Threads hits 350 million MAUs as it edges closer to rival X

Meta’s text-based social platform Threads has reached 350 million monthly active users, narrowing the gap with X (formerly Twitter) as it positions itself as a strong competitor in the real-time content space. The milestone was announced in Meta’s latest earnings report, which also noted a 35% increase in time spent on the platform, attributed to upgrades in its recommendation algorithms.

While X currently claims 600 million monthly active users, questions remain about the reliability of those figures. Elon Musk initially cited that number in May 2024, but internal reports at the time suggested 550 million. Past concerns about inflated stats due to bot activity have cast doubt on the platform’s user data. Musk himself once estimated that up to one-third of X’s user base could be bots—figures he used during his contentious acquisition of the platform.

Despite Musk’s bot removal efforts after taking over, X’s reported user numbers have paradoxically risen, even as it lost 17 million users in Europe, where usage data is more transparent due to regulations. This discrepancy raises skepticism about X’s actual global reach, implying that Threads may be closer in user count than the surface numbers suggest.

Threads continues to grow, not only in user base but also in engagement. The platform is making strategic content moves, including a new partnership with the UFC to drive sports-related interaction—a key strength of X. Meta has also relaxed its stance on political content, opening the door for more real-time news sharing, another core element of X’s appeal.