Threads continues to lead X on mobile globally

Threads continues to surpass X in daily mobile usage globally, according to the latest data from Similarweb, as reported by TechCrunch. As of January 7, 2026, Threads had 141.5 million daily active users on iOS and Android, about 13% more than X, which had 125 million. This continues a trend that started in September 2025, when Threads first overtook X in daily mobile usage with 130.2 million users versus X’s 130.1 million.

The platform’s growth over the past year has been steady. In July 2025, Threads had 115.1 million daily mobile users, trailing X’s 132 million at the time. Since then, Threads has continued to close the gap and expand its daily active user base.

Factors behind Threads’ ongoing growth

Several factors appear to be driving Threads’ increase in daily mobile users. In Q3 2025, Meta reported that AI-powered recommendations contributed to a 10% increase in average time spent on Threads. This increased engagement contributed to the platform’s overall growth. For instance, daily active users on Threads rose from 100 million in December 2024 to over 150 million by October 2025.

The combination of personalized AI suggestions and the rollout of new features appears to have kept users on the app longer. Threads has introduced various features, including interest-based communities, direct messaging, long-form text, disappearing posts, and improved content filters. Meta has also promoted the app across its other platforms, including Facebook and Instagram. This could be one of the drivers of Threads’ growth.

X remains ahead in the U.S. and in web traffic

Despite Threads’ growth globally, X continues to lead in the U.S. However, the gap is closing, as X’s U.S. daily users are now about half of what they were a year ago. Similarweb data shows X had 21.3 million daily mobile users in the U.S., compared with Threads’ 16.2 million.

X also maintains a strong web presence compared to Threads. As of January 13, 2026, X recorded around 145.4 million daily web visits, while Threads saw 8.5 million across Threads.com and Threads.net combined. This follows Similarweb’s September 2025 data, which showed X with 140.7 million daily web users versus Threads’ 7.7 million.

‍