As the US prepares for the upcoming TikTok ban, set to take effect on January 19, users have been looking for alternative platforms to migrate to. Amid the uncertainty, a Chinese app called Red Note has unexpectedly emerged as an excellent replacement, reaching the top spot in Apple’s App Store charts for iPhone today.

While competitors like Lemon8 have had a Western presence for some time, Red Note (known as Xiaohongshu in China) is largely unknown to most Americans. Similar to TikTok and other increasingly multimedia platforms, Red Note offers a digital space for sharing photos, short videos and text posts. Through Follow, Explore, and Nearby feeds, users can view content from their networks while interacting with their local community and discovering global trends.

Accordingly CNBCRed Note was founded in Shanghai in 2013 and slowly became a competitor to ByteDance’s TikTok. CNBC reported that the app had 300 million monthly active users as of July 2024 and that the app was valued at $17 billion following a recent funding round.

It’s worth noting that Red Note is followed by a number of other alternatives that also serve as safe havens for “TikTok refugees.” As mentioned, Lemon8 comes in second, followed by Californian startup Flip in fourth place. In line with legislation passed by the US Congress in 2024, retailers like the Apple Store and Google Play will be severely penalized if they continue to host from TikTok. At the time of writing, the US government has no plans to lift the ban.

Stay tuned to Hypebeast for updates on the upcoming TikTok ban and other social media news.