Difference Between Facebook and Facebook Lite

Social media platforms have unquestionably changed the face of private and public communication. Social media is now mainstream media and differentiates itself by being interactive. Not only social media sites provide immense reach but they also are interactive. Facebook is the most leading social networking platform among the many. In 2012, Mark Zuckerberg claimed to have more than 1 billion active users. Facebook was launched in February 2004 and is operated and owned by Facebook Inc. But the social media giant has come a long way since it was launched. Facebook has changed the way we communicate, socialize, and advertise.

However, not everyone has the luxury of enjoying high-speed data or a high-end smartphone with more gigabytes of RAM. For those who have so-called feature phones that have data but lack sophistication of smartphones, Facebook launched a light version of its already-popular app called Facebook Lite. The Lite is aimed for typical Android phones that account for about two-thirds of the global smartphone market but connect to slower networks than your regular smartphone. It’s specially designed for low-spec phones and low speed connections. Let’s compare the two apps – Facebook and Facebook Lite.

What is Facebook?

Facebook is one of the most popular social networking website that allows users to connect with friends and family online from virtually anywhere in the world. Founded by Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook is probably the world’s largest community where people from all over the world post, comment, and share their most loved memories in the form of pictures or videos. Facebook app offers a much convenient and faster way to connect with friends and family.

What is Facebook Lite?

Facebook Lite is basically a trimmed version of the original Facebook app specially designed for low-spec phones and unstable internet connections. At just over 1 MB, Facebook Lite is an exceptionally lightweight app that delivers a low-bandwidth experience but still feels pretty much like the standard Facebook but without the additional bells and whistles. This small version of the Facebook app not only consumes less RAM and CPU power, but also saves a great deal of space on your phone while working just fine in 2G conditions.

Difference between Facebook and Facebook Lite

1. Basics

 – Facebook Lite is a stripped version of the main Facebook app that uses a sophisticated combination of a lightweight app on the phone, which is one-hundredth the size of the Facebook iOS app and which downloads in less than a minute or so, even on 2G/3G networks. The Lite delivers a low-bandwidth experience that still feels very much like Facebook and does almost everything the main Facebook does. Facebook Lite is a mere 1 MB and works fine on slow internet speed but still very optimized for a smooth social networking experience.

2. Resource Usage

 – Facebook Lite is the cut-down version of the main Facebook app optimized for speed and specially designed to use a fewer system resources as possible. The Lite uses less RAM and CPU power while being almost equally useful. You can do all the basic stuff with the Lite, such as update status, post photos and videos, comment, read status updates, write on peoples’ walls, and more. It efficiently does all that without consuming more data. And it does that by not downloading high-resolution images or auto playing videos but still performs as good as the main app.

3. User Interface 

 Facebook main app is a full-featured app with a nice user interface and high-quality images and videos. The Facebook Lite app is totally the opposite of the main app. Facebook Lite is all white and it slims down your social experience but it still is pretty functional. It is an unpolished version of the original app with the basic looks and dated UI elements. Images seem a bit grainy, buttons look blockier, icons are smaller, and it lacks animations and graphical elements, and pretty much all the fancy stuff that the main app so wonderfully boasts of.

4. Speed

 – In terms of speed, the Facebook Lite has definitely the upper hand here. It’s in every way, the best alternative to the original Facebook app. If the performance of the standard app frustrates you, the Facebook Lite is just the thing to keep you going without losing much of the features. Moreover, the Lite runs just fine on low speed internet connections without consuming more RAM and data. The lack of larger UI elements makes it less power-hungry, making it load faster than the standard app. Besides, you get pretty much everything, like the news feed, main menu options, etc.

5. Messenger 

– The Messenger initially came pre-built with the native Facebook app but later got separated from the main app to become a standalone messaging app and platform. The Lite version of Messenger is the trimmed version of the original Messenger app, just like Facebook Lite, which a stripped version of the standard Facebook app. Like the Facebook Lite, Messenger Lite is a messaging platform but without the unnecessary bells and whistles. Unlike the original Messenger app, the Lite version has no themes, no wallpapers, and no distractions – just messaging.

Facebook vs. Facebook Lite: Comparison Chart

Summary of Facebook vs. Facebook Lite

In a nutshell, Facebook Lite is specially designed for low-spec phones and low speed connections, but offers almost everything that the standard Facebook offers, but with a fewer bells and whistles. You can carry out all the basic activities, like update your status, post photos and videos, accept friend requests, posts on people’s wall, and more. Facebook Lite focuses purely on people, so it lacks the UI elements of the original Facebook app but it doesn’t look all that different either, considering it still might be the best alternative to the original Facebook app but in a small package.

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