In 2025, social media has grown bigger and more diverse than ever before, with billions of people using different platforms for everything from global connections to specific community interests. Meta leads the way with Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, and Messenger all ranking at the top with 3.07 billion monthly active users at Facebook. YouTube, owned by Alphabet, continues to be one of the most popular platforms for watching and sharing content. Apps like TikTok and Douyin are still very popular for short videos, while messaging platforms such as Telegram and WeChat are strong in many regions.
Newer platforms like Threads and Rumble show that the social media world is always changing. From user age trends to how much time people spend online and how they search for brands, the top 35 platforms in 2025 reveal a fast-changing digital world where staying relevant means being flexible, real, and smart with content.
Top 35 Social Media Networks in 2025
As of 2025, the global social media landscape continues to be dominated by major tech giants, with Meta leading the charge. Facebook tops the list with 3.07 billion monthly active users, followed closely by WhatsApp (3 billion), YouTube (2.7 billion), Instagram (2 billion), and TikTok (1.84 billion). Messaging apps like WeChat (1.39 billion), Telegram (1 billion), and Messenger (965 million) also hold strong positions. Regional platforms such as Kuaishou, Weibo, and ShareChat demonstrate the growing influence of localized networks. Meanwhile, professional and content-sharing platforms like LinkedIn, Reddit, Pinterest, and Discord maintain substantial user bases. The emergence of newer players like Threads and Rumble reflects ongoing diversification in the digital communication space.
| Ranking | Social Media Network | Company | Monthly Active Users | Monthly Organic Traffic |
| 1 | Meta | 3.07 billion | 10.5 billion | |
| 2 | Meta | 3 billion | 2.69 billion | |
| 3 | YouTube | Alphabet | 2.7 billion | 48.82 billion |
| 4 | Meta | 2 billion | 5.38 billion | |
| 5 | TikTok | ByteDance | 1.84 billion | 1.89 billion |
| 6 | WeChat (Weixin) | Sina Corporation | 1.39 billion | 91.52 million |
| 7 | Telegram | Telegram | 1 billion | 435.36 million |
| 8 | Messenger | Meta | 965 million | 216.1 million |
| 9 | Snapchat | Snap Inc | 850 million | 154.16 million |
| 10 | Viber | Rakuten | 820 million | – |
| 11 | Douyin | ByteDance | 770 million | 113.01 million |
| 12 | 712 million | 4.50 billion | ||
| 13 | Kuaishou | Kuaishou | 710 million | – |
| 14 | Baidu | Baidu | 679 million | 781 million |
| 15 | Spotify | Tencent | 678 million | 737.15 million |
| 16 | Sina | 590 million | 57.53 million | |
| 17 | 570 million | 1.11 billion | ||
| 18 | X (Twitter) | X Corp. | 563 million | 3.39 billion |
| 19 | Tencent | 524 million | 258.3 million | |
| 20 | Qzone | Tencent | 500 million | – |
| 21 | Quora | Quora | 400 million | 521.34 million |
| 22 | Bilibili | Bilibili | 340 million | 605.49 million |
| 23 | Teams | Microsoft | 320 million | 1.37 billion |
| 24 | Microsoft | 310 million | 1.4 billion | |
| 25 | Vimeo | Vimeo | 300 million | 76.43 million |
| 26 | Threads | Meta | 275 million | 156.06 million |
| 27 | ShareChat | Mohalla Tech | 250 million | – |
| 28 | Twitch | Amazon | 240 million | 1.09 billion |
| 29 | Discord | Discord | 200 million | 723.94 million |
| 30 | Xiaohongshu (RedNote) | Xiaohongshu | 200 million | 137.02 million |
| 31 | Line | Naver | 178 million | 188.94 million |
| 32 | Tumblr | Automattic | 135 million | 149.24 million |
| 33 | VK (Vkontakte) | Gazprombank, Sonaz | 88 million | 779.43 billion |
| 34 | Medium | A Medium | 81 million | 120.3 million |
| 35 | Rumble | Rumble Inc | 59 million | 46.63 million |
Top Social Media Apps by Active User Index 2025
As of April 2025, YouTube leads all social media platforms with the highest active user index of 100, serving as the benchmark for mobile app usage. WhatsApp follows closely with an index of 85.5, reflecting its widespread use for messaging globally. Instagram (76.7) and Facebook (76.3) maintain strong engagement, particularly among visual and community-driven audiences. TikTok ranks fifth with a score of 59.3, highlighting its continued popularity in short-form video content. Messenger also shows significant use with a 47.2 index.
| Social Media Apps | Active User Index |
| YouTube | 100.0 |
| 85.5 | |
| 76.7 | |
| 76.3 | |
| TikTok | 59.3 |
| Messenger | 47.2 |
| Snapchat | 27.7 |
| Telegram | 27.6 |
| 22.5 | |
| Threads | 19.4 |
| X (formerly Twitter) | 16.3 |
| Discord | 12.2 |
| 11.7 | |
| 8.6 | |
| IMO | 5.8 |
Top Social Media Platforms by Age Group
In 2025, YouTube remains the most popular social media platform across all age groups, with usage highest among those aged 30–49 (94%) and 18–29 (93%). Instagram also sees strong engagement, especially among users aged 30–49 (78%) and 18–29 (76%). Facebook’s popularity declines with age, used by 68% of 18–29-year-olds but only 22% of those 65 and older. Snapchat is most popular among the youngest group (65% of 18–29-year-olds), with significantly lower usage in older demographics.
| Age Group | YouTube | Snapchat | ||
| 18 to 29 years | 93% | 76% | 68% | 65% |
| 30 to 49 years | 94% | 78% | 66% | 43% |
| 50 to 64 years | 86% | 70% | 36% | 30% |
| 65+ | 65% | 59% | 22% | 19% |
Demographic Trends Across Major Social Platforms in 2025
In 2025, different social media platforms attract different age groups based on how people prefer to connect, browse, and consume content.
- Facebook: Despite evolving user preferences, Facebook remains the largest social media platform, with its core demographic being users aged 30–49, who make up 31.1% of the user base. The platform sees an average daily usage of 32 minutes. However, engagement from younger users (18–24) is declining as they shift toward more visually dynamic and entertainment-driven platforms.
- Snapchat: A stronghold for Gen Z, 37.8% of Snapchat’s users fall in the 18–24 age group. Its design for fast, casual interactions results in an average session time of 24 minutes per day, reinforcing its popularity among younger audiences seeking real-time, ephemeral content.
- Reddit: Reddit attracts a highly engaged, younger audience, with 46% of U.S. users aged 18–29. With users spending over 18 minutes per session, Reddit stands out as a hub for long-form discussions, niche communities, and deep dives into topics that span everything from tech and gaming to lifestyle and news.
Top Platforms for Brand Research in 2025
In today’s digital landscape, social media has become a key driver of purchase decisions, with users actively researching brands before buying. Ignoring these platforms means losing visibility and potential customers to competitors. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X offer vast advertising audiences, with billions of users available for targeted ads. Around 62% of users research brands through Instagram, making it the leading platform for visual-first brand exploration. While, 52% turn to Facebook for brand insights, especially for reviews, recommendations, and business pages.
| Social Media Platform | Users’ reach about the Brand |
| 62% | |
| 52% | |
| TikTok | 51% |
| X (formerly Twitter) | 37% |
| 36% |
Key Trends Shaping the Social Media Landscape in 2025:
In 2025, social media continues to transform how people interact, shop, and consume content. Key trends like the rise of social commerce, AI-powered marketing, and short-form video are reshaping user behavior and brand strategies alike. Platforms are no longer just for connection; they’ve become hubs for discovery, entertainment, and business, with TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook leading the charge.
- Social Commerce Expansion: Social media is evolving into a major e-commerce channel. Global social commerce revenue is projected to hit $1.08 trillion by 2028, driven by seamless in-app shopping experiences. Platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok are leading with innovations like shoppable posts, live commerce, and targeted ads.
- Rise of AI-Driven Content: AI is reshaping digital marketing strategies. Businesses are increasingly adopting AI-generated content and personalized campaigns, boosting engagement rates. AI chatbots, especially on WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger, offer round-the-clock customer service, streamlining user experience.
- Short-Form Video Dominance: User demand for quick, captivating content has made short-form video the dominant format. Platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels continue to grow exponentially, with video engagement outperforming all other content types in 2025.
- Social Media as a Search Engine: A notable trend is the increasing use of social platforms for search and product discovery, especially among younger demographics. TikTok and Instagram are becoming primary search engines for Gen Z, influencing SEO strategies to extend beyond traditional search engines.
Regional and Niche Platforms
Regional social platforms continue to grow rapidly and remain highly popular among users in their specific countries or regions.
Chinese platforms lead the regional landscape with massive user bases:
- WeChat (Tencent): 1.39 billion monthly active users (MAUs), maintaining its status as China’s super app with services spanning messaging, payments, and social media.
- Douyin (ByteDance): Over 755 million MAUs, dominating short-video consumption within China.
- Kuaishou: Around 673 million MAUs, focused on lower-tier cities and live streaming content.
- Baidu Tieba: Though less globalized, still commands over 300 million registered users, especially popular in interest-based communities.
Messaging platforms continue to expand globally:
- Telegram: Surpassed 900 million MAUs in early 2025, driven by privacy features and growth in regions like South Asia, Eastern Europe, and Latin America.
- Viber: Maintains 250+ million users, particularly dominant in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia.
- Facebook Messenger: Holds around 980 million MAUs, with deep penetration in North America, Latin America, and Southeast Asia.
Niche community platforms demonstrate strong engagement:
- Discord: Grew to 210 million MAUs, widely used by gaming, education, and professional communities, with an average user session time of 30+ minutes.
- Reddit: Reached 580 million MAUs, with over 130,000 active communities (subreddits), and continues to thrive on anonymity, debate, and long-form content.
Even though these social media platforms are not always leading globally in user numbers, it still plays an important role in regional ecosystems and specialized online communities.
Top Social Media Platforms by Engagement Rate
- TikTok ranks highest with an average engagement rate of 2.50%, thanks to its algorithm that promotes interactive and engaging videos. It continues to lead in organic user interaction.
- Instagram has seen its engagement rate fall by 28% year-over-year, now averaging around 0.50%. While overall content views (impressions) have increased, user interactions have declined, suggesting that people scroll more but engage less.
- Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) both show low engagement rates of about 0.15%. Facebook’s engagement dropped 36%, and X saw a sharper decline of 48%, signaling a continued struggle to maintain user activity and interest.
| Year | Engagement Rate per post by TikTok Followers | Engagement Rate per post by Instagram Followers | Engagement Rate per post by Facebook Followers | Engagement Rate per post by X Followers |
| 2023 | 2.65% | 0.70% | 0.15% | 0.05% |
| 2024 | 2.50% | 0.50% | 0.15% | 0.15% |
Top Social Media Platforms Reach and Impressions
- Instagram averages 2,635 impressions per post, showing a 13% year-over-year increase. This indicates growing content visibility, even as user engagement declines.
- TikTok holds strong with around 6,268 impressions per post, maintaining high visibility and proving effective for broad brand reach.
- Facebook has seen a sharp 35% drop in organic impressions, now averaging just 1,116 per post. This reflects a significant decline in unpaid visibility, pushing brands toward paid promotions.
- X (formerly Twitter) has experienced a threefold increase in impressions over the past year, now averaging 1,425 per post, driven by its continued relevance for real-time news and live conversations.
Top Social Media Platforms Follower Growth 2025
- Growth in followers is now largely driven by AI-powered tools that analyze audience behavior and help optimize content strategies.
- Platforms prioritize authentic engagement over follower counts, rewarding content that sparks meaningful interaction and community.
- Instagram remains a strong platform for gaining followers, but growth now depends more on loyalty-building content rather than mass appeal.
Time Spent on Social Media Platforms
- As of 2025, internet users worldwide spent an average of 141 minutes per day on social media, a slight decrease from 143 minutes in 2024, indicating a minor dip in daily usage trends.
- YouTube leads with the longest average session time of 7 minutes and 25 seconds, reflecting its dominance in long-form, immersive video content.
- TikTok ranks second, with users spending about 5 minutes and 56 seconds per session highlighting its strong engagement through short videos.
- Facebook comes next at 3 minutes and 42 seconds per session, making it third in terms of session length.
- Instagram users spend approximately 2 minutes and 44 seconds per visit which is nearly 1 minute less than Facebook indicating a quicker, more scroll-based usage pattern.
- Pinterest and X (formerly Twitter) both average 2 minutes and 11 seconds per session, showing similar engagement levels for discovery and real-time content platforms.
Most Popular Content Type Trends in 2025
- In 2025, short-form video continues to dominate, with platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts setting the standard. Capturing attention within the first 3 seconds has become essential for content performance.
- Brands are moving away from high-frequency posting and instead focusing on high-impact content that educates, inspires, or entertains, aligning with audience preferences for meaningful engagement.
- Interestingly, multi-image carousels on Instagram are outperforming Reels in certain niches, highlighting the importance of format variety and the continued relevance of static, story-driven content.
Wrapping Up
In conclusion, the social media ecosystem in 2025 is more popular, diverse, and data-driven than ever before. While tech giants like Meta and Alphabet continue to dominate in user numbers and reach, regional platforms and emerging networks are carving out significant influence in localized and niche spaces. Engagement trends reveal a clear shift toward short-form video, authentic content, and personalized user experiences powered by AI. Meanwhile, platforms are evolving beyond communication hubs into powerful tools for discovery, commerce, and brand interaction. As users become more selective with their time and attention, the platforms that succeed will be those that offer relevance, value, and meaningful engagement in an increasingly saturated digital world.
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