Messaging Apps: Popularity, by monthly active users
ApplicationMonthly active users,
in millions
WhatsApp2,000
Weixin / WeChat1,336
Facebook Messenger979
Telegram800
Snapchat750
QQ558
  • Region: Worldwide
  • Time period: Jan 2024
  • Published: Jan 2024

Data Analysis and Insights

Updated: Mar 27, 2024 | Published by: Statistico | About Us | Data sources

WhatsApp leads with the highest number of monthly active users

WhatsApp dominates the global mobile messaging landscape, boasting an impressive 2000 million monthly active users. This figure not only places WhatsApp at the pinnacle of popularity among messaging apps but also signifies its role as a primary communication tool for a substantial portion of the global population.

Weixin / WeChat is the second most popular, with significant user base in China

Weixin / WeChat, primarily serving the Chinese market, ranks as the second most popular messaging app with 1336 million monthly active users. Its substantial user base underscores the app's dominance in China and its significant presence on the global stage.

Facebook Messenger ranks third, indicating Facebook's strong presence in messaging

Facebook Messenger, another major player, holds the third position in the ranking with 979 million monthly active users. This figure highlights Facebook's robust footprint in the messaging app market, complementing its social networking domain.

Telegram shows rapid growth with 800 million users

Telegram has emerged as a fast-growing contender in the messaging app arena, with 800 million monthly active users. Its user base indicates a strong preference among consumers for privacy-focused messaging services.

Snapchat maintains relevance with a unique user base of 750 million

Snapchat, known for its ephemeral messaging feature, continues to maintain its relevance and appeal, hosting 750 million monthly active users. This demonstrates the app's ability to attract and retain users seeking a more visual and temporary form of communication.

QQ remains a key player in China with 558 million users

QQ, another messaging service popular in China, has a significant user base of 558 million monthly active users. Its presence emphasizes the diversity of preferred messaging platforms within the Chinese market and its importance in the global messaging app ecosystem.

The top three apps account for over 4.3 billion active users

WhatsApp, Weixin / WeChat, and Facebook Messenger collectively account for more than 4.3 billion monthly active users. This staggering number reflects the extensive reach and influence of these platforms in facilitating global communication.

Privacy-focused and ephemeral messaging trends

The popularity of Telegram and Snapchat, with 800 million and 750 million monthly active users respectively, indicates a growing trend towards privacy-focused and ephemeral messaging. Users are increasingly valuing privacy and temporary messaging features in their communication tools.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which mobile messaging app has the highest number of monthly active users?

WhatsApp holds the top position with 2000 million monthly active users.

How strong is WeChat's presence in the mobile messaging landscape?

WeChat is the second most popular messaging app, boasting 1336 million monthly active users.

What is the count of Facebook Messenger's monthly active users?

Facebook Messenger secures the third spot with 979 million monthly active users.

How many active users do Telegram and Snapchat each have?

Telegram and Snapchat each have 800 million and 750 million monthly active users respectively.

Terms and Definitions

Mobile applications, or mobile apps, are types of application software designed to run on mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. They provide users with similar services to those accessible on PCs, such as online shopping, banking, social networking.

Messaging apps are mobile applications whose primary function is to enable direct communication between users. This communication can include text messaging, voice calling, video calls, and sending images, documents or media files. Some popular messaging apps include WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, iMessage, and Viber.

Monthly active users (MAUs) is a performance metric used typically by social networking, mobile applications, online games, and other online companies to measure the number of unique users who engage with their product during a given month.

Unique users are individuals who have visited or used an app or website at least once within a specific measurement period. Unique users are identified through a unique identifier, such as a login id, IP address, or device id, to ensure the count is not inflated by repeat visits or uses.

Application software is a type of computer program designed to carry out a specific task or tasks for the user. These tasks can vary widely, from word processing to graphic design to managing corporate finance. Mobile Applications are a type of application software designed specifically to operate on mobile devices.

Social networking is the use of internet-based social media platforms to connect with friends, family, classmates, customers, and clients. Social networking can occur for social purposes, business purposes or both through platforms like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and others.

Performance metric refers to a measurable value that indicates the performance of a company, product, or service. They are used to track and analyze the success or failure of various business activities. Some examples include monthly active users for apps or click-through rate for digital advertisements.
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