Bluesky, the decentralized social network, has experienced a notable decline in its active user base. Data from digital intelligence provider Similarweb indicates that in June 2026, Bluesky’s mobile app had 10.4 million monthly active users worldwide, marking a 27.2% decrease compared to the previous year. Additionally, daily active users on mobile fell by 25.6% year-over-year in July, totaling approximately 3 million users.
This downward trend suggests that while Bluesky continues to attract new registered accounts, the frequency of user engagement on its mobile platform is diminishing. The initial surge in user adoption, largely driven by dissatisfaction with X (formerly Twitter) following the U.S. elections in November 2024, appears to have waned. At its peak in late 2024, Bluesky boasted around 22.1 million monthly active users. By the second quarter of 2026, this number had declined by approximately 52% to 10.7 million.
Despite the overall decline, Bluesky maintains a dedicated core user base. The platform’s stickiness rate—the ratio of daily to monthly active users—stood at roughly 29% in June 2026, comparable to that of Meta’s Threads.
Under the leadership of new CEO Toni Schneider, Bluesky is shifting its focus beyond the app itself. The company is emphasizing the development and expansion of its underlying protocol, AT Protocol (AT Proto), to support a broader ecosystem of social applications and communities. This strategic pivot has led to the emergence of projects like BlackSky and Eurosky, as well as the video-centric app Skylight, which have gained early traction.
In addition to fostering third-party applications, Bluesky has introduced new products such as the AI-powered research tool Attie. The company is also working on integrating support for private data within the platform, aiming to attract users interested in private networking and community-building.
Interestingly, the decline in Bluesky’s user engagement does not appear to correspond with a resurgence in X’s user base. Similarweb’s data reveals that X’s worldwide monthly active users on mobile decreased by approximately 3% year-over-year in June 2026, with daily active users dropping 7% in July to 123.7 million. This suggests that users are not necessarily returning to X but may be exploring alternative platforms.
One such platform is Meta’s Threads, which has shown significant growth. In July 2026, Threads’ daily active users increased by 21.3% year-over-year to 147 million, and website visits surged by 112% to 471.6 million. It remains to be seen whether Threads is benefiting from Bluesky’s declining engagement or attracting a new demographic of users.
Bluesky’s strategic shift towards expanding its protocol and supporting a diverse range of applications reflects a broader trend in the social media landscape. As user preferences evolve, platforms are increasingly focusing on interoperability and decentralized networks to offer more personalized and secure experiences. This approach may position Bluesky as a foundational element in the next generation of social media, despite current declines in its app’s active user base.
