A few days ago, Surreal launched their new Create feature, allowing anyone to upload media on Zora through a simplified user experience. This was the first time I came across the app, even though the Surreal Beta had been open for more than a year. Within minutes, I had created my first piece, which was minted 12 times and generated some 11$ through Zora rewards. So far, I’ve made ~$40 across three photos and one video I uploaded.

Surreal differentiates itself from other NFT discovery apps with the simplicity of its user interface. Initially, the app allowed users to swipe through their media NFTs and consume them. Later, the team introduced a curated feed of Zora artworks, along with the ability for users to mint what they saw.

What I find interesting about the app is the ease of the NFT creation flow, which is close to the simplicity of web2 UX, aside from the wallet signature process. After five years of using crypto, I find it refreshing to be able to stop overthinking and just follow a minimalistic design.

Besides good UX, I think that the larger part of the value proposition is the quick path to monetizing posts on-chain—simple yet powerful. This value alone will attract more and more creators (if any) to try Surreal and similar apps.

One question that remains for me is: who will the collectors be? Will crypto natives and bots drive most of the collecting, as they did with digital artists in 2021 and are still doing today? Or will creators primarily monetize through their existing communities? I think the former is more likely, at least as long as crypto keeps existing as separate from the rest of the world. Why would someone join and spend money on NFTs if they don’t already own crypto assets? The barriers still hold.

One thing is more certain: creators will support each other by buying each other’s work. And that might be where apps like Surreal can build network effects and some kind of marketplace. A hub for socialization around discovering and showcasing NFTs. I’m still unsure what the ideal app in this space would look like but its pretty packed with competitors.

I’ll keep an eye on the app and keep you updated!