Threads Surpasses X Mobile User Count for First Time
Meta has officially overtaken X in daily active mobile users for the very first time. New data released by market intelligence firm Similarweb confirms this significant shift in the social media landscape. The rivalry between the two platforms has intensified since the launch of the Meta app in 2023. This milestone suggests a changing tide in how audiences consume short-form text content on their smartphones.
The report indicates that the application reached approximately 141.5 million daily active users globally on iOS and Android devices by early January 2026. In contrast, X recorded about 125 million daily active users on mobile platforms during the same period. This crossover event reportedly occurred sometime between late October and November of the previous year. The steady climb highlights a consistent retention strategy rather than a momentary spike in popularity.
Despite this victory on mobile devices, Elon Musk and his platform still maintain a stronghold in other areas. The web traffic for X dwarfs its competitor by a massive margin. Data shows the legacy platform attracting roughly 145 million daily visitors via desktop browsers compared to fewer than 9 million for the Meta alternative. This disparity suggests that X remains the preferred tool for power users, journalists, and professionals who work primarily from computers.
The situation in the United States presents a slightly different picture than the global trends. X continues to hold a narrow lead in the American mobile market with about 21.2 million daily users against 19.5 million for its rival. However, the gap is closing rapidly as the Meta-owned platform grows at a much faster rate. Analysts note that X has seen a year-over-year decline in its mobile user base while its competitor surges ahead.
Mark Zuckerberg and his team have leveraged their existing ecosystem to drive this growth effectively. The integration with Instagram allows for seamless cross-promotion that introduces millions of existing users to the text-based app. This strategy has proven essential in overcoming the “cold start” problem that plagues many new social networks. The ability to easily share posts between apps keeps users within the Meta family of services for longer sessions.
The decline in mobile usage for X coincides with various changes and controversies surrounding the platform. Issues regarding content moderation and recent concerns over AI features like Grok have potentially alienated some casual users. While the core user base remains loyal on the web, the mobile-first audience appears to be migrating toward alternatives that offer a different experience. The data implies this is a long-term trend rather than a reaction to any single specific event.
As the battle for attention continues, it remains to be seen if this mobile dominance will eventually translate to web traffic. The distinct usage patterns between the two services might mean they will coexist by serving different needs. One focuses on rapid mobile engagement while the other serves as a global town square for desktop discourse.
We are curious to know if you have switched your daily habits or if you maintain accounts on both platforms, so please tell us in the comments.
