Doubling of Monthly Active Users from 2016 to 2021

Instagram's monthly active users saw a dramatic increase, doubling from 500 million in June 2016 to 1 billion by June 2018, and further swelling to 2 billion by December 2021. The platform demonstrated a consistent growth pattern, adding approximately 500 million users every 18 to 24 months during this period.

Rapid Early Growth

Between February 2013 and December 2014, Instagram's user base grew from 100 million to 300 million, marking a 200% increase in less than two years. This period highlighted the platform's rapid early adoption and growth.

Steady Increase in User Base

From its early days until 2021, Instagram's user base consistently increased, never showing a decrease in the number of monthly active users. Each recorded interval shows positive growth, indicating the platform's expanding popularity and engagement over the years.

Significant Milestones

Instagram hit several significant milestones, including reaching 200 million monthly active users by March 2014, a mere three years after its launch. Subsequently, it achieved 1 billion users by June 2018, showcasing the platform's rapid ascent in the social media landscape.

Acceleration in User Acquisition

The time taken for Instagram to acquire each additional 100 million users has decreased significantly since its inception. Initially, it took over two years to move from 90 to 200 million users (January 2013 to March 2014), but by 2017-2018, such increases were happening in as short as six months, underscoring the platform's accelerating growth rate.

Deceleration in Growth Post-2018

While Instagram continued to grow past 2018, the rate of user acquisition showed signs of deceleration. The platform needed approximately 2.5 years to double from 1 billion to 2 billion users (June 2018 to December 2021), compared to the quicker pace observed in earlier years. This suggests a maturing platform facing the challenges of sustaining its initial rapid growth rates.