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Here's how to use Marco Polo, the video messaging app that could replace Snapchat one day

Here's how to use Marco Polo, the video messaging app that could replace Snapchat one day

After a quick setup (entering your phone number, adding a picture of yourself, etc.), the app takes you to your home screen. Here, you'll see tiles for each of your friends on the app. I had 10 friends on the app — including two of my sisters! — and was repeatedly given the option to invite others to join.

Here's how to use Marco Polo, the video messaging app that could replace Snapchat one day

To get started, you can click on a friend's tile. It'll take you to this screen, where you can swipe between several different filters before recording your video. To record, you just hit the "Start" button.

To get started, you can click on a friend

I chose the "America" filter, meant to look like Shepard Fairey's "Hope" poster, in honor of President Obama's final days in office.

I recorded a video message for my sister — called a Polo — which was just a few seconds long. Marco Polo is intended for quick back-and-forth messages, not long-winded voicemails.

I recorded a video message for my sister — called a Polo — which was just a few seconds long. Marco Polo is intended for quick back-and-forth messages, not long-winded voicemails.

The video automatically saved into our chat. To watch videos you've already recorded, just tap on the small tile at the tile at the bottom. To delete one, hold down on the thumbnail until a menu pops up.

The video automatically saved into our chat. To watch videos you

Like Snapchat or Instagram Stories, you can draw on and add text to your video. And by pressing on the screen with two fingers while recording, you can animate your illustrations (just try not to draw on your face like I did).

Like Snapchat or Instagram Stories, you can draw on and add text to your video. And by pressing on the screen with two fingers while recording, you can animate your illustrations (just try not to draw on your face like I did).

Marco Polo has six filters right now, including one that makes me look kind of like a Wall Street Journal reporter, and one that seemingly eliminates half my features altogether while simultaneously giving me a dewy glow.

Marco Polo has six filters right now, including one that makes me look kind of like a Wall Street Journal reporter, and one that seemingly eliminates half my features altogether while simultaneously giving me a dewy glow.

Marco Polo's filters aren't very sophisticated yet and don't perform well in well-lit areas. Most of them blew out all my features except my eyes.

The app also encourages you to "text when you can't talk." This feature looks nearly identical to Snapchat except for one main difference: You can only send Polos as videos, not still photos.

The app also encourages you to "text when you can

Admittedly, the texting feature seems like somewhat of a useless feature, unless you plan to use Marco Polo as your main communication app.

The app alerts you when someone is viewing your Polo.

The app alerts you when someone is viewing your Polo.

And once you start sending Polos back and forth with a friend, the app stores them all in a row at the bottom of your conversation. You can scroll through and watch them after the fact, since they don't automatically delete like Snapchats.

And once you start sending Polos back and forth with a friend, the app stores them all in a row at the bottom of your conversation. You can scroll through and watch them after the fact, since they don

Marco Polo has climbed to No. 8 in the App Store's top free social networking apps. It's free to download, but be careful: According to some users' posts online, the app eats up a lot of data.

Marco Polo has climbed to No. 8 in the App Store

Marco Polo is available for both Android and iOS.

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