Vinnie Wong·12 minutes

Most Popular Social Media Apps in 2025

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featured image for a piktochart article on the most popular social media apps in 2025, blue background with childrens building blocks named after major social media platforms like facebook, whatsapp, meta, instagram, and tiktok

Report highlights. Facebook is the most popular social networking site globally by number of monthly active users, with over 3 billion users as of 2025.

  • YouTube ranks second, with 2.53 billion monthly active users. 
  • Instagram is the third, with 2 billion monthly active users. 
  • In terms of time spent, TikTok ranks as the most engaging social app, where users spend an average of 1 hour and 35 minutes per day. 
  • TikTok was the most downloaded app worldwide in 2024, with over 825.48 million downloads. 
  • WhatsApp had the highest daily open rate in 2024, with active users opening its Android app on 84.1% of days, more than any other major platform. 

Related article: How many people use social media | Social media demographics

Most used social media platforms by monthly active users

A small group of global platforms continues to comprise the majority of social media activity. Meta dominates the top spots, and Chinese apps carve out strongholds in regional markets.

  • Facebook leads with 3.07 billion users, maintaining its status as the world’s most widely used social platform. 
  • YouTube comes in second at 2.53 billion users, with strong engagement across all age groups.
  • Instagram and WhatsApp are tied for the third position with 2 billion users each, reflecting Meta’s hold on mobile-first communication.
  • TikTok has 1.59 billion users, driven by its viral video format and younger user base.
  • WeChat, China’s all-in-one super app for messaging, payments, and services, reaches 1.38 billion users.
  • Telegram (950 million users) and Facebook Messenger (947 million users) serve global audiences looking for mobile-first messaging alternatives.
  • Snapchat holds steady with 850 million users, remaining a favorite among Gen Z.
  • Douyin, China’s version of TikTok, has 766 million users while Kuaishou, another popular short-form video app in China, follows with 714 million users.
  • Reddit (606 million users), Weibo (599 million users), and X (formerly Twitter, 586 million users) cater to audiences focused on community discussions, real-time news, and microblogging.
  • Pinterest trails the list with 537 million users.
summary image of most popular social media apps, chart showing that facebook is most popular social media platform with 3 billion users

Most popular social media apps based on average daily time

Short-form video and streaming platforms dominate when it comes to how long users stay engaged, while messaging and niche apps see shorter but still meaningful daily use. 

  • TikTok ranks highest for daily time; users spend an average of 1 hour and 35 minutes per day on the app.
  • YouTube follows closely, at 1 hour and 24 minutes per day.
  • Instagram and Facebook also show strong engagement, at 1 hour 10 minutes and 1 hour 4 minutes per day, respectively.
  • WhatsApp users spend 1 hour daily on the app, which underlines its role in daily communication across global markets.
  • Lesser-known messaging app IMO sees surprisingly high engagement, at 55 minutes per day.
  • Telegram and X (formerly Twitter) fall into the mid-tier range, with users spending 31 minutes and 28 minutes per day, respectively.
  • Reddit, Messenger, Snapchat, and Discord each draw users for under 25 minutes daily, typically appealing to more niche or task-based interactions.
  • Pinterest, LinkedIn, and Threads are at the bottom of the list, with average daily usage ranging from 10 minutes down to just 4 minutes, reflecting more passive or occasional use cases.
horizontal bar chart showing how much time users spend on social media, with tiktok being the most popular at 1 hr 35 mins daily on average

Facebook

Year of launch: 2004

With 3.07 billion users, Facebook continues to hold the top spot among social media platforms.

  • As of 2023, the platform had around 2.11 billion daily active users, meaning approximately 68.85% of monthly users accessed it every day.
  • Facebook’s mobile app was the third most downloaded app in 2024, reaching 598 million installs. 
  • The platform is most popular among users aged 25–34, who make up 31.1% of its user base.
  • Only 29% of 15–27-year-old users reported using Facebook recently, highlighting the platform’s declining popularity among young people.
  • Facebook’s largest user base is in India, with 378.05 million users, followed by the US (193.8 million), Indonesia (119.05 million), and Brazil (112.55 million).
  • The Philippines has the highest number of Facebook users per capita at 770 users per 100 people, followed by Vietnam at 751 and Mexico at 705.
  • Facebook was the third most searched term on Google as of April 2025, with an estimated 320 million searches.
  • Facebook.com was the second most visited website in the world, recording 9.14 billion visits in April 2025.
  • Facebook recorded a 4.3% year-over-year increase in audience size in 2025. 
  • Facebook was chosen as the favorite by 13.1% of active social media users worldwide. 
  • Facebook was the leading platform for direct purchases in 2025; 39% of consumers turned to it.
table showing the global facebook popularity per capita, with philippines topping the chart at 87.7 million users

Instagram

Instagram had an estimated 2 billion users as of February 2025, making it the third-largest social media platform by monthly active users.

Year of launch: 2010

  • Instagram’s mobile app saw 817.5 million downloads worldwide in 2024, second only to TikTok.
  • Instagram’s website was the third most visited website in April 2025, with nearly 5.38 billion visits.
  • Instagram is most popular among users aged 18–34, who together make up 61.1% of its global audience (31.6% aged 25–34 and 29.5% aged 18–24).
  • The term Instagram was searched an estimated 164 million times in April 2025. 
  • Instagram’s global audience grew by 5.5% year-over-year as of February 2025. 
  • Instagram was named the favorite social media platform by 16.6% of global users aged 16 and above.
  • 24.8% of females aged 16–24 said that Instagram was their favorite platform. 
  • Instagram’s largest audience is in India, with 413.85 million users, followed by the US at 171.7 million and Brazil at 140.7 million.
  • As of February 2025, active users opened Instagram’s app on 61.9% of days.
vertical bar chart comparison showing most popular social media platforms for people aged 16+, where instagram is the most popular being used by 17% of the total userbase

WhatsApp

WhatsApp had 3 billion monthly active users as of March 2025, up from 200 million in 2013, reflecting a CAGR of 24.7%.

Year of launch: 2009

  • WhatsApp was the most downloaded messenger app globally in January 2025, with 57.35 million installs. 
  • According to data from Q3 2020, WhatsApp users were sending around 100 billion messages per day. 
  • As of 2020, WhatsApp had been downloaded over 5 billion times on Google’s Play Store. 
  • 16% of social media users selected WhatsApp as their favorite platform in 2025. 
  • WhatsApp had the highest daily open rate among social media apps in November 2024, when active users opened the app on 84.1% of days.
  • WhatsApp web was the second most searched term on Google as of April 2025, with an estimated 514 million searches.
  • As of 2024, active WhatsApp users opened the app 930 times in one month compared to 348 times for Instagram or 344 times for TikTok.
bar chart showing the highest daily open rate of social media apps, where whatsapp is opened daily by 84% of users

YouTube

YouTube has about 2.53 billion monthly active users as of February 2025, making it the second-largest social media platform. 

Year of launch: 2005

  • YouTube’s website was the most visited website in the world, receiving about 42.82 billion users in April 2025. 
  • The number of YouTube users grew from 800 million in 2012 to 2.53 billion in 2025, reflecting a CAGR of 9.5%. 
  • YouTube is the most popular platform among Gen Z in the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Spain, and Italy, where 78% report having used the site recently. 
  • YouTube is most popular among users aged 25–34, who make up 21.7% of its global audience, followed by the 35–44 age group at 18.5%.
  • YouTube was the most searched term on Google as of April 2025, with an estimated 592 million searches.
  • Active YouTube users accessed the platform’s Android app on 63.5% of days, highlighting its continued pull for daily media consumption. 
  • YouTube’s global audience grew by 1.6% year-on-year in 2025, the second-lowest growth rate after X (Twitter), which reported negative growth.
  • In the US, according to data from 2020, 62% of YouTube users accessed the platform daily, while 92% used it at least once a week.
  • YouTube reaches 39% of the world’s population. 
vertical bar chart comparing youtube penetration rate between countries where saudi arabia has the highest penetration

TikTok

TikTok has approximately 1.59 billion monthly active users worldwide and is ranked as a top platform for Gen Z and millennials. 

Year of launch: 2016

  • TikTok was the world’s most downloaded app in 2024, with 825.48 million downloads. 
  • TikTok is most popular among users aged 25–34, who make up 35.3% of its global audience, followed by the 18–24 age group at 30.7%.
  • TikTok’s website was visited by 1.89 billion users in April 2025. 
  • As of February 2025, TikTok’s daily open rate stood at 64.4%, reflecting strong everyday engagement from its user base. 
  • TikTok was reported as the favorite platform by 8.1% of active social media users. 
  • 58% of consumers have a TikTok profile, and Gen Z users are the most likely to be on the platform, at 82%.
  • On average, TikTok users in the US spend 25.5 hours per month on the app, equivalent to more than a full day of screen time. 
  • Users uploaded over 16,000 videos on TikTok every minute in 2024.
horizontal bar chart comparing the use of tiktok by gender, men leads

X (Twitter)

X had 586 million monthly active users worldwide as of February 2025.

Year of launch: 2006

  • X’s website was visited by 3.39 billion users in April 2025. 
  • The platform saw a 5.3% year-on-year decline in global audience size in 2025, making it the only major social media app to experience negative growth.
  • X is especially popular among younger audiences. In fact, 73.2% of its users are under the age of 35.
  • X is more popular among men, who account for 60.9% of its global user base, compared to 39.1% for women.
  • 59% of X users regularly turn to the platform for news, highlighting its role as a popular source of real-time information.
vertical bar chart comparing the trends of using social media apps, where linkedin had the highest growth and x formerly twitter had the biggest decline

Most popular social media app by country

United States

YouTube is the most widely used social media platform among US adults, 83% of whom say they have used the platform.

  • Facebook also remains highly popular; 68% of US adults report using the platform.
  • Instagram ranks third in popularity, used by 47% of American adults.
vertical bar chart comparing the most popular social media platforms in the us, youtube is the most popular at 85%

Canada

Facebook remains the most popular social media platform in Canada, accounting for nearly 60% of all social media site visits in March 2025.

  • Over 50% of mobile social media visits in Canada also go to Facebook.
  • The platform had 30 million Canadian users in 2024, with projections showing growth to over 34 million by 2029.
  • Its largest age group in Canada is 25–34, who made up the biggest share of Facebook’s audience as of January 2025.
infographic showing facebook is the most popular social media app in canada

United Kingdom

WhatsApp is the most widely used social platform in the UK, with 79.9% of internet users reporting they use the service as of 2024.

  • Facebook, which remains highly popular, comes in a close second and is used by 72.3% of internet users.
  • Facebook Messenger is also widely used, with 56.6% of UK internet users actively using the platform.
vertical bar chart showing the top 10 most popular social media apps, with whatsapp being the most popular at 79.9%

China

WeChat is the most popular social media platform in China, with 91.8% of internet users reporting they use the app as of 2024. 

  • The platform has over 1 billion monthly active users and plays a central role in daily life, including messaging, payments, food delivery, and transportation.
  • On average, users spend about 1 hour and 20 minutes per day on WeChat.
  • Douyin, China’s version of TikTok, is the second most widely used social platform in the country; 83% of internet users are on it.
vertical bar chart showing the top 10 most popular social media apps in china, with whatsapp being the most popular at 79.9%

India

Facebook is the leading social media platform in India, holding a 64% market share as of October 2024. The platform has consistently dominated the country’s social media landscape since 2019.

  • Instagram ranks second in India, with a market share of over 25%. 
  • In terms of the most used social media app in India by time spent, WhatsApp stands out; users average 20 hours per month on the platform as of 2021.
vertical bar chart showing the top 10 most popular social media apps in india, where youtube content is consumed 29hrs per month on average

Who uses social media the most?

As of February 2025, 5.24 billion people around the world use social media, representing approximately 63.9% of the global population. For more detailed research, read our report on social media demographics.

  • Millennials are the most active generation on social media, with 69.2% actively using platforms in 2025.
  • As per 2021 data, 84% of Americans aged 18–24 years say they use social media. 
  • Women aged 16–24 spend the most time on social media at nearly 3 hours every day.
vertical bar chart showing how much each generation in the united states uses social media

How many total people use social media?

As of early 2025, there are approximately 5.24 billion social media users worldwide, representing about 63.9% of the global population. For more detailed research, read our report on how many people use social media.

  • On average, people spend 2 hours and 23 minutes per day on social media. 
  • Each internet user maintains active accounts on approximately 6.83 different platforms.
horizontal bar chart showing the growth of social media app usage

Sources

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