Meta’s Threads is experiencing a surge in popularity, now surpassing X (formerly Twitter) in daily active users on mobile devices, according to a recent report from market intelligence firm Similarweb. The data indicates a significant shift in the social media landscape, with Threads reaching 141.5 million daily active users as of January 7, 2026, compared to X’s 125 million on mobile. This growth comes amidst ongoing scrutiny of X, but appears to be driven by broader strategic initiatives from Meta.
Threads Overtakes X in Mobile User Engagement
The rise of Threads as a dominant mobile platform is a notable development in the competitive social media market. While X continues to hold a larger audience on the web, the trend clearly favors Threads among mobile users. This shift is not necessarily a direct reaction to controversies surrounding X, but rather a result of sustained growth and feature development within the Meta ecosystem.
Recent X Controversies and User Response
Recent issues on X, including the discovery of users leveraging the platform’s AI, Grok, to generate non-consensual deepfake images, have drawn significant criticism and legal challenges. California’s attorney general has launched an investigation into Grok, following similar actions in the UK, EU, India, Brazil, and other regions. These controversies have prompted some users to explore alternative platforms, such as Bluesky, which has seen a recent uptick in app installs.
Meta’s Strategic Growth of Threads
However, the growth of Threads appears to be more than just a beneficiary of X’s troubles. Meta has actively promoted Threads within its existing social networks, Facebook and Instagram, exposing it to a vast user base. Additionally, the company has focused on attracting creators and rapidly implementing new features designed to enhance user experience and engagement.
Over the past year, Threads has introduced several key functionalities, including interest-based communities, improved filtering options, direct messaging (DMs), support for longer-form text posts, and disappearing posts. Most recently, the platform has been testing the integration of games, signaling a potential expansion into interactive entertainment. These additions are likely contributing to increased daily usage and a more habitual user experience.
Meta reported 400 million monthly active users for Threads in August 2025, and subsequently announced 150 million daily active users in October of the same year. The latest Similarweb data suggests this momentum has continued, pushing Threads ahead of X in the crucial mobile space.
Web Usage Discrepancy
Despite its gains on mobile, Threads lags significantly behind X in web traffic. Similarweb data from earlier this week (January 13, 2026) shows X receiving approximately 145.4 million daily web visits, while Threads garnered only 8.5 million across Threads.com and Threads.net. This suggests that users primarily engage with Threads through its dedicated mobile application, while X maintains a stronger presence as a web-based platform.
The gap in U.S. usage is also narrowing, but X still leads. A year ago, X had double the daily active users in the U.S. compared to Threads; now, the difference is less pronounced. This indicates that Threads is gaining traction within the key North American market, but has not yet overtaken its competitor.
Implications for the Social Media Landscape
The increasing popularity of Threads, coupled with the challenges facing X, highlights the dynamic nature of the social media industry. The competition for user attention is fierce, and platforms must continually innovate to remain relevant. The success of Threads demonstrates the power of leveraging an existing user base and focusing on features that drive engagement. The rise of alternative platforms like Bluesky also suggests a growing desire among some users for different social networking experiences, potentially driven by concerns about content moderation and platform policies. The term social media is being redefined as user preferences evolve.
The shift in user base also has implications for digital marketing strategies. Advertisers will need to reassess their reach and engagement on both platforms, and potentially allocate more resources to Threads as its user base continues to grow. Understanding the nuances of each platform’s audience and features will be crucial for maximizing campaign effectiveness. User engagement is a key metric to watch as both platforms compete for attention.
Looking ahead, the next few months will be critical for both Threads and X. Meta is expected to continue rolling out new features and expanding the platform’s functionality. X, meanwhile, will need to address the concerns raised by recent controversies and demonstrate a clear path forward for its future development. Further data releases from firms like Similarweb will provide valuable insights into the evolving dynamics of the social networking market and the relative performance of these key players. The ongoing investigations into Grok could also significantly impact X’s trajectory, depending on the findings and any resulting regulatory actions.
