Snapchat’s problem is they still haven’t pivoted to the mainstream, a necessity for every social app to grow and survive. It’s OK to be edgy and exclusive in the early stages, but at some point you have to make your product more available and accessible if you want to expand your market.

Consider this: Snapchat not only went mobile-first, they went — by their own admission — iOS-first. Imagine the leadership myopia required to be still prioritizing a single platform (not just form factor, platform) over 5 years after launch while the product languished on Android, which most of the world uses.

Another problem is Snapchat lacks a web component, which means content can’t be embedded and locks out desktop users.

A 3rd problem is you can use only 1 device with your Snapchat account, which is just stupidly limiting.

Lastly, Snapchat has been slow to add analytics capabilities that allow brands to measure their impact and reach.

Meanwhile Instagram has largely solved all the above problems: they have Android, iOS, and Windows UWP apps, they have a desktop-accessible website, their content is embeddable, and you can use as many devices as you can sign into. There are also quite a few 3rd party Instagram analytics and account management options.

Snapchat is what happens when startups overstay their time in the echo chamber, circle jerk West Coast startup bubble in which everyone uses the latest iPhone as their primary device to the exclusion of everything else. It’s also what happens when entrepreneurs confuse the ability to create an initially disruptive product with the ability break into the mainstream, widen their audience, and push growth beyond the aforesaid bubble.

TL,DR: Snapchat is simply too cool for its own good.