Threads edges out X in daily mobile users, new data shows

New figures from market intelligence firm Similarweb indicate that Meta’s Threads is now seeing higher daily usage on mobile devices than X. While X continues to outperform Threads on the web, the Threads app on iOS and Android has recorded steady growth in daily active users over recent months.

According to Similarweb, Threads reached 141.5 million daily active users on mobile as of January 7, 2026. Over the same period, X recorded 125 million daily active mobile users. The data suggests this shift reflects longer-term usage trends rather than a short-term response to recent controversies surrounding X.

Those controversies include reports that users were using X’s integrated AI system, Grok, to generate non-consensual nude images of women, in some cases involving minors. The issue has led California’s attorney general to open an investigation, following similar probes in regions such as the UK, EU, India, and Brazil. The situation also contributed to a recent increase in app installs for social networking startup Bluesky.

However, Threads’ rising mobile engagement appears to be driven primarily by factors other than mobile. These include cross-promotion from Meta’s larger platforms like Facebook and Instagram, where Threads is frequently surfaced to existing users, along with a strong focus on creators and the rapid rollout of new features. Over the past year, Threads has introduced interest-based communities, improved filters, direct messages, long-form posts, disappearing content, and has recently been spotted testing games.

Together, these developments suggest that Threads is increasingly becoming a regular, habit-based app for mobile users. Meta previously reported in August 2025 that Threads had surpassed 400 million monthly active users, and later disclosed in October that the platform had reached 150 million daily active users.

Growth on mobile has been building for some time. Similarweb reported last summer that Threads was closing the gap with X on smartphones after posting 127.8% year-over-year growth as of late June 2025. In the U.S., X still maintains a lead, but Similarweb notes that the gap has narrowed significantly, with X now having roughly half the advantage it held a year ago.

On the web, however, the picture is very different. X continues to maintain a strong desktop presence, averaging around 150 million daily web visits. As of January 13, X was seeing 145.4 million daily web visits, while Threads recorded just 8.5 million across Threads.com and Threads.net combined, according to Similarweb data.

Overall, the latest figures highlight a clear divergence in usage patterns: Threads is gaining momentum on mobile, while X remains dominant on the web.