Threads is gaining daily mobile users compared to X, based on new usage data.
New market data indicates that Threads daily active users on mobile have now surpassed those of X mobile users, marking a notable shift in the ongoing Threads vs X rivalry. Insights shared by Similarweb show that Meta’s social app is gaining stronger daily engagement on smartphones, even though X continues to lead on desktop web traffic.
As of January 7, 2026, Threads recorded about 141.5 million daily active users across iOS and Android devices. During the same period, X attracted roughly 125 million daily mobile users. The numbers highlight steady growth for Threads over recent months, especially on mobile platforms where user habits are increasingly formed.
Analysts suggest this momentum is part of a longer trend rather than a short-term response to controversies surrounding X. Recently, concerns emerged over misuse of the platform’s AI feature Grok to generate non-consensual explicit images. These issues have led California’s attorney general to open an investigation, following actions already taken in regions such as the UK, the EU, India, and Brazil. While this situation has drawn attention, the mobile rise of Threads appears to be driven by broader product and ecosystem factors.
At the same time, some competing platforms have benefited from the unrest. Social networking startup Bluesky, for example, has reportedly seen a spike in app downloads over the past few days as users explore alternatives.
For Threads, several growth drivers stand out. Backed by Meta, the app benefits from heavy promotion across Facebook and Instagram, where existing users are frequently encouraged to join. Meta has also placed a strong focus on creators and has moved quickly to expand features. Over the past year, Threads introduced interest-based communities, improved content filters, direct messages, longer text posts, disappearing updates, and even early tests of in-app games.
Together, these changes are helping Threads become a more regular part of daily mobile routines. According to Meta’s own disclosures, Threads crossed 400 million monthly active users in August 2025. A later update in October reported around 150 million daily active users, underlining the platform’s rapid adoption curve.
The upward trend is not new. Similarweb reported last summer that Threads was rapidly closing the gap with X on mobile after posting more than 127 percent year-over-year growth by late June 2025. In the United States, X still maintains a lead, but the difference has narrowed significantly compared to a year ago, when X had roughly double the daily users it sees now.
Despite Threads’ success on smartphones, the web remains a weaker area for the app. X continues to draw a stable desktop audience of around 150 million daily web visits. As of January 13, X logged about 145.4 million daily web visits, while Threads attracted only 8.5 million combined visits across Threads.com and Threads.net. This contrast shows that while Threads daily active users dominate on mobile, X still holds firm on the web side of social media usage.
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