YouTube Shorts vs Instagram Reels: A complete comparison

Which platform is the best for short-form videos: YouTube Shorts or Instagram Reels? There is no one specific answer, so let’s explore it in detail!

The massive popularity of short-form video content has made it a highly competitive space. Whether you are using YouTube Shorts or Instagram Reels, you will find thousands of short-form videos in numerous niches, which proves their importance in the digital era.

However, there are some significant differences between YouTube Shorts vs Instagram Reels in terms of their audience, monetization, content type, and other such key features. 

So, if you are curious about these differences and want to choose the best platform for your short-form videos, you are in the right place!

Key statistics about short-form videos

Before we dive into the detailed insights into the differences between Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts, let’s fully understand the importance of short-form videos by looking at some key statistics:

• Short-form videos are generating up to $10 billion in revenue
• Videos under 90 seconds retain 50% of the viewers, and the viewers are able to retain 95% of the message conveyed in a short-form video. (Source)
• Short-form videos get 2.5 more engagement on social media than long-form videos.
• Creating engaging short-form videos as part of the marketing strategy can increase conversions and sales by up to 80%.
• YouTube Shorts has more than 2 billion users who are logged in. 
• The number of users on Instagram Reels has crossed 2.5 billion. 

These statistics are evidence that YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, and short-form video content, in general, are great opportunities for both personal and professional social media accounts to reach a massive audience.

So, let’s see what exactly YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels are and their core differences.

What are YouTube Shorts?

YouTube Shorts is a section within the YouTube platform that allows users to share 15 to 60-second short videos. It started in 2020. These videos are referred to as YouTube Shorts.

Brands and content creators typically use YouTube Shorts as teasers for their upcoming long-form content. However, encapsulating an entire interesting video idea within YouTube Shorts is also becoming more popular. 

Here’s an example of a YouTube Short:

The ultimate goal of bite-sized short videos on YouTube is to make it easier for users to consume content in its entirety. An important thing to note about YouTube Shorts is that they are always in portrait orientation, so they are best suited to watch on a smartphone. 

Examples

Here’s an example of a YouTube short video used as a teaser to a long-form video (a movie). 

Here’s another example of a unique short video specifically created for YouTube Shorts:

Related: How to monetize YouTube shorts: Tips and tricks for success?

What are Instagram Reels?  

Instagram Reels are highly popular short-form engaging videos that typically have a duration of 15 to 90 seconds. The video editing features of Instagram, such as adding music, text, and filters, have contributed a lot towards the rising popularity of Instagram Reels and amassing over 2 billion users. 

Since short-form video content drives more engagement and views, Instagram now focuses on promoting the Reels instead of the traditional image posts or Stories.

Here’s an example of an Instagram Reel:

While all types of brands, organizations, and content creators are using Instagram Reels, they are more popular for lifestyle content and challenges. Using Instagram reels to grow your business can also be a key strategy, using creative and engaging short-form videos to increase visibility and drive business growth.

Overall, Instagram Reels are a great feature for Instagram users to publish engaging short-form videos and attract a wide audience, along with increasing their engagement level.

Battle of the short-form videos: YouTube Shorts vs. Instagram Reels 

Now that we have discussed the basics of Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts, it is time to dive deep into the differences between these two highly popular short-form video content platforms. 

Certain similarities definitely exist between YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels, such as extensive music libraries and a massive audience. 

However, by comparing YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels and understanding their differences in terms of features, you will be in a great position to pick the right platform to post your short-form content and reach your target audience. 

Origin stories: How YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels started?

The rising popularity and usage of TikTok prompted Google to come up with the idea of YouTube Shorts in 2019.

When TikTok was banned in India in 2020, the YouTube Shorts beta version was immediately released to fill this space. 

The global launch of YouTube Shorts was in July 2021, and there has been no looking back as the Shorts have collectively earned more than 5 trillion views as of May 2024. 

The origin story of Instagram Reels is quite similar to YouTube Shorts. Instagram also started the Reels feature to compete with TikTok in 2020. Initially, Instagram allowed each Reel to be up to 15 seconds, but it has now expanded to 90 seconds. 

In 2021, Instagram added full-screen advertisements in Reels, but tagged such ads as “sponsored” to make them different from the user-generated Reels. 

The major difference between the origins of YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels is that Shorts were introduced as an additional form of content creation to help YouTube creators promote their long-form content, while Reels always focused on unique short-form video creation. 

Related: 15 trendy YouTube Shorts ideas for your upcoming videos

Audience engagement: Analyzing user interaction and preferences

YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels have significant differences in their audience engagement level and the way their algorithm works. 

YouTube Shorts to boost long-form videos

If you have a YouTube channel with a large following, Shorts are a great way to reach your target audience and increase engagement.

Even users with new channels and very few subscribers can reach a wide audience by using relevant hashtags.

Hence, YouTube Shorts is an effective way of increasing the popularity of your long-form YouTube videos. 

Instagram Reels to target a niche audience

Instagram Reels operate in an oversaturated space in which Reels from both personal and Business accounts are shown together, and users scroll through them continuously. 

Moreover, Instagram’s algorithm determines the types of Reels shown to users based on their personalized content preferences. As a result, there is a greater chance of your Reel being missed by users.

So, when it comes to targeting a diverse audience, YouTube Shorts is better than Instagram Reels.  

Related: Instagram Reel hashtags: Boost your Reel engagement

Algorithm insights: How content gets discovered

The algorithms of YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels are quite different from each other because they have varying content discovery systems. 

Since Instagram’s algorithm is focused on promoting original content on its platform, the Reels are part of the main Instagram feed and the Explore section.

As a result, users see the Reels while scrolling through Instagram. According to the algorithm, users see videos and Reels based on their history. 

On the other hand, YouTube has a dedicated Shorts section to ensure there is a clear difference between the long-form content and short-form videos available on the platform.

YouTube Shorts use YouTube’s recommendation system to promote relevant content to the users, but they are not mixed with long videos. 

Content creation: Tools and features for creatives

The content creation features of YouTube Shorts vs. Instagram Reels can be compared in terms of their music library and availability of effects and filters. 

Effects and filters

YouTube Shorts have very limited editing features and filters. In comparison, Instagram Reels has a large library of effects and filters that allow users to create engaging short-form videos and attract more users. 

The following editing and Shorts creation features are available on YouTube:

Other than the filters, Instagram Reels also have editing features like adding stickers, running polls, and tagging people in the short video. While YouTube Shorts is continually expanding its effects and filter options, Instagram Reels is clearly the winner in this area. 

Instagram has the following editing and Reels creation features, along with an extensive filter library. 

Music library

Music is an integral part of short form videos. Instagram Reels has an ever-expanding music library, but its strict policy on copyright infringement has made the collection smaller than YouTube Shorts. 

YouTube Shorts already has an extensive music library that is full of mainstream music as well as popular covers. Hence, it becomes easy for content creators and brands to find suitable music for their Shorts from its library that is currently much larger than Instagram Reels. 

Monetization opportunities for creators

Considering the YouTube Shorts vs Instagram Reels monetization opportunities is an important factor to consider when comparing these hugely popular platforms.

Let’s discuss the monetization method and opportunities one by one:

Straightforward monetization of YouTube Shorts

Monetizing the YouTube Shorts is comparatively quicker and easier once you hit the of joining the YouTube Partner Program. These requirements are

• gaining at least 1,000 subscribers
• getting either 4,000 public watch hours on the long-form content in the last 365 days or 10 million public Shorts views in the last 90 days on your YouTube channel. 

Once you have joined the YouTube Partner Program, the eligible Shorts on your channel will be monetized. 

Shorts eligible for monetization comply with YouTube’s comprehensive adveriser-friendly content guidelines. Moreover, the content of your Shorts should be original and not cut or unedited clips from TV shows that you don’t have the rights to.

According to the official guidelines by YouTube, the monetization of Shorts works as follows:

Source

In short, the monetization of YouTube Shorts is mainly linked with your participation in the YouTube Partner Program.

Multiple monetization opportunities in Instagram Reels

Instagram had an invite-only bonus program called the Instagram Reels Play to allow content creators to earn money by generating unique and engaging Reels for the platform.

However, the program was discontinued in March 2023. As a result, users currently don’t have a specific program like Reels Play or YouTube Partner Program to monetize their Reels on Instagram. 

Nevertheless, there are several other ways to monetize Instagram Reels:

1. Brand partnerships: Instagram influencers and accounts with substantial following often get the opportunity to partner up with different brands within their niche and get paid in exchange for promoting such brands. 
2. Sell a product via Reel: Selling both digital and physical products via Instagram Reels is another effective way of making money through them.
3. Add shopping tags: If you have an online store, you can add shoppable product tags within your Reel to let your audience buy directly from the short video.
4. Affiliate marketing: The truth is being an affiliate never goes out of fashion whether you are just promoting a product through a call or via Instagram Reels. For example, you can become an Amazon affiliate and make Reels about interesting products on Amazon and include the affiliate link within your Reel.
5. Sell services: You can also sell services through Instagram Reels, such as tourism trips, digital marketing, legal services, etc.
6. Offer subscriptions: You can build a community of loyal subscribers on Instagram, like Patreon, and offer exclusive content to your subscribers.
7. Instagram Gifts: Instagram has a new feature called Gifts that is available to only a list of select creators. If you are eligible for this program, you can monetize your Reels and receive gifts from your followers. 

Source

Considering these different methods of YouTube Shorts vs Instagram Reels monetization, it can be said that YouTube Shorts is a good option for those who already have a large base on YouTube, but Instagram Reels monetization is better for both new and well-known Instagram users. 

Like, dislike, and DM features

Instagram Reels only have a heart-shaped button for viewers to tap when they like a Reel. There is no option to dislike an Instagram Reel. Moreover, Instagram also provides a feature to directly message the user who uploaded the Reel from the video and bookmark the reel for later viewing.

On the other hand, YouTube does not have a direct messaging option, as you can only comment on the Short. But it has a thumbs-up button to like and a thumbs-down button to dislike a Short.

Video privacy options

Privacy options are also vital to consider in YouTube Shorts vs Instagram Reels as they have a significant impact on the type of content you can post on your accounts. 

The video privacy options in YouTube Shorts are simple and straightforward. You can easily post videos privately and only share them with a selected group of individuals through a link. 

On the other hand, the privacy settings for all the Instagram Reels are in accordance with the creator’s privacy settings. This means that reels posted from a public Instagram account are available to the entire public, while you’ll have to go private to make videos visible only to your followers. 

Considering these options, YouTube Shorts is clearly the winner here as it allows you to configure the privacy of individual videos as per your requirements and the content of the video. 

Video descriptions

Both Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts allow you to add descriptions to your short-form videos to increase their reach. 

YouTube Shorts puts a greater emphasis on optimizing your Shorts with a concise title that can be up to 100 characters. You should include the relevant keywords in the description. 

On the other hand, Instagram Reels allows up to 2,200 characters in the description, and you can add up to 30 hashtags to enhance searchability. Both YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels support editing the description after you have uploaded the content. 

Related: How to make short form video content that stands out in 2025?

Video duration

The length of your short-form video can be the make-or-break factor when choosing between YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels. 

The content on YouTube Shorts can last only 60 seconds, while Instagram Reels can be up to 90 seconds long. Therefore, you should analyze the type and style of your content and the general trend within your niche to determine which platform will be more suited to fulfill your content duration requirements. 

Related: How to make short form video content that stands out in 2025?

The future of short-form content on YouTube and Instagram

The detailed comparison of YouTube Shorts vs. Instagram Reels makes it clear that there is a lot of competition in the vertical short-form video content format.

With the evolution of technology and the rise of AI in the video content creation industry, short-form video content is expected to keep growing in the near future. 

There is enough space in the industry for both YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels to grow and amass a massive audience.

While YouTube Shorts’ audience is likely to be more focused on promoting their long-form content via Shorts, Instagram’s audience is likely to keep generating unique content for the platform. 

It is also possible that Instagram will relaunch the Reels Play program or come up with another monetization incentive to make it easier for content creators to earn money via Reels.

Overall, the entire short-form video space is full of opportunities, and many more advancements and improvements are expected in the future. 

YouTube Shorts or Instagram Reels — Which one would you pick? 

Now that we have established the fact that short-form video content will keep becoming more popular and that there are significant differences between Instagram Reels vs YouTube Shorts, let’s summarize which one you should pick and when:

• Greater reach and a diverse audience – YouTube Shorts
• Editing features – Instagram Reels
• Music library – YouTube Shorts
• Branded content – Instagram Reels
• More monetization options – Instagram Reels
• Privacy options – YouTube Shorts
• Detailed video description – YouTube Shorts

You should analyze the requirements and social media goals you want to achieve through your short-form video content. Then consider these features and pick the right platform from YouTube Shorts vs Instagram Reels that can fulfill your goals and requirements. 

FAQs 

Which platform is best for shorts?

The best platform to post short-form video content is dependent on your target audience base and the type of content you want to generate for them. Generally, if you are targeting a diverse audience or if you already have long-form videos on YouTube, then YouTube Shorts is the right choice. On the other hand, if you are starting out or if you want to create short, unique videos, you should use Instagram Reels. 

Which pays more, Reels or Shorts?

There is no one specific example in which the revenue from Reels and Shorts can be compared because both of them have very different monetization options. 

Generally, you can earn anywhere between $0.01 to $0.06 for 1000 views on YouTube Shorts. This range can greatly vary on the basis of the country your Shorts are being played in and the total number of views your Shorts are getting. 

On the other hand, Instagram Reels does not have such a range because your revenue is fully dependent on the monetization method. 

Statistics show that if you have an Instagram account with a massive following, you can generate revenue as high as $5000 or even more, but if you have a smaller account, your revenue can be as low as $100. 

Can I repurpose my long-form content for YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels?

Yes, you can repurpose your long-form content for YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels. In fact, it is highly recommended that you make clips of interesting parts from a long video and post them as short-form content to generate excitement among your audience and increase engagement. 

The good thing is that a platform like ContentStudio can help you post and schedule the Shorts and Reels simultaneously from a single dashboard. Hence, you don’t have to use different tools to post engaging content across social media platforms.