X Spaces vs Clubhouse: Examining the Evolution of Social Audio Platforms
Do you remember the times when text messaging was the norm and the preferred way to communicate with your friends? Well, those days are over. Now the new communication trend is audio chat rooms. When a new trend comes out and takes the internet by storm, the responsibility falls usually on one (or more) social media platforms.
So, who is responsible for the return of audio conversations? The answer is not a very clear one. It might be one of the two, or both – X Spaces and Clubhouse. Being the biggest names in the voice-based social network sphere, the battle between the two was inevitable. Everyone wants to know – which one is better. Are there advantages of using one over the other? Are there significant differences between the two or it doesn’t matter which one you choose? We are here to answer all of your questions and to perform a detailed analysis of the platforms. Here it goes – X Spaces vs Clubhouse.
What is X Spaces?
X Spaces was previously known as Twitter Spaces and is now a feature of Elon Musk’s platform X. Spaces allows X app users to engage in audio conversations within the platform. You can create your own Space and be the host or join one created by someone else. X Spaces are public, so anyone can join and listen be they your followers or not. If you want to try X Spaces out, you just have to download the X app which is available for both iOS and Android, or access it directly from the web for listening-only purposes.
What is Clubhouse?
Clubhouse is a social audio app through which users can listen to and speak with contacts through audio chat rooms. However, Clubhouse has a certain reputation when it comes to who can use it and who cannot. It grew in popularity due to the exclusivity factor. Only people who received an invite could join and it was extremely popular extremely among celebrities. Now the app is open for everyone to join, so the invite-only thing is no longer the case.
X Spaces vs Clubhouse – Feature Comparison
At first glance, X Spaces and Clubhouse seem rather similar. They share the same purpose – offering a space for voice-based interactions. However, if you look closer, you will see that while that is true, there are significant differences in the way the platforms work and what they have to offer. Here are the feature comparisons you need to know.
Data Storage
One big difference between X Spaces and Clubhouse is the way in which they handle your data. In terms of whether they record your conversations or not, both apps do it. However, when it comes to the period for which the recordings are stored by the app, X can do it for longer. Clubhouse deletes them automatically after 30 days if no one reports something related to that conversation. X, on the other hand, stores the recordings for 30 days to check them for violations. They can be retained for a total of 90 days due to the user appeal process.
Transcripts
Regarding the availability of the transcripts, only X offers them to the hosts of the Space. Not only do the hosts have access to them, but the participants can also request their part of the conversation transcript. X has even bigger plans for X Spaces – they plan on turning these audio interactions into a permanent type of content. As opposed to this, Clubhouse offers a space for live interactions that are meant to stay in the moment and not be revisited later.
App Independence
This is a major difference between the two social audio platforms. Clubhouse is a stand-alone app that has the sole purpose of providing users with the space and the tools to host and join, to speak and listen to other people. X Spaces, on the other hand, is just a feature of the social media platform X. It can only be used from a mobile device as the web version only allows participants to listen.
Content Availability
In terms of content availability, Spaces are public. They can be accessed by anyone and some people might listen without appearing in the guest list. When hosting a Space, it will appear at the top of the page of your timeline. If you want to invite someone or let them know you are hosting a Space, you can share the conversation link. In terms of how many people can join and talk at the same time, X Spces offers limited spots. The host can invite two co-hosts and besides them, another ten people can join the conversation and speak at the same time. Clubhouse lets you scroll through multiple rooms that are available to the public and you can choose one to join. On Clubhouse audio conversations are taken to a whole other level. A chat on Clubhouse supports up to 5,000 participants. Besides participants, in the chat, there are the people who created it and the moderators who are in charge of overseeing the conversation and can allow participants to speak. A participant can request to speak by raising their hand.
Platform
At the beginning of its journey, Clubhouse was an app available only to iOS users. Now iOS and Android users alike can download it and benefit from endless voice-based interactions. X Spaces has been available for iOS and Android users from the start. Spaces can also be accessed from the browser, but only for passive participation – listening.
Number of Users
Being part of the X platform, X Spaces benefits from a bigger chance of being discovered. Currently, there are over 250 million people that access X on a daily basis. Audio-based interactions are also a hit on the platform. With more than 2.4 million hours of audio content, X Spaces is home to more than 2 million Spaces. Clubhouse too doesn’t suffer from a lack in popularity. Over less than four years, Clubhouse went from 600 thousand weekly active users to 10 million.
Who should use X Spaces?
X is a powerful and influential platform. This is why if you are looking for a place to engage in voice-based conversations and already have an X account that you use on a regular basis, X Spaces is a great choice for you. Also, if you are looking for a more intimate space where you can talk with a smaller group of people, X Spaces might be ideal for you. Another reason why you might be inclined to choose X Spaces is the possibility of recording and using it later as permanent content.
Who should use Clubhouse?
Clubhouse is an independent app, meaning that its sole purpose is to offer users a place where they can participate in audio conversations. If you are in search of an app that can provide you with just that, look no further – Clubhouse is perfect for you. Even more so if you want to hear the opinions of multiple people and become part of a very large community. Also, Clubhouse is for those who like to live in the moment – so you don’t need a recording to remember conversations by.
Even though conversations based solely on audio were considered a thing of the past, they are back now. Two platforms that offer great places for these types of conversations are X and Clubhouse. When choosing one of the two, it all comes down to personal preferences and needs. For X users who want to engage in smaller chats and record them, X Spaces is what we recommend. For non-X users who want to engage in one-time conversations with a great number of people, Clubhouse is the more indicated alternative.
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