VSCO Tries to Get More Love Without Likes

If Snapchat is the goofball and Instagram is the cheerleader in the hallway of photo sharing apps, then VSCO is the insular arts kid spending free period in the film lab. But now VSCO wants to make more friends.

VSCO, which stands for Visual Supply Company, has more than 30 million monthly users, nearly three-quarters of whom are under 24. Its polished photo editing tools give often amateur pics a professional sheen, while its ban on “likes” and comments eliminates the social pressure that surrounds chasing likes. That helps make VSCO “a safe place for expression,” said Joel Flory, VSCO’s co-founder and CEO. Most of its users are also outside the U.S.