You opened Threads to check your notifications. You closed it 5 minutes later. That's longer than most people stay.
Threads became the fastest app to reach 100 million users in history - just 2 days after launch in July 2023. It hit 400 million monthly users by Q3 2025. Yet users spend an average of just 5 minutes 24 seconds per day on the platform, making it the lowest-engagement major social app. At launch, that number was 21 minutes. The 74% decline tells the story of hype meeting reality.
Threads occupies a unique position: Meta's answer to X (Twitter), built on Instagram's social graph, designed to capture users fleeing Elon Musk's chaotic leadership. With 115.1 million daily active users (approaching X's 132 million) but 1/6th the engagement time (5.4 minutes vs 34 minutes), Threads has become what users call a "companion app" - something you check briefly when Instagram reminds you, not a destination you actively seek.
This page compiles comprehensive data on Threads' explosive growth, dramatic engagement decline, and unique position as the social platform people join but don't use. All statistics are cited with sources.
| 5 minutes 24 seconds per day average time spent on Threads, down 74% from the 21-minute launch high, making it the lowest-engagement major social platform (DemandSage, 2025; The Social Shepherd, 2026) |
| Fastest to 100 million users in 2 days, beating ChatGPT (2 months), TikTok (9 months), Instagram (30 months), and every other app in history (DemandSage, 2025) |
| 400 million monthly active users as of Q3 2025, growing 300% from 100 million in Q3 2023, yet daily engagement remains minimal (Backlinko, 2026) |
| 115.1 million daily active users in June 2025, representing just 28.8% of monthly users actually returning daily, far below Instagram (60%) or Facebook (68.7%) (Backlinko, 2026; DemandSage, 2025) |
| 79% daily user collapse from the 49.4 million peak in July 2023 to 10.3 million by year-end, before recovering to 115 million by mid-2025 (DemandSage, 2025) |
| X users spend 6.3 times more time daily and 9.4 times more monthly on their platform than Threads users, despite Threads approaching X in total user count (DemandSage, 2025; The Social Shepherd, 2026) |
Table of Contents
- How Much Time Do People Spend on Threads?
- Threads vs X (Twitter): The Engagement Gap
- Threads User Demographics
- Threads Growth: The Fastest App to 100M Users
- Why Threads Has the Lowest Engagement
- Mental Health and Threads Usage
- How to Use Threads Intentionally
- FAQ
How Much Time Do People Spend on Threads?
Threads holds a dubious distinction: the lowest average daily time spent of any major social platform.
Current Daily Average
5 minutes 24 seconds per day is the average time users spend on Threads (DemandSage, 2025; The Social Shepherd, 2026). This translates to:
- 38 minutes per week
- 2.7 hours per month
- 33 hours per year (1.4 full days)
- 0.9% of waking hours (assuming 8 hours of sleep)
Android users specifically spend 34 minutes per month on Threads (The Social Shepherd, 2026), aligning closely with the daily-based calculation (5.4 min/day × 30 days = 162 min = 2.7 hours).
The Dramatic Time Decline
Threads launched with significantly higher engagement that collapsed within months:
| Period | Daily Time Spent | Change from Launch |
|---|---|---|
| July 2023 (launch month) | 21 minutes | - |
| August 2024 (UK) | 14 minutes | -33% |
| UK (July 2024) | 3 minutes | -86% |
| Early 2026 (global) | 5 minutes 24 seconds | -74% |
Sources: DemandSage, 2025; The Social Shepherd, 2026
The 74% decline from 21 minutes to 5.4 minutes represents one of the steepest engagement drops in social media history. Users signed up en masse, explored briefly, then largely stopped opening the app daily.
Partial Recovery
There are signs of stabilization and modest recovery:
- 50% increase in time spent from May to August 2024 (The Social Shepherd, 2026)
- Recovery from extremely low base (likely sub-5 minutes in spring 2024)
- Daily users recovered from 10.3M (end of 2023) to 115.1M (June 2025)
Threads vs X (Twitter): The Engagement Gap
Threads was explicitly built as an X alternative, making direct comparison inevitable. The data shows Threads catching up in user count but lagging dramatically in engagement.
User Count Comparison
| Metric | Threads | X (Twitter) |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly Active Users | 400 million | 550-611 million |
| Daily Active Users | 115.1 million | 132 million |
| DAU Growth (YoY) | +127% | -15.2% |
| DAU/MAU Ratio | 28.8% | ~24% |
Sources: Backlinko, 2026; DemandSage, 2025
Threads is closing the user count gap: 115M daily users vs X's 132M (87% of X's DAU). Threads also shows stronger growth momentum (+127% YoY vs X's -15.2%).
Time Spent Comparison
| Platform | Daily Time | Monthly Time (Android) | Threads as % of X |
|---|---|---|---|
| X (Twitter) | 34 minutes | 5 hours 19 minutes | - |
| Threads | 5 minutes 24 seconds | 34 minutes | 15.9% daily, 10.6% monthly |
Sources: DemandSage, 2025; The Social Shepherd, 2026
Users spend 6.3 times more time daily on X than Threads, and 9.4 times more monthly. Threads has the users. It doesn't have their attention.
Feature Comparison
Threads offers technical advantages over X:
- 500 character limit vs X's 280 (allows longer posts without premium)
- 10 media items per post vs X's 4 (more visual flexibility)
- Free vs X Blue's $8/month for features
- Instagram verification transfers vs paying for X verification
Despite these advantages, users still spend 6x more time on X, suggesting features matter less than content quality, community culture, and habit formation.
Threads User Demographics
Threads' user base mirrors Instagram's demographics with slight variations reflecting the text-first format.
User Base Size
- 400 million monthly active users as of Q3 2025 (Backlinko, 2026)
- 115.1 million daily active users in June 2025 (Backlinko, 2026; DemandSage, 2025)
- 28.8% DAU/MAU ratio - lower than X (~24%) is actually worse, indicating Threads users check less frequently despite higher ratio
- 33.9 million monthly users in the US (alternative: 26.1 million) (Backlinko, 2026; The Social Shepherd, 2026)
Age Distribution
| Age Group | Share of Users |
|---|---|
| 18-24 | 19.29% (or 37% per alt. source) |
| 25-34 | 36.39% |
| 35+ | ~44% |
| 45+ | 25.68% |
Sources: The Social Shepherd, 2026; Business of Apps, 2026
The 25-34 age group dominates at 36.39%, mirroring Instagram's demographic profile. However, data variation between sources (19% vs 37% for 18-24) suggests measurement inconsistencies in the young adult segment.
Gender Distribution
- 68% male, 32% female globally (The Social Shepherd, 2026)
- Heavy male skew, similar to X (64% male) and Reddit (60% male)
- Unusual for Meta platforms, which typically skew female (Instagram 54% female, Facebook 54% female in US)
Gender by age (18-25):
- 11% male
- 5% female
The male skew intensifies among younger users, suggesting Threads attracts Instagram users interested in news and discussion (traditionally male-dominated) rather than photo sharing (more gender-balanced).
Geographic Distribution
Top Countries by User Count:
| Rank | Country | Users (Millions) | Download Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | India | 54.2 | 19% |
| 2 | Brazil | 36.4 | 7% |
| 3 | United States | 26.1-33.9 | 13% |
| 4 | Turkey | - | 5% |
| 5 | Indonesia | - | 4.6% |
| 6 | Japan | - | 4.2% |
| 7 | Mexico | - | 3.8% |
Sources: DemandSage, 2025; Business of Apps, 2026
India leads with 54.2 million users and 19% of downloads, reflecting Instagram's strong presence in the Indian market. The US ranks 3rd in absolute users despite being Threads' primary market focus.
UK Market Specific Data
- 5.3 million online adults reached in July 2024 (The Social Shepherd, 2026)
- 11% of UK digital population (The Social Shepherd, 2026)
- Ranked #12 social media service in UK in 2024 (The Social Shepherd, 2026)
- 3 minutes average daily time in UK (July 2024) - even lower than global average (The Social Shepherd, 2026)
Threads Growth: The Fastest App to 100M Users
Threads' launch growth shattered every record in app history, then collapsed, then slowly recovered. The trajectory tells the story of hype cycles in social media.
Launch Week Explosion
| Timeframe | Users |
|---|---|
| 1 hour after launch | 1 million |
| 2 hours | 2 million |
| 7 hours | 10 million |
| 2 days | 70 million |
| 5 days | 100 million |
| 21 days | 120 million |
| 62 days | 130 million |
Source: DemandSage, 2025
The 5-day sprint to 100 million users set a record that may never be broken. For comparison:
| Platform | Time to 100M Users |
|---|---|
| Threads | 2 days |
| ChatGPT | 2 months |
| TikTok | 9 months |
| 30 months | |
| 54 months | |
| Twitter/X | 60 months |
Source: DemandSage, 2025
First 24 Hours
- 95 million posts created in first 24 hours (DemandSage, 2025; Business of Apps, 2026)
- 190 million likes in first 24 hours (DemandSage, 2025; Business of Apps, 2026)
The Collapse and Recovery
Daily Active Users Trajectory:
| Date | Daily Active Users | Change |
|---|---|---|
| July 5, 2023 (launch) | 41.79 million | - |
| July 14, 2023 (peak) | 49.4 million | +18% |
| End of 2023 | 10.3 million | -79% from peak |
| December 2024 | 100 million | +871% from low |
| June 2025 | 115.1 million | +15% from Dec 2024 |
Sources: DemandSage, 2025; Backlinko, 2026
The 79% daily user collapse from 49.4M to 10.3M between July and December 2023 demonstrates classic hype cycle dynamics: explosive launch, rapid disillusionment, slow recovery. The climb back to 115M daily users by June 2025 shows Threads found product-market fit with a smaller, more engaged core (though "engaged" is relative given the 5.4-minute average).
Monthly Active User Growth
| Quarter | Monthly Active Users | Quarterly Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Q3 2023 | 100 million | - |
| Q4 2023 | 130 million | +30% |
| Q1 2024 | 150 million | +15.4% |
| Q2 2024 | 150 million | 0% |
| Q3 2024 | 200 million | +33.3% |
| Q4 2024 | 275 million | +37.5% |
| Q1 2025 | 305 million | +10.9% |
| Q2 2025 | 350 million | +14.8% |
| Q3 2025 | 400 million | +14.3% |
Source: Backlinko, 2026
Threads grew 300% from 100M to 400M monthly users in 2 years. Growth has steadied at 10-15% quarterly after the volatile launch period.
Download Trends
| Month | Downloads (Millions) |
|---|---|
| July 2023 | 73.14 |
| August 2023 | 25.06 |
| September 2023 | 20.87 |
| October 2023 | 13.18 |
| November 2023 | 12.58 |
| December 2023 | 35.78 |
| January 2024 | 30.74 |
| February 2024 | 26.11 |
| March 2024 | 27.98 |
| March 2025 | 18.00 |
Source: Backlinko, 2026
Downloads peaked at launch (73.14M in July 2023), collapsed by 83% to 12.58M in November, then stabilized around 18-30M monthly.
- 100 million+ downloads on Google Play Store total (Backlinko, 2026)
- 18 million downloads in March 2025 (combined iOS + Android) (Backlinko, 2026)
Web Traffic
- 236.1 million visits in October 2025 (DemandSage, 2025)
- Down 2.59% from September 2025 (DemandSage, 2025)
Why Threads Has the Lowest Engagement
Threads' paradox - massive user growth, minimal time spent - has several explanations.
The Instagram Crossover Effect
Threads launched with a built-in advantage: Instagram account integration. Users could join instantly with their existing follower graph. This created explosive signup growth but weak habit formation:
- Users joined because Instagram suggested it, not because they sought a text platform
- The Instagram follower list doesn't translate to text-based discussion interest
- Users already have Instagram for Meta content - Threads feels redundant
The Companion App Problem
Threads functions as a companion to Instagram rather than standalone destination:
- Can't delete Threads without deleting Instagram (linked accounts)
- Notifications flow through Instagram, not independently
- Users check Threads when Instagram reminds them, not proactively
- 28.8% DAU/MAU ratio indicates most monthly users rarely return daily
Content and Culture
Threads struggled to develop distinct identity:
- Too similar to X to attract X refugees who want something different
- Not different enough from Instagram to justify separate app time
- Cleaner moderation than X but less breaking news and real-time content
- Celebrity-heavy (Neymar Jr. 23.6M followers) but limited grassroots community culture
Feature Limitations at Launch
Early Threads lacked features that drive engagement:
- No trending topics or news section (added later)
- No hashtags (added later)
- No DMs (uses Instagram DMs instead)
- No desktop web interface initially (mobile-only for months)
- No EU availability until December 2024 (regulatory delays)
Mental Health and Threads Usage
Threads presents an unusual case: a social platform with such low engagement time that addiction concerns are minimal. The mental health question isn't "how do we reduce compulsive Threads usage?" but "why doesn't Threads retain attention like other platforms?"
Low Addiction Risk
At 5 minutes 24 seconds per day, Threads doesn't trigger the compulsive checking patterns of Instagram (33.1 min), TikTok (53.8 min), or even X (34 min). The 74% engagement decline from launch suggests users actively lost interest rather than getting trapped in addiction loops.
The Companion App Psychology
Threads functions as an Instagram extension rather than standalone app:
- Users check when Instagram notifications prompt them
- No independent habit formation (28.8% daily return rate)
- Lower FOMO because content crossover with Instagram feels redundant
- Cleaner, less toxic environment than X reduces both stress AND engagement
This creates a healthier relationship (less addictive) but also a less valuable one (minimal time investment = minimal community connection).
The Value Paradox
Social platforms provide value through:
- Information: News, updates, trending topics
- Connection: Conversations with community
- Entertainment: Funny posts, memes, engaging content
Threads delivers all three weakly:
- Information: X and Reddit better for breaking news and discussion depth
- Connection: Instagram already serves this need
- Entertainment: TikTok and Instagram Reels far more engaging
The result: users join Threads but don't find compelling reasons to stay. The 5.4-minute average suggests brief check-ins ("anything interesting here? No? Close app") rather than engaged sessions.
How to Use Threads Intentionally
Most social platforms require reduction strategies. Threads requires the opposite question: is it worth using at all?
When Threads Makes Sense
Threads serves specific niches well:
- X refugees: Users who want text-based discussion without X's toxicity and chaos
- Instagram creators: Leveraging existing follower base for text content
- Light news checking: Breaking news without falling into X's doomscrolling
- Lower-stress discourse: Cleaner moderation than X, less inflammatory than Twitter-era
When It Doesn't
Threads adds minimal value if you're already using:
- Instagram: Same social graph, better visual content
- X: Better real-time news and deeper discussion
- Reddit: Superior community discussion and research
The 5.4-minute average suggests most users have made this calculation: Threads isn't bad enough to delete, but it's not good enough to check daily.
Device-Level Approaches (If Reducing)
If you find yourself checking Threads more than you'd like (though given the 5.4-minute average, this is uncommon):
- Remove from home screen: Threads is easily forgotten when not visible, given its weak habit formation
- Disable notifications: Since Threads notifications flow through Instagram, manage them there
- Use Instagram exclusively: If your Threads usage is minimal anyway, consider just using Instagram for both text and visual content
The Non-Addiction App
Threads represents something rare in social media: a platform that failed to become addictive. Whether this is a feature (healthier user relationships) or a bug (insufficient engagement for sustainable business) remains to be seen. For users concerned about screen time, Threads is one of the few platforms where reduction isn't necessary - it already consumes minimal attention by default.
Tools like Blank Spaces help manage reflexive opens across all apps, but for Threads specifically, most users don't need friction tools because the platform itself provides insufficient pull to create compulsive checking patterns.
FAQ
How much time does the average person spend on Threads per day?
The average is 5 minutes 24 seconds per day, down 74% from the 21-minute launch average in July 2023. Android users spend approximately 34 minutes per month on Threads, making it the lowest-engagement major social platform. (DemandSage, 2025; The Social Shepherd, 2026)
How does Threads compare to X (Twitter) in time spent?
X users spend 6.3 times more time daily (34 minutes vs 5.4 minutes) and 9.4 times more monthly (5 hours 19 minutes vs 34 minutes on Android). Despite Threads approaching X in user count (115M vs 132M daily users), engagement time tells a different story. (DemandSage, 2025)
How many people use Threads daily?
115.1 million people use Threads daily as of June 2025, up from the 10.3 million low at end of 2023, representing an 871% recovery. However, this is only 28.8% of the 400 million monthly users, indicating most users check infrequently. (Backlinko, 2026; DemandSage, 2025)
Is Threads the fastest-growing app ever?
Threads reached 100 million users in just 5 days, the fastest growth to that milestone in app history. ChatGPT took 2 months, TikTok 9 months, and Instagram 30 months. However, daily engagement collapsed 79% within 6 months, showing that signup speed doesn't guarantee sustained usage. (DemandSage, 2025)
Why did Threads usage decline so dramatically?
Multiple factors: (1) Launch hype created artificial demand, (2) Instagram integration meant users joined without seeking a text platform, (3) Lacks distinct identity - too similar to X to attract refugees, not different enough from Instagram to justify separate app, (4) Missing features at launch (trending topics, hashtags, desktop web), (5) Companion app dynamics - users check when Instagram reminds them, not proactively.
What is Threads used for most?
While Threads doesn't publish usage purpose data, its integration with Instagram and text-first format suggests users treat it as a lighter alternative to X for casual discussion and extension of Instagram presence for creators who want both visual and text content without managing two separate audiences.
Can you delete Threads without deleting Instagram?
No. Threads accounts are linked to Instagram, and deleting one requires deleting both. This dependency limits Threads abandonment but also creates resentment among users who want to quit Threads while keeping Instagram.
What age group uses Threads the most?
The 25-34 age group represents 36.39% of Threads users (largest segment), mirroring Instagram's demographics. However, Threads shows unusual 68% male, 32% female distribution, far more male-skewed than Instagram (54% female in US). (The Social Shepherd, 2026)
Is Threads growing or declining?
Growing in users (400M MAU in Q3 2025, up 300% from 100M in Q3 2023), declining in engagement time (21 min → 5.4 min, -74%). Daily users recovered from the 10.3M low to 115.1M (+1,018%), but time spent remains minimal. Growth yes, engagement no. (Backlinko, 2026; DemandSage, 2025)
How can I reduce my Threads screen time?
Given that Threads averages just 5 minutes 24 seconds daily, most users don't need reduction strategies. If you do find yourself checking frequently: remove from home screen (weak habit formation makes it easy to forget), disable Instagram notifications that prompt Threads checks, or simply delete the app - since you can't separate it from Instagram, you'll need to decide if the minimal Threads value justifies keeping it installed.
Conclusion
Threads users spend 5 minutes 24 seconds per day on the platform, making it the lowest-engagement major social app. That's down 74% from the 21-minute launch average, one of the steepest time-spent declines in social media history. Despite reaching 400 million monthly users and 115.1 million daily users, Threads has failed to become a daily habit: only 28.8% of monthly users return each day, compared to 60% for Instagram or 68.7% for Facebook.
The platform's story is one of unprecedented growth followed by unprecedented disinterest. Threads reached 100 million users in 5 days, faster than ChatGPT (2 months), TikTok (9 months), or any app in history. Then daily users collapsed 79% from the 49.4 million peak to 10.3 million by year-end 2023. The recovery to 115 million daily users by mid-2025 shows Threads found a sustainable base, but the 5.4-minute average reveals that base isn't particularly engaged.
The comparison with X is stark: Threads now has 87% of X's daily user count (115M vs 132M) but users spend 6.3 times less time on Threads (5.4 min vs 34 min daily, 34 min vs 5 hours 19 min monthly). Threads has the people. It doesn't have their attention. X users spend 9.4 times more monthly on their platform despite X's own struggles with declining engagement and revenue.
What explains the disconnect? Threads suffers from companion app syndrome. It's tethered to Instagram (can't delete one without the other), uses Instagram's social graph (not independently built community), and relies on Instagram notifications (not proactive checking). Users treat it as an Instagram feature, not a standalone platform. The result: Threads gets the spillover attention from Instagram, not dedicated time.
From a mental health perspective, Threads is the anti-addiction platform. At 5.4 minutes daily, it doesn't trigger compulsive checking, doomscrolling, or FOMO. The 74% engagement decline shows users actively lost interest rather than getting trapped. Whether this is healthy (low addiction risk) or pointless (low value delivered) depends on your perspective. For users looking to reduce overall social media time, Threads isn't the problem - you're already barely using it.
The platform's future remains uncertain. Revenue projections suggest Meta expects $11.3 billion from Threads by 2026, but those projections assume engagement growth that hasn't materialized. For now, Threads exists in a strange middle ground: hundreds of millions of users who collectively spend less than 6 minutes daily, creating a social network where almost no one is actually social.
The question isn't whether Threads is addictive. It clearly isn't. The question is whether 5 minutes of checking a feed that largely duplicates your Instagram network delivers enough value to justify keeping the app installed. For most users, the answer appears to be "barely" - hence the massive user count paired with minimal engagement.
Sources
- Backlinko (2026) for user growth, download trends, and engagement metrics
- DemandSage (2025) for time spent data, geographic distribution, and revenue projections
- The Social Shepherd (2026) for demographics, UK market data, and platform comparisons
- Business of Apps (2026) for launch milestones and financial projections
