Social Media Usage Statistics (2025–2026): Global Users, Platforms & Trends
- Evelyn Carter
- 3 hours ago
- 10 min read
There are now approximately 5.66 billion social media users worldwide that's nearly 7 in 10 people on Earth. These social media usage statistics cover global user counts, platform rankings, time spent, demographics, and advertising figures, based on data from DataReportal, GWI, Statista, and Pew Research Center.
Social Media at a Glance: Key Numbers for 2025–2026
Before getting into the breakdown, here are the headline figures worth knowing:
5.66 billion social media user identities globally (Q3 2025)
69.9% of the world's population uses social media
93.8% of all internet users are on at least one social platform
2 hours 21 minutes — average time spent on social media per day globally
6.75 platforms used per person per month on average
$317.33 billion — projected global social media ad spend in 2026
Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram each report 3 billion+ monthly active users
One thing worth flagging upfront: the figures across these bullet points come from different sources using different methods. That's not unusual — it's actually the norm with social media data, and it matters when you start comparing numbers. More on that below.
How Many People Use Social Media Worldwide?
As of Q3 2025, there are approximately 5.66 billion social media user identities globally, according to DataReportal's Kepios analysis. That figure represents around 69.9% of the total world population and 93.8% of all internet users regardless of age.
Year-over-year growth sits at roughly 4.87%, with about 259 million new user identities added compared to the same period in 2024. That works out to approximately 7.8 new users every second. Here's how the numbers have grown over time:
Growth is steady, but the rate appears to be moderating slightly in more recent quarters compared to the stronger year-over-year jumps seen in 2023–2024.
What "Social Media Users" Actually Means — and Why the Number Isn't Simple
This is worth pausing on, because it causes real confusion.The 5.66 billion figure refers to user identities, not confirmed unique individuals. Many people maintain multiple accounts — across platforms, or even multiple accounts on the same platform.
Because of this, the total user count can technically exceed the number of internet users, or in some countries, even approach the total population.At the same time, most platforms restrict use to people aged 13 and above, which means comparing social media users to total population figures actually understates relative penetration among the eligible age group.
DataReportal estimates that social media users now represent 92.6% of all adults aged 18 and above worldwide.So when you see a number like "5.66 billion users," treat it as a measure of active accounts, not a headcount of distinct people.
Social Media Penetration by Country and Region
Globally, the social media penetration rate sits at approximately 68.7% of the total population. But that average hides significant variation.
Countries with the Highest Penetration Rates
Some countries report penetration rates above 100%. That's not a data error it reflects the duplicate account issue described above, plus the fact that penetration is typically calculated against total population rather than just the eligible age group.
Countries with the Most Social Media Users
By raw user count, China leads globally, followed by India and the United States.
Country | 2025 Users (millions) | 2030 Projection (millions) |
China | 1,185.78 | 1,361.94 |
India | 874.45 | 1,127.08 |
United States | 312.99 | 328.91 |
Indonesia | 203.35 | 235.58 |
Brazil | 160.06 | 181.39 |
Russia | 132.21 | 138.30 |
Pakistan | 130.30 | 262.83 |
Philippines | 114.62 | 123.88 |
Mexico | 114.28 | 127.56 |
Japan | 103.65 | 107.84 |
Pakistan's projected growth to 262.83 million by 2030 from 130.30 million in 2025 is notably sharp and reflects broader growth trends across South Asian markets.
Social Media Usage in the United States
Roughly 313 million people in the United States use social media, representing approximately 93% of the US population. Statista projects this to reach around 316 million by the end of 2026 and grow to approximately 330 million by 2029.
Americans average 2 hours and 9 minutes of social media use per day — about 12 minutes below the global average of 2 hours 21 minutes.
Which Platforms Do Americans Actually Use?
As reported by TechCrunch, YouTube and Facebook continue to be the most widely used platforms among US adults, with 84% and 71% of adults reporting use respectively figures drawn from a survey of 5,022 US adults conducted between February and June 2025.
The data below reflects "ever use" meaning adults who report using each platform at any point, not necessarily daily or monthly active use. That's a broader and lower-bar metric than "monthly active user" figures you'll see elsewhere.
Platform | % of US Adults Who Use It |
YouTube | 84% — most widely used |
71% — second most widely used | |
50% of US adults | |
TikTok | 37% |
32% | |
26% | |
Snapchat | 25% |
X (Twitter) | Smaller overall share |
US Platform Use by Age Group
Age is the single biggest predictor of which platforms Americans use. The differences are striking.
Platform | Ages 18–29 | Ages 30–49 | Ages 50–64 | Ages 65+ |
YouTube | 95% | 92% | 85% | 64% |
68% | 80% | 74% | 57% | |
80% | 62% | 40% | 19% | |
TikTok | 63% | 44% | 30% | 12% |
37% | 40% | 30% | 20% | |
48% | 35% | 16% | 6% | |
Snapchat | 58% | 31% | 13% | 4% |
X (Twitter) | 33% | 25% | 16% | 10% |
YouTube is the only platform with genuinely broad reach across all age groups. Facebook maintains strong numbers across middle and older age groups, while Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat are heavily skewed toward users under 40.
Gender Breakdown — US vs. Global
Globally, social media skews slightly male: 54.6% male, 45.4% female. In the United States, the split is nearly even — 50.2% female, 49.8% male — suggesting the global skew is driven largely by usage patterns in other regions.
The World's Most Used Social Media Platforms
Here's something that trips people up: the answer to "what's the most used social media platform?" genuinely depends on how you measure it.
Why Different Sources Show Different Rankings
There are three distinct ways this gets measured, and they don't always agree:
1. Self-reported survey data (GWI) People are asked which platforms they used in the past month. In GWI's Q2 2025 survey of adults aged 16+, Facebook ranked first at 56.9%, followed by YouTube at 55.4% and Instagram at 55.1%.
2. App activity data (Similarweb) This tracks which apps people actually open on their phones. By this measure, YouTube ranks first, with WhatsApp second and Instagram third. Facebook drops to fourth.
3. Advertising reach figures (platform-reported) Platforms publish the potential reach of their ad systems. YouTube leads here too, at 2.58 billion, followed by Facebook at 2.35 billion.Each method is valid. They measure different things.
The discrepancy between Facebook ranking first in surveys and lower in app activity likely reflects users who log in via browser rather than app, or who check Facebook less frequently than other platforms.
Platform Rankings by Monthly Active Users
The table below uses the most recent figures available, combining monthly active user (MAU) data and advertising reach figures where MAU data isn't published. Figures marked with (a) represent ad reach rather than confirmed MAUs.
Rank | Platform | Users / Reach |
1 | 3.07 billion MAU | |
2 | 3.00 billion MAU | |
2 | 3.00 billion MAU | |
4 | YouTube | 2.58 billion (a) |
5 | TikTok | 1.99 billion (a) |
6 | WeChat (inc. Weixin) | 1.41 billion MAU |
7 | Telegram | 1.00 billion MAU |
8 | Messenger | 942 million (a) |
9 | Snapchat | 932 million MAU |
10 | 765 million (a) | |
11 | Douyin | 728 million MAU |
12 | Kuaishou | 715 million MAU |
13 | 588 million MAU | |
14 | 578 million MAU | |
15 | X (Twitter) | 557 million (a) |
16 | 532 million MAU |
Sources: DataReportal, Kepios, platform-published data. (a) = advertising reach figure, not confirmed MAU.Seven platforms now report or are estimated to have over 1 billion active users. Sixteen platforms claim at least 500 million.
A Note on Platform Audience Overlaps
These numbers add up to far more than the total number of social media users because the same person uses multiple platforms. GWI data shows the average user is active on 6.75 platforms per month.
In practice, this means marketers don't need to be present everywhere to reach most of their audience. Concentrating on one or two major platforms already covers the majority of active social media users.
How Much Time Do People Spend on Social Media?
Globally, the average person spends 2 hours and 21 minutes per day on social media. Over a full week, GWI data puts this at 18 hours and 36 minutes — which includes time spent on social networks, messaging apps, and video platforms like YouTube and TikTok.
That's more than one full waking day per week, based on typical sleep patterns. Whether that figure feels high or low probably depends on your own habits — but it's consistently reported across multiple data sources.In the United States, the daily average is slightly lower at 2 hours and 9 minutes.
That 12-minute gap may seem small, but at scale it represents a meaningful difference in total engagement hours between the US and markets where social media use is heavier.
What's often overlooked is that this average includes people who barely open an app and people who spend six or more hours on it daily. It's a mean across a very wide distribution.
Why People Use Social Media
Understanding usage numbers is one thing. Understanding why people show up is another — and it matters for anyone trying to reach audiences on these platforms.
Top Reasons for Using Social Media (Global)
Reason | % of Users |
Keeping in touch with friends and family | 50.8% |
Filling spare time | 39.0% |
Reading news stories | 34.5% |
Finding content (articles, videos) | 30.5% |
Seeing what's being talked about | 29.2% |
Finding products to purchase | 27.3% |
Finding inspiration for things to do/buy | 27.2% |
Watching or following sports | 23.6% |
Watching live streams | 23.4% |
Seeing content from favourite brands | 22.5% |
Making new contacts | 22.1% |
Work-related networking or research | 22.1% |
Sharing and discussing opinions | 21.9% |
Following celebrities or influencers | 19.7% |
Avoiding missing out (FOMO) | 19.5% |
Connection remains the primary driver — more than half of users cite staying in touch with people they know. Entertainment is close behind, with roughly 4 in 10 users describing social media primarily as a way to fill time. Many creators who built audiences around entertainment content have turned that following into full commercial careers.
Also Read: Kyle Forgeard Net Worth
How Motivations Differ by Platform
People don't use every platform for the same reason. GWI survey data shows clear differences in what users actually do on each app:
Facebook: Messaging and keeping in touch with friends and family
TikTok: Finding funny and entertaining content — messaging is relatively unimportant to TikTok users
Instagram and Snapchat: Publishing personal content and sharing moments
Reddit: Discussion and opinion-sharing
Pinterest: Researching brands, products, and purchase ideas
LinkedIn: Work-related networking and professional research
In practice, this means a brand's content strategy should differ meaningfully by platform not just in format, but in the underlying reason the audience is there. Figures like Iman Gadzhi have built entire education businesses around teaching this platform-specific approach to social media marketing.
Social Media Advertising Statistics
(social media advertising spend)
Social media advertising is substantial and still growing, though the pace of growth is slowing in some markets. According to data from Statista, global social media ad spend is projected to reach $317.33 billion in 2026, with a compound annual growth rate of 10.9% forecast through to 2030.
Mobile will account for an estimated $384.90 billion in total social ad spend by 2027
The US is expected to generate $88.1 billion in social media ad revenue by 2028
The number of users exposed to social media advertising is projected to reach 5.85 billion by 2027
77% of marketers report using Facebook and Instagram advertising as part of their strategy
Platforms with the Largest Advertising Audiences
These figures represent each platform's self-reported advertising reach — the maximum potential audience size for ad campaigns, as published in their own ad tools. These are not the same as monthly active user counts and are generally lower.
Platform | Reported Ad Reach |
YouTube | 2.58 billion |
2.35 billion | |
TikTok | 1.99 billion |
1.91 billion | |
1.33 billion* |
LinkedIn's figure reflects total registered members, not monthly active users — making it difficult to compare directly with the other platforms listed here.The scale of social media advertising has also created substantial wealth for those who built audiences early.
The Steve Will Do It is one frequently cited example of a creator whose social media presence translated directly into brand deals and business revenue reflecting how advertising money now flows toward individual creators, not just platforms.
Social Media Growth Outlook
Global social media user numbers are expected to keep growing through the end of the decade, though the rate of growth varies significantly by region.
Global users are projected to exceed 6 billion by the late 2020s
The US is expected to reach approximately 330 million users by 2029
China is projected to grow from 1.19 billion to 1.36 billion users by 2030
India is expected to see sharper growth — from 874 million to over 1.1 billion by 2030
Pakistan's projected growth — from 130 million to over 262 million by 2030 — reflects the kind of accelerated adoption trajectory common in markets with younger populations and expanding mobile internet access
In general, mature markets like the US, Western Europe, and South Korea are approaching saturation. Meaningful user growth is increasingly concentrated in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and parts of Africa — regions with younger demographics and growing smartphone penetration.
The social media landscape in these markets increasingly mirrors patterns seen in apps like Coffee Meets Bagel — mobile-first, community-driven platforms that scaled rapidly by targeting underserved digital audiences.
Conclusion
Social media now reaches nearly 70% of the world's population, with 5.66 billion user identities recorded in 2025. Growth continues, but is gradually slowing in established markets. Platform dominance, time spent, and user motivations all vary significantly by region, age, and measurement method.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many people use social media worldwide in 2025?
Approximately 5.66 billion social media user identities were recorded globally in Q3 2025, representing around 69.9% of the world's population. Note that this counts accounts, not necessarily unique individuals.
What is the most used social media platform in the world?
It depends on the measurement. Facebook leads in self-reported monthly use. YouTube leads in app activity data and advertising reach. Both are accurate — they measure different things.
Which country has the most social media users?
China, with approximately 1.19 billion users in 2025. India ranks second at around 874 million, followed by the United States at roughly 313 million.
How much time does the average person spend on social media daily?
Globally, the average is 2 hours and 21 minutes per day. In the US, it's slightly lower at 2 hours and 9 minutes. Weekly, this adds up to around 18 hours and 36 minutes globally.
Why do some countries show social media penetration rates above 100%?
Penetration rates are calculated against total population. When many users hold multiple accounts — or when the figure includes business and bot accounts — the rate can exceed 100%. It's a data artifact, not an error.