Made in India Clubhouse Alternatives: Chingari's Fireside and Leher App

As the invite-only social audio platform Clubhouse launched its Android app in India, the fame of audio-specific social media acceptance grew in India. The app had already launched in Japan, Brazil, Russia and the US, initially on iOS, and then Android. For both iOS and Android versions, the app still follows the invite-only feature. But post-PUBG and other Chinese App bans, made-in-India alternatives of almost all SNS are a fad. Here are two Made in India Clubhouse alternatives to try out and adopt.

1. Fireside by Chingari

Seeing the growth of Clubhouse, short-video making platform Chingari, launched its audio streaming platform Fireside. The app is available on both the iOS and Android platforms. It engages users in meaningful talks and thought-sharing with people in a complete audio format. “The pandemic has imbued uncertainty and isolation, leaving people craving for human interaction. Fireside enables users to listen to the voice of their loved ones by bridging emotional gaps, leaving them emotionally touched and connected,” Sumit Ghosh, CEO and Co-Founder, fireside, said in a statement.

While using fireside, users can do regular work like playing video games, working out, create visual art, etc. “The app will ensure that your voice is heard”, the company said. The app offers a common virtual location (room) with common shared topics or interests so that like-minded people can come together for long and meaningful conversations. The nature of the sessions on the platform can range from discussions, debates, educational talks, helplines, post-match sports reviews, quizzes, or even a leisurely banter among friends. Users can club their niche interests and chat about anything to stay up to date. They can also listen and learn as a member of the audience during audio sessions.

2. Leher

You can use Leher to listen to or watch discussions from professionals, startup entrepreneurs, investors, and marketers, etc. The app, available on Android as well as iOS, shows you live discussions. It also provides access to the past ones. You can also follow certain people on the app or can even ask them a question or send a message. Other users on the Leher app can also ask you questions or send messages that you can read by going to your profile. Further, you can invite people from your contacts to the app.

There is also an ability to share any of the recent discussions with other people via Facebook, Twitter, or other social media platforms. Further, the format is not limited to audio but inclusive of it. Users can even participate in video discussions in interest areas. The platform also hoists virtual clubs based on different interests. You can request to join any of the clubs available on the app or can start your own club for like-minded people.

Unlike Fireside, influencers and Content Creators can monetise their audience through live discussions and sell exclusive subscriptions to their communities. You can also work with brands for paid engagements and content collaborations.

Read more: Creators can now earn on the Clubhouse App with this payment feature!

Made in India Clubhouse alternatives - A Good Idea?

Clubhouse almost took the social media world by storm; thanks Elon Musk. With its audio-only feature, the app has amassed more than 10 million users in the last couple of months. It had recently launched in India on android as well as iOS, but due to the uniqueness of the idea and its invite-only feature, many have been looking for Made in India Clubhouse alternatives.

Yet, data from app tracking firms state that Clubhouse downloads are falling. That is, they have shown a decreasing new user acquisition rate. According to Sensor Tower data, the Clubhouse app saw less than a million global downloads in April. In March, the same firm reported that Clubhouse had almost 3 million downloads.  The drop looks even greater when we look at February downloads - 9.6 million. The number took a sharp turn in May, with 2 Million downloads, but still, the craze is dying.

In that case, whether these Made In India Clubhouse alternatives will survive, is a curious question. There are not plenty of Clubhouse rivals. But with the advent of Twitter Spaces, LinkedIn and Spotify's Clubhouse Clones in making and Facebook's Hotline, these giants will take a large chunk of the market. Here, industry leaders already have a huge fanbase, so why would they move on to these Indian alternatives? Even Clubhouse won't stand a chance.

Both Leher App and Fireside already have 100,000 downloads on Google Play Store. On iOS,