By Kennedy Nalyanya
In the ever-evolving world of social media, a new contender has emerged to challenge the dominance of established platforms. Threads, a text-based social networking app launched by Meta, is designed to be a direct competitor to X (formerly Twitter). It offers users a space to share short-form text updates, links, and media in a format familiar to those who have used similar platforms. The app's key differentiator, and a significant part of its rapid growth, is its deep integration with Instagram, allowing users to log in with their existing Instagram account and instantly connect with their followers. Now, a new report from analytics firm SimilarWeb highlights a fascinating shift in the competition for user attention. Data from the past year reveals a steady rise in daily active users for Threads, while its direct competitor, X, has seen a slight decline in its US user base. The result is a dramatically narrowed gap between the two platforms, particularly on mobile devices.
As of July 15, Threads has roughly 16 million daily active users on iOS and Android devices, a remarkable doubling of its user base compared to the same time last year. While X still holds the top spot with approximately 23.1 million daily active users in the US on mobile, its lead has shrunk considerably. A year ago, X boasted a staggering 21 million more daily active users than Threads. That once-insurmountable lead has been chipped away to just over 7 million.
The battle is even tighter on iOS, where the two platforms are neck-and-neck. SimilarWeb's data shows X with 15.3 million daily active users on iPhones, a figure only slightly ahead of Threads' 13.1 million. This suggests that Threads has found a strong foothold among Apple users, a key demographic for many tech platforms.
However, the competition isn't as close across all fronts. X continues to dominate the web, maintaining a significant lead with about 33 million daily web visits compared to Threads' 1 million. This disparity highlights a key difference in how users access the two platforms.
Threads' mobile-first strategy seems to be paying off, and its close integration with other Meta platforms may be a significant factor. The mobile versions of Facebook and Instagram, two of the world's largest social networks, feature prominent buttons that allow users to seamlessly open the Threads app. This cross-platform promotion provides a powerful and constant stream of potential new users, a benefit X lacks.
The data suggests a compelling narrative: while X still maintains a lead, particularly on the web, Threads' consistent growth on mobile is a force to be reckoned with. The shrinking gap in daily active users indicates that the competition for the title of "public square" is far from over. As Threads continues to leverage its Meta ecosystem and grow its user base, it will be interesting to watch if it can eventually overtake its rival and reshape the social media landscape once again.
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