Meta’s text-based platform closes in on X as mobile engagement surges and new features draw in users
Meta Platforms’ text-based social media service Threads has crossed the 400 million monthly active user (MAU) mark just two years after its launch, signaling rapid growth and intensifying competition with Elon Musk’s X (formerly Twitter).
On August 12 (local time), Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri announced, “As of a few weeks ago, Threads is now used by over 400 million people every month.” The milestone was reached in just over two years since Threads debuted in July 2023 as a direct rival to X.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg had already revealed in April that MAUs had surpassed 350 million, meaning the platform added 50 million more users in just one quarter.
Mosseri noted that while Threads began as a competitor to Twitter, it has evolved into “a meaningful platform for exchanging diverse perspectives,” thanking users for shaping the platform into what it is today.
With this growth, Threads is closing the gap with X, whose monthly users Musk claimed topped 600 million last year. According to market research firm Similarweb, Threads’ mobile daily active users (DAUs) are approaching X’s numbers.
As of June, Threads recorded 115.1 million DAUs on iOS and Android—up 127.8% year-on-year—while X saw 132 million, down 15.2% in the same period. However, in terms of web traffic, X still maintains a large lead, averaging 145.8 million daily visitors worldwide in June, compared to Threads’ 6.9 million.
Over the past year, Threads has rolled out new features such as direct messaging, fediverse integration, customized feeds, and enhanced AI functions to attract and retain users.