Apps Like NGL in 2026: Anonymous Question Apps, and Which Ones Are Safe
NGL made anonymous questions on Instagram stories a whole thing. If you’re looking for apps like NGL in 2026, here’s what happened to it, what to watch out for in anonymous apps, and the options worth trying.
What is NGL?
NGL (short for “not gonna lie”) is an app that gives you a link to put on your Instagram story. People tap it and send you anonymous messages or questions, and you can share your answers back to your story.
What happened with NGL?
In July 2024, the US Federal Trade Commission and the Los Angeles District Attorney settled a case against NGL’s maker. Regulators said the app sent users fake “anonymous” messages to get them to pay for hints about who sent them, and made claims about its moderation that weren’t true. As part of the settlement, NGL agreed to pay $5 million and was banned from offering the app to users under 18.
That’s the big lesson for every anonymous app: anonymity is fun when it’s positive, and it goes wrong fast when there are no limits.
What to look for in an anonymous app
- Limits on what people can say. Open text boxes are where mean messages come from.
- Real messages only. If an app sends you messages it wrote itself, that’s a red flag.
- Easy reporting and blocking. You should be able to report or delete anything in a couple of taps.
- No pay-to-reveal tricks. If you have to pay to find out who sent something, think twice.
- Age protections. Look for apps that keep adults out of teen messages.
Apps like NGL to try in 2026
1. portal.app: anonymous compliments and an answering machine
portal.app is a free app for anyone 13+, built around your friends. Every day you get 4 picks to vote friends for positive superlatives, like “best laugh” or “most likely to be famous.” They find out they got picked, never who. Picks come from a set list, so there’s no way to write something mean.
Your page also has an answering machine: friends leave messages, ask you anything anonymously or send a 15-second video message. Anonymous questions go only to you, never to a public feed, and you can delete or report any of them. Each person can only send a limited number a day, and adults can’t DM students.
2. Instagram’s built-in question sticker
If you just want questions on your story, Instagram’s question sticker does it without another app. It’s not anonymous to you, though: you can see who asked.
3. Group chat “ask me anything”
Low tech, still fun. Post “ask me anything” in the group chat and answer the good ones. Everyone knows who asked, which keeps it friendly.
The bottom line
If you want the fun of anonymous without the mean stuff, look for limits. Compliments-only picks and private, reportable questions are the safest version of the NGL idea.
About portal.app
portal.app is a free iPhone app where your friends pick you. You get 4 picks a day to vote friends for positive superlatives like “best laugh” or “most likely to be famous.” They find out they got picked. Never who. You also get your own page with an answering machine, a camera-only feed with no uploads and no AI, and lists for your school and city. See what’s new in 2.0.
Sources
FAQ
Is NGL safe?
In 2024 the FTC and the Los Angeles District Attorney settled a case against NGL’s maker over fake anonymous messages and misleading claims. NGL agreed to pay $5 million and was banned from offering the app to users under 18. Any anonymous app is safer when it limits what people can say and makes reporting easy.
What app is like NGL?
portal.app has an answering machine where friends can ask you anything anonymously, plus a daily picks game where friends vote you for positive superlatives and you never find out who. Anonymous questions go only to you and can be deleted or reported.
What happened to NGL?
In July 2024 regulators settled a case against NGL’s maker. As part of it, NGL paid $5 million and was banned from offering the app to anyone under 18.
Are there anonymous apps that are only positive?
Yes. On portal.app, picks are compliments only, chosen from a set list, so nobody can write something mean about another person.
your friends pick you.
4 picks a day. compliments only. Free on iPhone, 13+.