Since its release over a year ago, Meta’s Threads has gradually gained momentum and established its place as one of the recognizable social media platforms. While it hasn’t escaped accusations that it is only a knock-off of the 18-year-old X (formerly known as Twitter), the two platforms are not the same.
Threads has adapted to the needs of its users by introducing new features that enrich the user experience. These improvements set the stage for widespread adoption and distinguishing the platform from its rivals.
In this article, we will explore the top Threads application statistics that can help social media marketers understand how to leverage the application better and incorporate it into their business strategy.
Threads User Base Statistics
1. The Monthly Active Users on Threads Is Almost 200 Million
Since its launch on July 5, 2023, the number of monthly active users (MAUs) of Threads has increased. According to the August 2024 statistics provided by Backlinko, the monthly active users (MAUs) of Threads have now reached almost 200 million. This is a 100% increase from the platform’s October 2023 monthly active users (MAUs), which stood at 100 million.
Threads User Base Statistic
2. The Number of Daily Active Users on Threads Initially Shrank, Then Recovered
The Threads’ Daily Active Users (DAUs) went on a few episodes of ups and downs. On July 6, 2023, a day after its launch date, the daily active users (DAUs) of Threads were 41.76 million. Then, on July 7, 2023, the daily active users (DAUs) increased to 49.3 million, almost an 18% increase.
But, even with the backing of one of the most valuable trillion-dollar companies like Meta, Threads still experienced a loss of its daily active users (DAUs). For instance, on July 14, 2023, the number of daily active users (DAUs) dropped to 23.6 million, which is a 52% decline. The trend continued until August 2023, when the platform’s daily active users plummeted to only 10.3 million—a 79% decrease compared to its peak daily active user base.
Thankfully, this is no longer the case. Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, recently shared in his feed in Threads that the jump in monthly active users from 175 million to 200 million in August is almost the same as, or even slightly faster than, the increase in the current daily active users (DAUs) which stands at 33 million. This means that the increase is close to 15%.
3. Threads Is Now Available in Over 100 Countries, Including the European Union
During its launch date, Threads was only available to the US (its country of origin), the UK, and 100 more countries. Interestingly, the social media platform was initially inaccessible to the 448 million potential Threads users in the European Union (EU).
Adam Mosseri, Instagram’s head, implicitly blamed the situation on “the complexities with complying with some of the laws coming into effect next year.” The law that he is talking about is the Digital Markets Act, which seeks to end the unfair measures being taken by large tech companies or ‘gatekeepers’ like Meta.
However, on December 14, 2023, Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Meta, posted on Threads that the platform finally opened its doors to the European Union. EU users without Instagram accounts can still access Threads without any issues, albeit with an algorithm that is set by Threads. This move by Meta is a step toward reaching more users and offering them ways to connect with people all over the globe.
Threads User Growth Statistics
1. It Only Took an Hour for Threads to Attain One Million Users
Threads started its streak of breaking records in the social media sphere with its total number of users. In just an hour after its release, Threads reached one million users. Its closest competition, the generative AI tool ChatGPT, reached the same number of users in 5 days.
Compared to its Meta siblings, the early adoption rate of the said social media platform is commendable. For instance, Facebook, which was introduced in 2004, reached the same number of users in 10 months. In comparison, it took 2 and a half months for Instagram to reach the same user base in the same time frame.
Meanwhile, Twitter (now known as X), which was introduced to the world in 2006, attained a similar number of users in 2 years.
2. Threads Reached 10 Million Users in Just 7 Hours
The swift growth of Threads continued after its initial milestone of one million users in an hour. For instance, Threads reached 10 million users in 7 hours. On the other hand, OpenAI’s ChatGPT comes second since it reached the same number of users in 40 days.
Regarding Facebook and Instagram, they realized the same figure in 852 and 355 days, respectively.
3. Threads Attracted 30 Million Users in Less Than a Day
According to Mark Zuckerberg, on July 6, 2023, the app had reached 30 million sign-ups by that morning (18 hours after the app’s release). Although it has met some resistance since Threads certainly made a powerful start.
For an initial release, this is an impressive achievement compared to its social media counterparts. For instance, Bytedance’s Tiktok (known as Douyin in its home base in China) reached 133 million in 2018—a year after its global release in 2017.
Meanwhile, its older sibling, Instagram, which was released on October 6, 2010, only yielded 25,000 initial users. However, what makes Threads and Instagram similar to each other is the fact that they were early hits—with Instagram having a million users in less than three months since its release.
4. There Were 100 Million Threads Users Within a Week
On July 7, 2023, Mark Zuckerberg showcased in his Threads account that Meta’s newest addition to their lineup of social media platforms was positively received worldwide. He shared that 70 million sign-ups were recorded on that day.
By the end of that first week, Threads had exceeded 100 million users, breaking a record previously held by the generative AI app ChatGPT. In comparison, TikTok, the social darling of the last few years, took nine months to reach 100 million users, and “big brother” Instagram took two and a half years to reach that milestone.
Threads’ rapid uptake was probably helped by the ease with which Instagram’s 1.6 billion users could opt to download it.
Threads Download Statistics
1. Threads Currently Has 265.44 Million Downloads on the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store
In an article published on February 27, 2024, by TechCrunch, Threads’ daily downloads were three times higher than its competitor X (formerly Twitter) on Apple’s App Store. Meanwhile, on Google’s Play Store, the number of daily downloads of the platform is more than double—and occasionally more than triple—than X (formerly Twitter).
On the other hand, data from Backlinko showed that the Threads app was downloaded 27.98 million times globally in both the Play Store and the App Store. The total downloads of the application in both iOS and Android is now 265.44 million.
The reported increase in the number of installs for the Threads app is attributed to the ongoing issues that continue to haunt Elon Musk’s X (formerly Twitter). These issues include the controversy behind his rebranding of Twitter to X and the proliferation of bots in the platform, which has significantly affected its total number of installs.
2. India Still Holds the Highest Number of Threads Installs, at 19%
India still has the most number of downloads of the Threads app at 19%. The data is from the year 2023 (when the application was introduced) to 2024. The application is also highly downloaded by countries like the United States at 13%, Brazil at 7%, Turkey at 5%, Indonesia at 4.6%, Japan at 4.2%, and Mexico at 3.8%.
Threads downloads by country
Meta also recognized India as one of the most active countries for Threads worldwide. Indians use threads as a platform to express their thoughts and ideas to others. Popular topics in the country that are being discussed on the platform include movies, TV shows, over-the-top (OTT) content, and the latest celebrity happenings.
Indians also constantly talk about the sport of cricket on the platform. Current Indian cricketers like Ravindra Jadeja and former cricketers like Akash Chopra are some popular tags in the country.
3. Threads Was Downloaded by Gen Z Users Because It Looked Fun
In a 2023 report released by Statista, one of the reasons why Threads was downloaded by Gen Z users was because “it looked fun.” At 40.1%, it is on top of the eight other reasons why the app was installed by the said generation.
This was closely followed by 38.7% of Gen Z users who said they wanted to “try a new platform.” Meanwhile, the third and fourth most common reasons were their “friends or family were on it” (25.7%) and “it was easy to install” (25.4%), showing nearly identical results.
Other reasons included “the creators they followed were on it” (23.7%) and that “it was like reading or writing text posts” (22.2%). Notably, only 19.5% of users downloaded the app because they were “looking for an alternative to Twitter (now X).”
At the bottom of the list, only 14% said they downloaded the app to “get more followers,” and a mere 1.2% cited “other” reasons.
Threads User Engagement Statistics
1. The Average Time Users Spend on Threads Dropped to 10 Minutes
In its early days, Threads enjoyed the enthusiasm of users across the globe. They used the app for an average of 30 minutes a day. The app’s ease of usage and ability to quickly interact with users anywhere contributed to the lengthy usage time.
However, in February 2024, this average time has since lessened to just 10 minutes a day. In contrast, its closest rival, X (formerly Twitter), beats this statistic with a total average time of 34 minutes and 48 seconds in 2024.
So, while Threads is still being used by customers worldwide, the decline is more obvious than ever before.
2. An Estimated 60 Million Users Have Uninstalled Threads in 2024
The dwindling engagement on Threads is also reflected in the number of users who uninstalled the app. In 2024, roughly 60 million users deleted the app from their devices. This means that many users did not find enough value in the platform to remain active.
Threads Market Comparisons
1. X (Formerly Twitter) Still Has More Daily Active Users Globally Than Threads.
X (formerly Twitter) still has higher global daily active users (DAUs) than Threads, which has around 200 to 250 million daily active users (DAUs). In comparison, Threads only has 33 million daily active users. This suggests that X (formerly Twitter) has 581.82 % greater global daily active users (DAUs) than Zuckerberg’s Threads.
However, in the United States, Threads is beating X (formerly Twitter) when it comes to daily active users (DAUs). According to Business Insider, Threads has an average of 28 million daily active users (DAUs) in the country. In comparison, X (formerly Twitter) only has an average of 22 million daily active users, which is 21.43% lower than Threads.
2. Threads Is Also Behind X (Formerly Twitter) When It Comes to Monthly Active Users (Maus)
The Threads platform remains to have a lesser number of monthly active users (MAUs) compared to its arch nemesis, X (formerly Twitter). According to Elon Musk, X (formerly Twitter) has 600 million monthly active users (MAUs). In comparison, Threads only has a monthly active user base of 200 million.
? has 600 million monthly active users, about half of which use the platform every day
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 23, 2024
3. Threads Is Becoming Popular in the United Kingdom (UK), but Not Enough to Beat X (Formerly Twitter)
According to David Carr of Similarweb, Threads reached its peak number of daily active users in the UK of around 1.3 million. This development happened after X’s (formerly Twitter) new owner, Elon Musk, posted controversial comments about the UK riots. This prompted some UK users to switch from X to alternatives like Threads and Bluesky.
After knowing this, various media outlets quickly reported that X (formerly Twitter) was probably nearing its end. However, Techcrunch clarified that X’s (formerly Twitter) average daily active users still grew 2% from July to August 2024. To further disprove this claim, Elon Musk posted on his X (formerly Twitter) account that the platform’s user-seconds reached an all-time high.
We hit another all-time high in user-seconds last week!
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 15, 2024
So, while Threads did experience a boost in its number of daily active users (DAUs) in the UK, this is still not enough to dethrone X’s (formerly Twitter) social media dominance.
4. Threads’ Forecasted Revenue Is $8 Billion in 2025, While X’s (Formerly Twitter) Revenue Is Projected to Get Worse
According to Evercore ISI, Threads is expected to have an annual revenue of 8 billion dollars in 2025. The same firm predicts that the platform’s annual revenue will reach 11.3 billion dollars in 2026. This translates to a forecasted growth of around 41.25%.
Meanwhile, X’s (formerly Twitter) revenue is currently dipping. According to the New York Times, the social media platform only made a revenue of 114 million dollars in the second quarter of 2024. While this only applies to the United States, this is still a disappointing number. For instance, the revenue earned by the company in the same quarter in 2022 was 661 million dollars, which means that the drop (applying inflation rates) is 84%.
This downward trend for the revenue of X (formerly Twitter) is set to continue. Statista suggests that in 2025, the advertising revenue of X will only amount to 2.99 billion dollars. And in 2027, the same data forecasts that the platform will only have a 2.7 billion dollar revenue. Since 90% of their revenue in 2022 was from advertisements, the same could be said this year and in the succeeding years, which means trouble for the company.
Threads is closely looking at the worsening revenue of X (formerly Twitter), especially in the advertising department. According to Techcrunch, while Threads is not yet live-testing advertisements on its platform, it is actively looking for ways to integrate it into the platform.
Threads Platform Features
1. Threads’ New Insights Feature Helps to Understand a User’s Audience
Threads’ new Insights feature
On August 8, 2024, Meta announced new features to Threads that are helpful for businesses and content creators. One of which is Insights. This feature looks into the number of views, replies, reposts, and quotes of a user’s content to gauge their performance on the platform.
The feature also displays a user’s follower count as time goes by. Additionally, the demographics of a user’s followers, such as their age, gender, and location, are also shown in the said feature.
Meta hopes that the information provided by their Insights feature will assist creators and businesses in crafting content that is appropriate to their audiences.
2. Threads Now Allow Users to Have up to 100 Drafts
Threads "Draft" feature
Threads also introduced a feature where users can now write up to 100 drafts. In addition, they can keep those drafts indefinitely. Once they are ready, they can post their outputs immediately. This feature is beneficial for users who want to free-write their outputs first before sharing them with the platform.
3. Users of Threads Can Now Schedule When Their Outputs Will Be Published
The new scheduling feature of Threads allows its users to publish their outputs at a later date and time. This feature gives its users the ability to schedule multiple posts a day and many days in advance.
4. Neymar Jr. Continues to Be the Most Popular Threads Account
According to the data coming from Backlinko, football star Neymar Jr. remains the most followed Threads account with 14.5 million followers. Next on the list is singer Selena Gomez, with 13.6 million followers. On the other hand, American media personality Kylie Jenner ranks third with 11.9 million followers.
Other prominent celebrities on the list include Kim Kardashian with 10.5 million followers, Jennifer Lopez at 8.6 million followers, Shakira at 7.8 million followers, MrBeast at 7.7 million followers, Will Smith at 7.3 million followers, Khloe Kardashian at 7 million followers, Miley Cyrus at 6.8 million followers, Chris Hemsworth at 6.6 million followers, and Katy Perry with 5.8 million followers.
Wrapping Up
While many experts thought that Meta’s Threads was heading towards its collapse, its latest statistics prove otherwise. Mark Zuckerberg’s newest social media platform is learning from the mistakes of its competitors, and it listens to user feedback to improve its services. It also provides new and unique sets of tools and features that are drawing it away from accusations that it’s just an X (formerly Twitter) copycat.
If Threads continues this strategy of building its identity, more marketers and content creators will invest in the platform. And success and growth for the Meta platform are just around the corner.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Instagram Threads?
Threads is a new social media platform developed by Meta. It has a user interface that is mostly text-based. It focuses on conversations and connections among peers and users worldwide.
How do I create my profile on Threads?
To create a profile on Threads, download the app on your Android or iOS device through Google’s Play Store or Apple’s App Store. You can also do the same through Threads’ website. From there, you can log in using your Instagram account or use Threads without any profile. If you have more questions on how to set up Threads, read our guide to help you better navigate the platform.
What are the main features of Threads?
Threads allow users to share their thoughts and ideas through posts. The app gives users the ability to write posts with 500 characters and share videos with a maximum length of 5 minutes. For more information about the new features of Threads, check out Meta’s website.
How do I boost my engagement on Threads?
To improve your engagement metrics on Threads, focus on posting regularly and at times when your audience is most active. Threads’ algorithm favors active and updated content from users. Moreover, use the right topic tags for your posts to widen your reach on the platform. For more tips on how to use Threads, read our article here.
How does Threads’ algorithm work?
The Threads algorithm works by curating content for your “For You” tab. This happens through a sophisticated process that involves the following steps:
- Data Collection: The algorithm fetches data from public posts and the content from the accounts you follow. This includes engagement metrics such as likes, comments, shares, and how often you interact with certain content and accounts.
- Signal Analysis: It then analyzes your interactions in the platform to determine your interests and preferences. Specific factors like the type of posts you frequently engage with, how long you spend time on a particular content, and how often you interact with other accounts are taken into account.
- Content Ranking: From this analysis, the algorithm ranks posts to predict which ones you are most likely to interact with. Those that are more relevant and engaging to you are displayed at the top of your feed. The ranking also considers the popularity of content among users with the same interests as you.
How do Threads, X (formerly Twitter), and Instagram support and monetize content creators?
| Aspect | Threads | X (formerly Twitter) | |
| Monetization Options | Limited; emerging features | Ads, X Creator, Tips | Ads, Brand Partnerships, Badges |
| Creator Fund | Threads Bonus (invite only) | Ads Revenue Sharing | Instagram Creator Fund |
| Subscription Features | Not available | X Premium | Instagram Subscriptions |
| Merchandising | Not available | Not available | Instagram Shopping, affiliate links |
| Analytics Access | Basic insights | Advanced analytics for advertisers | Advanced insights for business accounts |
How can I use Threads for business purposes?
You can utilize Threads for your business by partnering with marketing agencies. You may check out the following articles to check which marketing agency is the best fit for your business:
What social media management tools can I use for Threads?
If you wish to effectively manage your social media accounts on platforms like Threads and promote business growth, you may consider using the following social media management tools:
How does Threads compare to other social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram?
| Feature | Threads | X (formerly Twitter) | |
| Primary focus | Text-based conversations | Real-time news and microblogging | Visual content sharing |
| Content types | Text, images, videos (limited to 5 minutes), GIFs | Text, images, videos, GIFs | Photos, Stories, Reels, GIFs |
| User-engagement | High for niche discussions | High for real-time updates and political discourse | High for visual interaction |
| Character limit | 500 characters | 280 characters | No specific limit on captions |
| Usage Ranking | Rank 7 | Rank 4 | Rank 2 |
| Best for | In-depth, community-driven content | Breaking news, short updates | Visual storytelling, influencer marketing |
What Are the Key Differences in User Demographics between Threads, X (formerly Twitter), and Instagram?
| Demographic/Metric | Threads | X (formerly Twitter) | |
| Gender Distribution (Global) | 61.59% Male, 39.41% Female | 66.72% Male, 33.28% Female | 50.3% Male, 49.7% Female |
| Gender Distribution (U.S.) | Not specified | Not specified | 44% Male, 56% Female |
| Age Distribution | |||
| 18 to 24 Years | 12.36% | 28.35% | 31.70% |
| 25 to 34 Years | 46.66% | 29.63% | 30.60% |
| 35 to 44 Years | 17.55% | 17.96% | 16% |
| 45 to 54 Years | 10.75% | 11.63% | 8.70% |
| 55 to 64 Years | 8.12% | 7.61% | 4.60% |
| 65+ Years | 4.55% | 4.83% | 2.90% |
| Most Popular Age Group | 25 to 34 Years | 25 to 34 Years | 18 to 24 Years |
