Threads Surpasses X in Daily Mobile Activity
New figures from market intelligence firm Similarweb indicate that Meta’s Threads has overtaken Elon Musk’s X in daily mobile usage, marking a notable shift in the competitive landscape of social media apps. While X continues to outperform Threads on the web, mobile engagement tells a different story, with Threads gaining steady momentum on both iOS and Android devices.
According to Similarweb’s latest data, Threads recorded 141.5 million daily active users on mobile as of January 7, 2026, following several months of consistent growth. By comparison, X logged 125 million daily active users on mobile devices during the same period.
Growth Driven by Long-Term Trends, Not Short-Term Controversy
The rise in Threads’ mobile usage appears to be part of a longer-term pattern rather than a short-term response to recent turmoil at X. In recent weeks, X has faced scrutiny after users were found exploiting its integrated AI tool, Grok, to generate non-consensual nude images of women, including, in some cases, minors.
Concerns around these deepfake images have led California’s attorney general to open an investigation into Grok, following similar probes by authorities in the UK, European Union, India, Brazil, and other regions.
Amid this turbulence, alternative platforms have also benefited. The controversy surrounding X reportedly contributed to a recent surge in app installs for decentralized social network Bluesky.
Meta’s Ecosystem and Product Expansion Fuel Threads’ Momentum
Rather than reacting to competitors’ challenges, Threads’ mobile growth appears to be supported by Meta’s broader ecosystem and product strategy. The platform benefits from extensive cross-promotion across Meta’s flagship apps, particularly Facebook and Instagram, where Threads is frequently promoted to existing users.
Meta has also leaned heavily into creator tools and rapid feature development. Over the past year, Threads has introduced interest-based communities, improved content filters, direct messages, long-form text posts, disappearing content, and has recently been spotted testing games within the app.
Together, these updates have helped position Threads as a platform users return to more regularly, reinforcing daily usage habits on mobile devices.
Official Meta Figures Reinforce Usage Gains
Meta’s own disclosures align closely with Similarweb’s findings. In August 2025, the company announced that Threads had surpassed 400 million monthly active users. Just two months later, in October 2025, Meta reported that the platform had reached 150 million daily active users.
These milestones underscore the sustained nature of Threads’ growth, which has been building for well over a year.
Closing the Gap With X in the U.S.
Similarweb has previously highlighted the narrowing gap between Threads and X, particularly on mobile. As of late June 2025, Threads posted 127.8% year-over-year growth, significantly reducing X’s lead.
In the U.S. market, X still maintains an advantage, but Similarweb notes that the difference has shrunk substantially. A year ago, X had roughly twice as many daily active users in the U.S. as it does now, signaling a notable decline in relative dominance.
Web Usage Remains a Key Advantage for X
Despite Threads’ success on mobile, it continues to struggle on the web. Similarweb data shows that X retains a stable web audience, with approximately 150 million daily web visits.
As of January 13, X recorded 145.4 million daily web visits, while Threads attracted just 8.5 million daily web visits, combining traffic from Threads.com and Threads.net. This disparity highlights a clear split between mobile and web engagement strategies for the two platforms.
A Mobile-First Shift in Social Media Habits
Taken together, the data suggests that Threads is increasingly becoming a mobile-first habit for users, gradually reshaping the balance of power in social networking. While X remains strong on the web, Threads’ sustained mobile growth signals a broader shift in how and where users choose to engage.
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