Mass Departure from Threads as Platform Experiences 80% Drop in Active Users

Meta Platforms introduced the Threads app in July, a text-based social media platform designed to replicate real-time interactions. The app received a tremendous response upon its release, with numerous Instagram users migrating to Threads. It was even hailed as a potential rival to Twitter. Unfortunately, this enthusiasm was short-lived as the app’s active user count rapidly declined shortly after its launch, despite its initial record-breaking success.

Threads saw an increase in active users in the first few days as people eagerly explored the app and connected with others. However, this activity quickly waned. According to analyst firm Likeweb, data for the Threads app (Android) has seen a significant drop in daily active users since its July 7 peak.

Rejecting an active user

On that peak day in July, Threads amassed an impressive 49.3 million daily active users worldwide. However, within a month, the app’s popularity plummeted, with just 10.3 million daily active Android users recorded on August 7. This sharp decline in user engagement is a clear indication of the challenges facing the app.

In the US, Threads saw a similar decline. At its peak in July, the app had 2.3 million daily active users. However, this number dropped dramatically to around 576,000 by August 7th.

The drop in user engagement also reflects a decrease in the amount of time people are spending on the Threads app. At first, global daily active users spent about 14 minutes on the app, while in the US the number was a promising 21 minutes on July 7. However, by August 7, engagement numbers had dropped significantly, with global users spending three minutes on the app.

For meaningful comparison, it’s worth noting that X, formerly known as Twitter, has over 100 million daily active users on Android alone. These users consistently spend around 25 minutes per day on the platform, showing a stark difference in user engagement between Threads and the established social media giant.

While Threads’ rapid decline in active users and engagement raises concerns about its long-term viability, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg remains optimistic and focused on maintaining a positive outlook for investors. As the platform overcomes these challenges, only time will tell if Threads can regain its momentum and emerge as a long-lasting player in social media.