Social media reached 5.79 billion user identities around the world at the start of April 2026, according to DataReportal’s analysis by Manochi. That is equal to 69.9% of all the people on Earth. Another 294 million new user identities started using social media since this time last year, an annualized growth of 5.4%. The social media statistics below track that growth by platform, country and age group.
Which platform is biggest depends on how you count. Facebook leads self-reported use, at 56.3% of adult internet users aged 16 and above in GWI’s Q4 2025 survey. YouTube ads reach 2.65 billion users each month, greater than Facebook’s 2.39 billion. Company results show where growth now sits: Reddit’s daily active uniques rose 18% year over year to 130.3 million in the second quarter of 2026.
Key Takeaways
- Social media counted 5.79 billion user identities at the start of April 2026, or 69.9% of the world’s population.
- Facebook leads self-reported monthly use at 56.3% in GWI’s Q4 2025 survey, while YouTube scores 100 on Similarweb’s app index and its ads reach 2.65 billion users each month.
- Reddit’s daily active uniques rose 18% in the second quarter of 2026, against 3% growth in Meta’s family daily active people.
- TikTok’s reported ad reach rose more than 8% in three months, yet Similarweb measured app use down roughly 10% from September 2025 to February 2026.
- 84% of US adults say they ever use YouTube and 71% report using Facebook, per Pew Research Center’s 2025 survey.
- More than 4.7 million under-16 accounts were deactivated, removed or restricted in Australia, yet 69.3% of parents whose child had a TikTok account said the child still had one.
Editor’s Choice
- Internet users worldwide: 6.12 billion at the start of April 2026.
- Meta family daily active people: 3.60 billion on average for June 2026.
- Combined Weixin and WeChat monthly users: 1,439 million as at June 30, 2026.
- Pinterest global monthly active users: 640 million, an all-time high.
- Reddit weekly active uniques: 514.6 million, crossing half a billion.
- Weekly time on social media: 18 hours and 36 minutes for the typical social media user.
How many people use social media worldwide?
- DataReportal counted 5.79 billion social media user identities at the start of April 2026.
- More than 2 in 3 people on Earth now use social media each month, so users outnumber non-users by more than two to one.
- Social media added 294 million new user identities since this time last year, an average rate of 9.3 new users every single second.
- The internet had 6.12 billion users at the start of April 2026, while 2.17 billion people remain unconnected.
- GWI finds 96.7% of internet users aged 16 and above in 54 economies use at least one social or messaging platform monthly.
- Adult social media user identities now equate to 94.5% of the global adult population aged 18+.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Social media user identities, April 2026 | 5.79 billion |
| Share of world population | 69.9% |
| New user identities, year over year | 294 million |
| Annualized growth | 5.4% |
| Share of internet users on social media | 94.7% |
| Internet users, April 2026 | 6.12 billion |
| People not using the internet | 2.17 billion |
Source: DataReportal (Manochi), April 2026
What percentage of the population uses social media?
Social media user identities equal 69.9% of all the people on Earth, per DataReportal’s April 2026 figures. The figure may not represent unique individuals, because duplicate accounts can inflate counts. It may also under-represent use, since most social media companies restrict their platforms to people aged 13 and above.
About This Data
Figures here are compiled from 13 sources. They include 6 company earnings releases and filings, 3 DataReportal reports and pages, 2 Pew Research Center surveys and 2 Australian government publications. Source dates run from November 2025 to August 2026, with company and government figures from the original publishers and GWI and Similarweb figures cited via DataReportal. Figures are reviewed on a rolling basis and updated when sources publish new editions.
Most Used Social Media Platforms Worldwide
- 56.3% of adult internet users aged 16 and above reported using Facebook within the past month, per GWI’s Q4 2025 survey.
- That puts Facebook’s user base just 1 percentage point ahead of its nearest rival.
- YouTube ranks second at 55.3%, while Instagram ranks third at 54.6%.
- 54.4% of online adults use WhatsApp each month, and 36.9% used Messenger in the past 30 days.
- TikTok places sixth, with 36%.
- Facebook reaches 73.4% of users if China and Russia are removed, with Instagram second at 71.4%.
View the data
What is the #1 most used social media?
No single answer exists, because different data sources offer different perspectives on social media use. Facebook leads what people say they use, at 56.3% of adult internet users. YouTube has the greatest number of monthly active users in Similarweb’s app data, and its ads reach 2.65 billion users each month.
Recent Developments
- July 22, 2026: Alphabet reported YouTube ads revenue of $11,055 million for the second quarter of 2026, up 13%.
- July 29, 2026: Meta reported family daily active people of 3.60 billion for June 2026, an increase of 3% year over year.
- July 30, 2026: Reddit’s weekly active uniques increased 24% year over year to 514.6 million, crossing half a billion.
- August 4, 2026: Pinterest reported an all-time high of 640 million global monthly active users, an increase of 11%.
- Second quarter 2026: Tencent reported combined Weixin and WeChat monthly active users of 1,439 million as at June 30, 2026, up 2%.
Social Media Statistics: User Growth by Platform
- Meta’s family daily active people averaged 3.60 billion for June 2026, an increase of 3% year over year.
- Combined monthly users of Weixin and WeChat reached 1,439 million as at June 30, 2026, up from 1,411 million a year earlier.
- Mobile monthly users of QQ fell 2% to 520 million.
- Pinterest’s global monthly active users reached an all-time high of 640 million, an increase of 11%.
- Snapchat added 23 million daily active users from the second quarter of 2025.
- Reddit’s weekly active uniques rose 24% to 514.6 million, crossing half a billion.
- Reddit’s 18% daily user growth ran at 6 times Meta’s 3% rate.
| Platform | User metric | Users | Year-over-year change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meta (Family of Apps) | Daily active people, June 2026 average | 3.60 billion | 3% |
| Weixin and WeChat | Combined monthly active users | 1,439 million | 2% |
| Global monthly active users | 640 million | 11% | |
| Weekly active uniques | 514.6 million | 24% | |
| Snapchat | Daily active users | 493 million | 5% |
| Daily active uniques | 130.3 million | 18% |
Source: Meta, Tencent, Pinterest, Reddit, Snap (Q2 2026 results)
The largest user bases grew the slowest in the second quarter of 2026, while Pinterest and Reddit posted double-digit gains.
View the data
Social Media App Usage Rankings
- Similarweb’s App Intelligence data suggests YouTube has the greatest number of monthly active users, giving it an index of 100.
- Facebook ranks fourth, with active app users equating to 75.7% of YouTube’s active app user base.
- TikTok ranks fifth and is the last platform with an active user base at least half the size of YouTube’s.
- Similarweb data shows worldwide use of the Messenger mobile app has fallen by 15% over the past two years.
- GWI puts active Messenger use at 36.9% of online adults in Q4 2025, down from 41.0% in Q4 2023.
View the data
Social Media Ad Reach by Platform
- YouTube ads reach 2.65 billion users each month, greater than the 2.39 billion Meta reports for Facebook.
- LinkedIn reports a global ad reach of 1.43 billion, based on total registered members.
- Messenger’s potential ad reach has fallen by more than 95% in six months, from roughly 942 million before the Messenger Inbox placement disappeared.
- X’s reported ad reach decreased from 611 million in April 2024 to 450 million in April 2026.
- Pinterest’s worldwide ad reach now stands close to 579 million.
- 59% of YouTube’s viewers now see YouTube ads on connected TV screens.
View the data
Worth noting: Ad reach is not a user count. LinkedIn’s 1.43 billion figure is based on total registered members and is not representative of monthly active users. X’s own tools show reach falling from 611 million to 450 million in two years. Planners should check reach against third-party usage data.
India and the Ad Reach Gap
- TikTok remains blocked in India, and its planning tools do not report any ad reach there.
- India contributes more than 513 million users to Instagram’s reported reach, more than 25% of Instagram’s global total.
- India adds more than 400 million users to Facebook’s reach, nearly 17% of the global total.
- Snapchat counts more than 215 million Indian users, 30% of its global total.
- Excluding India, reported adult ad reach for TikTok and Instagram stands at 2.21 billion and 1.44 billion.
- That makes TikTok’s figure more than 50% higher than Instagram’s without India.
- Similarweb data shows active use of TikTok’s apps fell by roughly 10% between September 2025 and February 2026.
| Platform | Ad reach from India | Share of global reach |
|---|---|---|
| More than 513 million | More than 25% | |
| More than 400 million | Nearly 17% | |
| Snapchat | More than 215 million | 30% |
| 190 million | 13% | |
| TikTok | Not reported (blocked in India) | Not reported |
Source: Platform ad tools via DataReportal, April 2026
Key finding: TikTok’s own data shows potential ad reach jumping by more than 8% in just three months. Over a different window, between September 2025 and February 2026, Similarweb measured active use of TikTok’s mobile apps falling by roughly 10%. Reported reach and real usage can move in opposite directions, so neither number alone sizes an audience.
Time Spent on Social Media
- The typical social media user spends an average of 18 hours and 36 minutes using social media each week, and uses 6.5 platforms each month.
- That works out to 159.4 minutes per day, the weekly figure spread across seven days.
- The typical internet user spends more than 1 full waking day each week using social media.
- The world spends over 15 billion hours consuming content on social platforms each day.
- X users spend 32 minutes per day in the X app, against 5 minutes for the typical Threads user.
- The Threads mobile app has more than 1.5 times as many global monthly active users as the X mobile app.
- X averages 6.9 sessions per day, roughly 3.6 times the 1.9 seen for Threads.
| Metric | X | Threads |
|---|---|---|
| Minutes per day in the app | 32 | 5 |
| Active users opening the app daily (%) | 42.4 | 29.9 |
| Sessions per day | 6.9 | 1.9 |
Source: Similarweb via DataReportal, April 2026
Why People Use Social Media
- 49.0% of adult social media users visit to keep in touch with friends and family.
- People cited just over 4.5 reasons for using social media on average.
- More than 7 in 10 Facebook users visit to stay in touch with friends and family.
- More than 80% of TikTok users look for funny or entertaining content, against just 21.3% for Pinterest.
View the data
Social Media Use in the US
- Pew Research Center surveyed 5,022 US adults from Feb. 5 to June 18, 2025.
- 84% of US adults say they have ever used YouTube, and 71% report using Facebook.
- 50% of adults use Instagram, the only other platform used by at least half of Americans.
- In a separate Pew survey of 5,123 US adults conducted from Feb. 24 to March 2, 2025, about half of US adults say they visit Facebook and YouTube at least once a day, including 37% who visit Facebook several times a day.
- In that same survey, 24% are daily TikTok users, and 10% report daily use of X.
- 55% of women report using Instagram, compared with 44% of men.
View the data
US Social Media Platform Growth Since 2021
- 37% of US adults use TikTok, up from 21% in 2021.
- Instagram use rose to 50% of US adults, up from 40% in 2021.
- 32% use WhatsApp, up from 23% in 2021.
- 26% report using Reddit, compared with 18% four years ago.
- Eight-in-ten adults ages 18 to 29 use Instagram, compared with 19% of adults 65 and older.
View the data
Teen Social Media Use
- Pew Research Center surveyed 1,458 US teens from Sept. 25 to Oct. 9, 2025.
- Roughly nine-in-ten teens report ever using YouTube, and about six-in-ten or more use TikTok and Instagram.
- 55% of teens go on Snapchat, while fewer use Facebook (31%) and WhatsApp (24%).
- Facebook is used by 31% of teens, down from 71% in 2014-15, and X by 16%, down from 33%.
- 61% of teens use TikTok daily, and 55% use Instagram daily.
- 36% of teens use at least one of five platforms almost constantly.
- The share on TikTok almost constantly ticked up to 21%, from 16% in 2022.
View the data
Is it true that 95% of teenagers use social media?
Pew Research Center’s 2025 survey of 1,458 US teens found roughly nine-in-ten use YouTube. About six-in-ten or more use TikTok and Instagram, and 55% use Snapchat. 36% of teens are on at least one of five platforms almost constantly.
Social Media Advertising Revenue
- Meta’s revenue was $60.80 billion in the second quarter of 2026, an increase of 28% year over year.
- Meta’s ad impressions increased by 14%, and average price per ad increased by 12%.
- YouTube ads revenue reached $11,055 million, up from $9,796 million a year earlier.
- Snap’s revenue was $1,599.0 million, up 19% year over year, with average revenue per user of $3.25.
- Pinterest’s revenue was $1,180 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2026.
- Reddit’s revenue of $805 million grew 61% year over year.
- Tencent’s marketing services revenue was RMB 43.6 billion, up 22% year over year.
View the data
By the numbers: Meta’s revenue reached $60.80 billion in the second quarter of 2026, up 28%, as ad impressions rose 14%. Reddit’s revenue reached $805 million, up 61%, while daily active uniques grew 18%. Reddit’s revenue growth rate was 2.18 times Meta’s. Its user numbers show the same pattern.
Australia’s Under-16 Social Media Ban
- Australia’s Social Media Minimum Age obligation took effect on December 10, 2025.
- More than 4.7 million under-16 accounts were deactivated, removed, or restricted within days of the law coming into effect.
- eSafety surveyed 898 parents and carers of children aged 8 to 15 between January 19 and February 2, 2026.
- 49.7% of surveyed parents said their child had an account on at least one age-restricted platform before the restrictions, falling to 31.3% after.
- Among parents whose child had an account before, 69.4% said the child still had an account on Snapchat, 69.3% on TikTok and 69.1% on Instagram.
- 48.5% reported their child still had a YouTube account after the restrictions.
- YouTube account ownership among children aged 8 to 15 fell from 36.5% to 17.7%, a drop of 18.8 percentage points.
View the data
Is 14 old enough for social media?
Not on age-restricted platforms in Australia, where providers must take reasonable steps to prevent Australians under 16 from having accounts. Elsewhere, most social media companies restrict use of their platforms to people aged 13 and above. Rules differ by country and platform, so check each app’s terms.
Conclusion
DataReportal’s latest count of 5.79 billion social media user identities equals 69.9% of the world’s population. The platform rankings show why one number rarely settles a debate. Facebook leads GWI’s global survey of self-reported use, YouTube leads app use and ad reach, and Reddit and Pinterest posted the fastest Q2 2026 user growth tracked here.
Ad reach can rise while measured usage falls, so these sources work best read together. Regulators are also reshaping access, and Australia’s under-16 law is an early test of how far age limits change who holds an account.
