With its declining growth, is Bondee just a fad?

Slightly over a month after its explosive launch, Bondee’s novelty may already be fading.

Thanks to its cute avatars and slick social features, the social app has drawn roughly 4 million weekly active users, according to information obtained from app analytics firm Data.ai.

However, its user base has been on a steep decline, according to estimates seen by Tech in Asia.

Photo credit: Bondee

Bondee is also attracting new users at a slower pace. Data.ai shares that the app was downloaded 930,000 times for the week ending on February 11 – down from 1.57 million the week before.

That’s not the only problem on Bondee’s hands.

On social media, screenshots of alleged credit card fraud and unsolicited spam messages raised fears over the app’s speculative ties with problematic Chinese app Zheli.

Bondee’s mentions of non-fungible tokens in its privacy policy also sparked a public uproar, which may have scuppered a potential business model.

Metadream, the Singapore-based firm behind the app, has since responded to the allegations, but devising another path to its profitability may be more challenging to address. Now, the clock’s ticking for Bondee to prove that it isn’t just another fad.

Same features, same ills, same outcome?

“I’m enjoying Bondee because it’s something new and novel,” says a 25-year-old user who declined to be named. “Being able to customize my avatar in different looks was the most appealing feature to me.”

These virtual personas, which sport a more rounded, human feel similar to Animal Crossing, can perform a wide range of actions such as lounging around and dancing with other avatars. Transitions from action to action also feel seamless compared to other viral social apps like Zao and Zepeto, which have longer lag times.

These actions allow users to express themselves better on Bondee than on conventional messaging apps like WhatsApp and Telegram, says content strategist Leonard Teo.

“You can do more things in chat, like hanging around a campfire with your friends,” he adds.

Whither Bondee’s business model?