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Last Updated on Oct 25, 2026

13 Instagram Statistics for Marketers in 2026

Half of American adults now use Instagram: 51% according to Pew Research Center’s 2026 social media fact sheet, rising to 79% of adults aged 18 to 29. Worldwide, 54.6% of internet users aged 16 and over use Instagram each month (GWI data in DataReportal’s Digital 2026 Mid-Year Global Update), and the average Android user spends 1 hour 13 minutes a day in the app.

The 13 Instagram statistics below cover reach, demographics, engagement and advertising, with a focus on what matters to brands and creators. Every figure is attributed to its original source, with links collected in the Sources section at the end.

Updated October 2026.

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  • 51% of US adults use Instagram, up from 40% in 2021 (Pew Research Center, 2026 and 2025).
  • 79% of US adults aged 18 to 29 use Instagram (Pew Research Center, 2026).
  • 54.6% of internet users aged 16+ use Instagram every month (GWI via DataReportal, 2026).
  • 16.4% of social media users say Instagram is their favorite platform, the top choice among 16- to 34-year-olds (GWI via DataReportal).
  • Instagram’s Android users spend an average of 1 hour 13 minutes a day in the app (Similarweb via DataReportal, August 2025).
  • 12% of US teens use Instagram almost constantly (Pew Research Center, December 2025).
  • US creator advertising reached $37 billion in 2025 (IAB/PwC).

1. 51% of US adults use Instagram

Pew Research Center’s 2026 social media fact sheet, based on a survey of 5,511 US adults from January to June 2026, finds 51% of American adults use Instagram. It is the third most used platform in the US after YouTube (84%) and Facebook (70%).

2. Instagram use among US adults grew from 40% in 2021 to 50% in 2025

According to Pew Research Center’s Americans’ Social Media Use 2025 report, half of US adults used Instagram in 2025, on par with 2024 but up from 40% in 2021. Instagram, TikTok, WhatsApp and Reddit are the four platforms Pew found growing over that period, while YouTube and Facebook stayed flat.

3. 54.6% of internet users worldwide use Instagram every month

GWI survey data in DataReportal’s Digital 2026 Mid-Year Global Update shows 54.6% of internet users aged 16 and over used Instagram in the past month, just behind Facebook (56.3%) and YouTube (55.3%) and ahead of WhatsApp (54.4%).

4. India accounts for more than 513 million of Instagram’s ad reach

DataReportal’s mid-2026 update reports that India accounts for more than 513 million users in Instagram’s advertising reach, over 25% of the global total. In DataReportal’s January 2025 data, the US was second with 172 million, followed by Brazil (141 million) and Indonesia (103 million).

5. 79% of US adults aged 18 to 29 use Instagram

Instagram skews young. Pew Research Center’s 2026 fact sheet shows 79% of 18- to 29-year-olds use it, compared with 64% of 30- to 49-year-olds, 41% of 50- to 64-year-olds and 21% of adults 65 and older.

Age groupUS adults who use Instagram (2026)
18–2979%
30–4964%
50–6441%
65+21%

6. 12% of US teens use Instagram almost constantly

Pew Research Center’s December 2025 teen survey found that about six in ten or more US teens aged 13 to 17 use Instagram, and 12% say they use it almost constantly. Only TikTok (21%) and YouTube (about one in five) have higher shares of near-constant teen users.

7. Instagram’s ad audience is 52.7% male and 47.3% female

According to DataReportal’s Instagram statistics, based on Meta’s ad tools in January 2025, Instagram’s advertising audience is 52.7% male and 47.3% female. Men aged 25 to 34 are the largest segment at 18.4% of the adult ad audience, followed by women aged 25 to 34 at 14.6%.

8. 16.4% of social media users say Instagram is their favorite platform

GWI data in DataReportal’s Digital 2026 Global Overview Report shows 16.4% of social media users aged 16+ name Instagram as their favorite platform, second only to WhatsApp (17.4%). Instagram is the clear favorite among users aged 16 to 34.

9. Instagram users spend an average of 1 hour 13 minutes a day in the app

Similarweb data for Android users in August 2025, published in DataReportal’s Digital 2026 report, puts average daily time in the Instagram app at 1 hour 13 minutes per user. That is more than Facebook (67 minutes) or WhatsApp (59 minutes), but less than TikTok (1 hour 37 minutes).

10. The average Instagram session lasts 5 minutes 56 seconds

According to the same Similarweb data, an average Instagram session on Android lasts 5 minutes 56 seconds, compared with 9 minutes 42 seconds on TikTok. Instagram use happens in many short visits, so the first second of a Reel or the first line of a caption has to earn the stop.

11. Instagram ranks third worldwide for active app users

Similarweb’s app activity index in DataReportal’s Digital 2026 report gives Instagram a score of 79.9, where YouTube equals 100. Only YouTube and WhatsApp (86.5) have more active app users, putting Instagram ahead of Facebook (77.1) and TikTok.

12. Meta’s average price per ad rose 12% in Q2 2026

Meta does not split Instagram’s ad revenue from Facebook’s, but its Q2 2026 results show total advertising revenue of $59.36 billion, up 27%, with ad impressions up 14% and the average price per ad up 12% year over year. Instagram Reels and Stories are a large share of that inventory, so brands should expect paid reach on Instagram to keep getting more expensive.

13. US creator advertising reached $37 billion in 2025

The IAB/PwC Internet Advertising Revenue Report (April 2026) estimates that creator advertising spend reached $37 billion in 2025, while US social media ad revenue overall grew 32.6% to $117.7 billion. Instagram is one of the main platforms for creator partnerships, alongside YouTube and TikTok.

Instagram is the strongest platform for reaching adults under 35: it is their favorite app, it reaches 79% of US adults aged 18 to 29, and users open it many times a day for short sessions. Brands that win on Instagram post short, visual content that works in the first seconds, use Reels for discovery, and partner with creators rather than relying on organic reach alone.

Your Instagram handle is part of your brand. Check whether your preferred name is free with the namechk username checker, or get ideas from the Instagram username generator. For comparisons with other platforms, see our Facebook statistics and social media statistics.

We used Pew Research Center surveys, Meta’s investor releases, the IAB/PwC ad revenue report and DataReportal’s Digital 2026 reports (which combine GWI surveys, Similarweb app data and Meta’s ad tools). Meta does not publish Instagram-only user or revenue figures in its financial reports, so we did not include unofficial estimates. All data is as of October 2026.

How many people use Instagram?

Meta does not report Instagram users in its financial statements. Independent data shows 54.6% of internet users aged 16 and over use Instagram every month (GWI via DataReportal, 2026), and Pew Research Center’s 2026 fact sheet finds 51% of US adults use Instagram. Instagram’s advertising reach in India alone exceeds 513 million users.

What age group uses Instagram the most?

Young adults. Pew Research Center’s 2026 fact sheet shows 79% of US adults aged 18 to 29 use Instagram, compared with 64% of 30- to 49-year-olds and 21% of adults 65 and older. Worldwide, men aged 25 to 34 are the largest segment of Instagram’s advertising audience, according to DataReportal’s analysis of Meta’s ad tools.

How much time do people spend on Instagram per day?

Similarweb data published in DataReportal’s Digital 2026 report shows Instagram’s Android users spend an average of 1 hour 13 minutes a day in the app (August 2025). Sessions are short, averaging 5 minutes 56 seconds, which means people open Instagram many times a day rather than in one long visit.

Is Instagram more popular than TikTok?

Yes, by reach. In the US, 51% of adults use Instagram compared with 37% for TikTok (Pew Research Center, 2026 and 2025). Worldwide, 54.6% of internet users use Instagram monthly versus 36.0% for TikTok, according to GWI data. TikTok users do spend more time per day in the app, however.

Do teenagers use Instagram?

Yes. Pew Research Center’s December 2025 survey found about six in ten or more US teens aged 13 to 17 use Instagram, and 12% use it almost constantly. Teens use YouTube more (about nine in ten), and TikTok has a higher share of near-constant users (21%), but Instagram remains one of teens’ top three apps.

Is Instagram good for small business marketing?

For businesses that sell to people under 50, it usually is. Instagram reaches 79% of US adults aged 18 to 29 and 64% of those aged 30 to 49, according to Pew Research Center. Visual products, local services and creator partnerships work well, but rising Meta ad prices (up 12% in Q2 2026) mean paid campaigns need careful targeting.

  1. Pew Research Center: Social Media Fact Sheet (October 2026)
  2. Pew Research Center: Americans’ Social Media Use 2025
  3. Pew Research Center: Teens, Social Media and AI Chatbots 2025
  4. DataReportal: Digital 2026 Mid-Year Global Update Report
  5. DataReportal: Digital 2026 Global Overview Report
  6. DataReportal: Instagram statistics and trends (January 2025 data)
  7. Meta: Second Quarter 2026 Results (July 29, 2026)
  8. IAB/PwC Internet Advertising Revenue Report, Full Year 2025
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