Threads overtakes X in daily mobile users as usage trends diverge

Meta-owned Threads has overtaken Elon Musk’s X in daily active users on mobile devices, according to new data from market intelligence firm Similarweb, signalling a shift in how users are engaging with the two social platforms.

Similarweb data shows that Threads recorded 141.5 million daily active users across iOS and Android as of January 7, 2026, following months of steady growth. By comparison, X had 125 million daily active users on mobile over the same period. While X continues to outperform Threads on the web, the Threads mobile app has seen a sustained rise in daily usage over recent months.

The change in mobile usage patterns appears to reflect longer-term trends rather than an immediate reaction to recent controversies surrounding X. The platform has faced regulatory scrutiny after users were found using its integrated artificial intelligence chatbot, Grok, to generate non-consensual nude images of women and, in some instances, minors. Concerns over the deepfake content prompted California’s attorney general to open an investigation into Grok, following similar probes by authorities in the UK, the European Union, India, Brazil and other regions.

The turmoil at X has also contributed to a recent increase in app installs for decentralised social networking startup Bluesky. However, Similarweb data suggests that Threads’ mobile growth is being driven by structural factors, including cross-promotion across Meta’s larger platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, where Threads is frequently promoted to existing users, alongside a stronger focus on creators and a rapid cadence of feature launches.

Over the past year, Threads has introduced interest-based communities, improved content filters, direct messaging, long-form text posts and disappearing posts, and has recently been spotted testing games. The continued rise in daily active users indicates that Threads is increasingly being adopted as a regular mobile habit rather than an occasional alternative.

Meta has previously highlighted Threads’ broader growth trajectory. The company said in August 2025 that the platform had surpassed 400 million monthly active users, and reported in October that Threads had reached 150 million daily active users. Similarweb noted that the growth trend has been building for several months. Last summer, the firm reported that Threads was rapidly closing the gap with X on mobile after recording 127.8 percent year-on-year growth as of late June 2025.

Regionally, Similarweb observed that X still maintains a lead over Threads in the United States, although the gap has narrowed significantly. A year ago, X had roughly twice as many daily active users in the US as it does now.

Despite Threads’ mobile gains, X continues to dominate web usage. Similarweb data shows that X maintains a relatively stable web audience of around 150 million daily visits. As of January 13, X recorded 145.4 million daily web visits, while Threads saw 8.5 million daily web visits across Threads.com and Threads.net combined, underlining the divergent usage patterns between the two platforms.