Before and after

2016 vs Now Meme Template

The 2016 vs Now meme is used when how much has changed. Row by row, how something in the industry worked in 2016 and how it works now.

By Tayyab, Founder · Published October 20, 2026

Updated October 20, 2026.

Make this meme free See 13 examples

2016 vs Now meme: Cash only, handwritten sign / Card, tap, phone, QR / An ad in the local paper / A Friday post of the window / Bank trips with a bag of coins / Bank app at midnight — Our recreation of the 2016 vs Now format, with a small business caption.

How the 2016 vs Now meme works

What it means: Row by row, how something in the industry worked in 2016 and how it works now.
Use it when: How much has changed.
Also called: 2016 vs now, 2016 vs now, then vs now, back then
How popular: Number 109 of the 257 formats in our library, ranked by how often each is captioned and how often business accounts use it.

Its captions

1.2016, row 1up to 50 characters
2.Now, row 1up to 50 characters
3.2016, row 2up to 50 characters
4.Now, row 2up to 50 characters
5.2016, row 3 (optional)up to 50 characters
6.Now, row 3 (optional)up to 50 characters

Every picture here is our own recreation of the format: the same layout, pose and joke, drawn with generic people. None is the original meme photo, and none shows a celebrity or the person from the original. Some formats are drawn with text and shapes only.

2016 vs Now meme examples for 13 industries

The same format, captioned for each kind of business. Open an industry for its other memes.

Real estate version
- “Open house flyers”
- “Video tours at midnight”
- “Phone books and a map”
- “A pin on the phone”
- “Cash and handshake”
- “A signing app and a pen”
More real estate memes
Dental version
- “Paper appointment cards”
- “A reminder text and a calendar link”
- “A magazine in the waiting room”
- “A tablet in the waiting room”
- “A lollipop for the kid”
- “A toothbrush and a sticker”
More dental memes
Gym version
- “Chalk and a paper log”
- “An app and a QR code”
- “A timetable on the wall”
- “Booking page and waitlist”
- “Walk-in only”
- “Book, then cancel at 5:59am”
More gym memes
Hair salon version
- “Hair magazines in the waiting area”
- “Saved boards on a phone”
- “Walk-in Saturdays”
- “A waitlist for cancellations”
- “Colour charts on paper”
- “Before and after photos on file”
More hair salon memes
Med spa version
- “A paper diary”
- “A calendar with reminders”
- “Call the clinic”
- “Book online at midnight”
- “Walk-ins only”
- “Waitlist for next month”
More med spa memes
Marketing version
- “Press releases”
- “Short vertical video”
- “Followers mattered”
- “Watch time matters”
- “One big launch”
- “Daily content”
More marketing memes
Small business version
- “Cash only, handwritten sign”
- “Card, tap, phone, QR”
- “An ad in the local paper”
- “A Friday post of the window”
- “Bank trips with a bag of coins”
- “Bank app at midnight”
More small business memes
Ecommerce version
- “Free shipping was a perk”
- “Free shipping is expected”
- “A website was enough”
- “A website, a reel and an unboxing”
- “Reviews came by email”
- “Reviews come with photos”
More ecommerce memes
SaaS version
- “Monthly releases, big bang”
- “Continuous deploys, fear of bang”
- “Email support”
- “In-app chat and a bot”
- “Own servers”
- “Cloud bill with seven zeros”
More saas memes
Startup version
- “Needed an office”
- “Needs good wifi”
- “Raise first”
- “Charge first”
- “Built in stealth”
- “Built in public”
More startup memes
Agency version
- “Print portfolio, big binder”
- “Link in the bio”
- “Weekly status call”
- “A shared board”
- “Make a logo in a week”
- “Make 10 logos by lunch”
More agency memes
Coaching version
- “Word of mouth was enough”
- “A reel, a newsletter and a podcast”
- “A business card”
- “A link in bio”
- “Coaching in person”
- “Coaching from the sofa”
More coaching memes
Content creator version
- “Write a blog”
- “Post a vertical video”
- “Likes mattered”
- “Saves and shares matter”
- “Edit on a laptop”
- “Edit in the app on the bus”
More content creator memes

How to make a 2016 vs Now meme

Open the free meme generator with this template.
Write the 6 captions above, a few words each, keeping to what the format means.
Press Make my meme and download the JPG. No signup and no watermark.
To have it written for your brand, Content Drifter suggests three memes from a topic you type, then schedules the one you pick.

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All meme templates

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What does the 2016 vs Now meme mean?

Row by row, how something in the industry worked in 2016 and how it works now.

When should I use the 2016 vs Now meme?

When how much has changed. It fits the before and after kind of joke.

How do I caption the 2016 vs Now meme?

It has 4 captions: 2016, row 1 (up to 50 characters); now, row 1 (up to 50 characters); 2016, row 2 (up to 50 characters); now, row 2 (up to 50 characters). Keep each to a few words so the meme reads in a second.

Can I use the 2016 vs Now meme for my business?

This format is drawn with text and shapes only, with no one else’s picture in it. Keep the caption honest and free of real people.

A 2016 vs Now meme about your business

Type what the joke is about. Content Drifter writes the captions in your brand’s voice on this format and two others, and schedules the one you like.

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