In what year did Snapchat launch?

Snapchat launched in 2011. The app first appeared on iOS on July 8, 2011, when Evan Spiegel, Bobby Murphy, and Reggie Brown released it under the name Picaboo.

The original idea centered on sending photos that would disappear after being viewed. That temporary format distinguished Snapchat from permanent photo-sharing services and helped define its early identity. The app was relaunched as Snapchat in September 2011, still during its first year.

A common mix-up is 2012, because Snapchat began attracting major investment and broader attention around that time. Its Android version arrived in 2012, and many later milestones—including Stories in 2013 and the company’s 2017 stock-market debut—are sometimes mistaken for the launch date. The app’s initial public release, however, dates to 2011.