Meta’s Threads, a social media platform positioned as Instagram’s text-based counterpart, is narrowing the gap with X (formerly Twitter) in mobile user engagement, new data suggests. According to analytics from Similarweb reported by TechCrunch, Threads recorded 115.1 million daily active users across iOS and Android devices in June 2025. This places it closer to X, which saw 132 million daily mobile users during the same period. Smaller competitor Bluesky trailed significantly, with 4.1 million daily active users. However, X retains an advantage in desktop traffic, logging 145.8 million average daily web visits globally compared to Threads’ 6.9 million and Bluesky’s 5.3 million.
The trend follows years of upheaval in the social media landscape, beginning when Elon Musk acquired Twitter in 2023 and rebranded it as X. Changes to verification systems, the removal of features like Circles, and the integration of an AI-powered chatbot, Grok, prompted many users to explore alternatives. Though platforms like Mastodon and Bluesky gained traction, Threads emerged as a standout contender, leveraging Meta’s infrastructure to simplify onboarding through Instagram integration. By allowing users to port existing profiles and followers, Threads quickly amassed 90 million sign-ups within four days of its mid-2023 launch.
Despite its rapid growth, Threads has not yet matched X’s historical user base, which numbered in the hundreds of millions even before Musk’s acquisition. Analysts speculate that Threads’ mobile-first approach and lack of desktop optimization may limit its reach compared to X, which maintains a strong foothold among web users. Still, Threads’ ability to capture nearly half of X’s mobile engagement within two years signals a notable shift in user preferences, particularly among those seeking alternatives to X’s evolving identity.
The rivalry underscores broader tensions in the tech sector, where established platforms increasingly compete with spin-offs designed to capitalize on user dissatisfaction. Threads’ success highlights the value of pre-existing networks, as Instagram’s 2.4 billion monthly active users provided a ready-made audience. Meanwhile, X continues to innovate—or destabilize, critics argue—with features like algorithmic timelines and premium subscription models. How these platforms balance retention and reinvention may determine their staying power in a market where loyalty appears increasingly fluid.
