Threads Surpasses X in Daily Mobile Usage: A Shift in Social Media Engagement
In a significant development within the social media landscape, Meta’s Threads has overtaken Elon Musk’s X in daily active users on mobile platforms. This shift underscores a changing dynamic in user engagement, particularly on smartphones, where the majority of social interactions now occur.
According to data from Similarweb, as reported by TechCrunch, as of January 7, 2026, Threads boasted 141.5 million daily active users on iOS and Android devices. In contrast, X recorded approximately 125 million daily active mobile users during the same timeframe. This trend has been developing over several months, indicating a steady evolution in user preferences rather than a fleeting response to recent controversies surrounding X.
Threads’ Mobile Ascendancy
Meta has strategically integrated Threads into its ecosystem, leveraging platforms like Facebook and Instagram to promote the app to existing users, thereby facilitating seamless discovery. Concurrently, Threads has prioritized content creators and introduced a suite of new features at an accelerated pace. Over the past year, the app has expanded its offerings to include interest-based communities, enhanced content filters, direct messaging capabilities, long-form posts, ephemeral content, and even preliminary tests of in-app games.
These enhancements have transformed Threads from a supplementary application into a comprehensive daily social tool. Similarweb’s analysis from late June 2025 highlighted this growth trajectory, noting a 127.8% year-over-year increase and observing that Threads was closing the gap with X on mobile devices.
Challenges Facing X
X has encountered several challenges that have impacted its public perception. Notably, users have exploited X’s integrated AI tool, Grok, to generate non-consensual explicit images, including content involving minors. These incidents have prompted investigations by authorities across multiple jurisdictions, including California, the United Kingdom, the European Union, India, and Brazil.
In response to these controversies, alternative platforms have experienced increased user interest. For instance, Bluesky, a nascent social network, reported a surge in app installations as users sought alternatives amid the turmoil surrounding X.
Divergent Platform Strengths: Web vs. Mobile
While Threads has gained a foothold in the mobile domain, X continues to maintain a robust presence on the web. Similarweb’s data indicates that X attracts a consistent web audience, with approximately 150 million daily visits. As of January 13, 2026, X recorded about 145.4 million daily web visits, whereas Threads accounted for only about 8.5 million daily web visits across its domains.
This delineation highlights a clear division: Threads is emerging as the preferred platform for mobile users, while X retains its dominance among desktop users.
Meta has also disclosed its own growth metrics. In August 2025, the company announced that Threads had surpassed 400 million monthly active users. Subsequent reports in October indicated that the platform had reached 150 million daily active users.
Collectively, these figures suggest a significant shift in user behavior, with an increasing number of individuals incorporating Threads into their daily mobile routines. The narrowing gap between Threads and X, particularly in the mobile sphere, underscores the evolving preferences of social media users.
