed with multiple security features that ensure the security of all types of data, including your content and user data, available within your app database.
Yes, you can either improve your app yourself, add new features, or request our support team to do so on your behalf.
No, you won’t need any technical expertise. You just need to fill out some forms, add content, and customize the design of your app. There is no need for any coding or other technical work.
Written by: Debarpita Banerjee
Debarpita is a Content Writer with Muvi. With around 2 years of experience in content creation, she has worked across industries like SaaS, EdTech, eLearning, AR-VR, and Metaverse. She believes in delivering content that can be of some value to the readers. In her free time, she likes to try her hand at website and app development.
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