Amino Apps

Niche community platform with significant reach among Gen Z fandom communities

Amino Apps was a mobile social networking platform that operated a network of community-based apps focused on specific fandoms, interests, and hobbies. Founded in 2012, the platform allowed users to discover and join communities around topics ranging from anime and K-pop to gaming and art. Each community functioned as a standalone app where users could share content, chat, create blogs, and participate in polls and quizzes. The platform attracted a predominantly Gen Z audience and grew to host thousands of communities with millions of active users. Amino Apps monetized primarily through mobile advertising, including banner ads, interstitials, and video ads, as well as through the sale of virtual currency (Amino Coins) that users could purchase to buy virtual gifts and premium features. The company was acquired by MediaLab in January 2021, which also owns other social platforms like Kik and Whisper. Following the acquisition, Amino continued to operate under MediaLab's ownership but faced challenges including layoffs and declining user engagement. In 2024, MediaLab announced it would be shutting down Amino Apps, with the platform ceasing operations. The shutdown marked the end of one of the larger niche community platforms that had served as a hub for fan communities and interest-based social networking during the 2010s and early 2020s.