Threads Beats X In Mobile Users, But Not In Web Usage
New data from market intelligence firm Similarweb suggests a significant shift in how users engage with social media platforms: Meta’s Threads now surpasses Elon Musk’s X in daily active users on mobile devices worldwide. As of early January 2026, Threads’ mobile app for iOS and Android recorded around 141.5 million daily active users, compared with approximately 125 million for X over the same period, highlighting Threads’ growing traction on smartphones.
This marks a notable milestone in the rivalry between the two platforms. Threads, launched by Meta in 2023 as a text-focused social app linked to Instagram, has steadily increased its active audience on mobile, reflecting long-term growth rather than a sudden surge. Analysts point to consistent feature updates and the strength of Meta’s broader ecosystem – including deep integration with Instagram – as key drivers behind this climb in engagement.
Although Threads now leads in mobile engagement, X still maintains an edge in web usage. Similarweb data shows X continues to attract far more daily visits through web browsers than Threads. In addition, in core markets such as the United States, X’s mobile daily user count remains slightly ahead, though the gap has narrowed compared with previous periods.
Threads’ expansion comes amid broader debates about platform strategy and trust. X has faced recent controversy over content moderation, including issues related to its AI tool Grok, which has drawn regulatory scrutiny in several regions. However, it’s unclear how much these challenges have directly influenced user migration. Either way, Threads has used cross-promotion with other Meta platforms to drive more users towards trying it, something that has undoubtedly made a difference in its overall user count.
While legacy services like X retain strengths in certain areas, newer entrants like Threads are gaining ground in crucial usage metrics that reflect habitual user behaviour, particularly on mobile. However, X still has the lead in web and browser usage, likely due to its long-lived nature as a platform that sees use across a wide range of business and personal purposes.
