There were 5.79 billion social media user identities worldwide in April 2026, equal to 69.9% of the global population, according to DataReportal’s Digital 2026 Mid-Year Global Update. The typical internet user spends roughly 2 hours 39 minutes a day on social platforms, and US advertisers spent $117.7 billion on social media ads in 2025, slightly more than they spent on search, according to the IAB/PwC Internet Advertising Revenue Report.
The 15 social media statistics below cover global usage, the most popular platforms in the US and worldwide, teen and young-adult behavior, and advertising. Each figure is attributed to its original source (DataReportal, Pew Research Center, Meta’s investor reports and IAB/PwC), with links collected in the Sources section at the end.
Updated October 2026.
Go to:
Key statistics at a glance
- 5.79 billion social media user identities exist worldwide, 69.9% of the world’s population (DataReportal, April 2026).
- The average social media user spends about 18 hours 36 minutes a week on social and video platforms, roughly 2 hours 39 minutes a day (DataReportal/GWI, Digital 2026).
- 84% of US adults use YouTube, 70% use Facebook and 51% use Instagram (Pew Research Center, 2026 fact sheet).
- 37% of US adults used TikTok in 2025, up from 21% in 2021 (Pew Research Center).
- Meta’s apps reached 3.60 billion daily active people in June 2026 (Meta Q2 2026 results).
- US social media ad revenue grew 32.6% to $117.7 billion in 2025, the fastest-growing digital ad channel (IAB/PwC, April 2026).
- 21% of US teens say they use TikTok almost constantly (Pew Research Center, December 2025).
How many people use social media in 2026?
1. There are 5.79 billion social media user identities worldwide
According to DataReportal’s Digital 2026 Mid-Year Global Update, social media user identities reached 5.79 billion in April 2026, equal to 69.9% of the global population. That total grew 5.4% in 12 months, an increase of 294 million identities.
DataReportal notes that “user identities” are not the same as unique people, because one person can run several accounts and some accounts belong to brands. Even so, the figure shows that roughly two in three people on Earth now have at least one social media presence.
2. The average user spends about 2 hours 39 minutes a day on social platforms
GWI survey data published in DataReportal’s Digital 2026 Global Overview Report puts weekly time on social and video platforms at 18 hours 36 minutes per user, which works out to roughly 2 hours 39 minutes a day. Time on traditional social networks such as Facebook and X alone is just over one hour a day; the rest goes to video-led platforms such as YouTube and TikTok.
3. The typical user is active on 6.75 social platforms each month
According to GWI data in DataReportal’s Digital 2026 report, internet users aged 16 and over used an average of 6.75 social platforms per month in Q2 2025, down slightly from 6.86 in Q4 2024. For brands, that means a customer who follows you on Instagram is very likely also on WhatsApp, YouTube and at least three other services.
Because audiences spread across so many apps, it pays to secure the same handle everywhere before someone else does. The free namechk username checker shows whether a name is available across dozens of social networks at once.
4. Staying in touch with friends and family is the top reason people use social media (50.2%)
DataReportal’s Digital 2026 report, citing GWI, lists keeping in touch with friends and family (50.2% of users), filling spare time (39.7%) and reading news stories (35.4%) as the top reasons people use social media. The average user gives 4.69 different reasons, so social platforms now double as messaging, entertainment and news services.
More than 30% of adult internet users also say they discover new brands, products or services through social media ads, according to the same GWI data.
Which social media platforms are most popular?
5. Facebook is still the most-used social platform worldwide (56.3% of internet users)
GWI’s self-reported data in DataReportal’s mid-year 2026 update shows 56.3% of internet users aged 16+ used Facebook in the past month, ahead of YouTube (55.3%), Instagram (54.6%), WhatsApp (54.4%), Messenger (36.9%) and TikTok (36.0%).
6. Meta’s apps reach 3.60 billion people every day
Meta’s second-quarter 2026 results report 3.60 billion daily active people (DAP) on average in June 2026, up 3% year over year. DAP counts unique people who use at least one of Facebook, Instagram, Messenger or WhatsApp on a given day.
7. 84% of US adults use YouTube, 70% use Facebook and 51% use Instagram
Pew Research Center’s 2026 social media fact sheet, based on a survey of 5,511 US adults fielded January 30 to June 18, 2026, finds YouTube (84%) and Facebook (70%) remain the most widely used platforms in the United States. Instagram is used by about half of adults (51%), while TikTok, Reddit, Snapchat and X reach smaller shares.
| Platform | US adults who use it (2026) |
|---|---|
| YouTube | 84% |
| 70% | |
| 51% |
8. TikTok use among US adults rose from 21% in 2021 to 37% in 2025
According to Pew Research Center’s Americans’ Social Media Use 2025 report, 37% of US adults used TikTok in 2025, up from 21% in 2021. Over the same period Instagram rose from 40% to 50%, WhatsApp from 23% to about a third, and Reddit from 18% to 26%. YouTube and Facebook stayed broadly flat at the top.
Pew also found that about half of US adults visit Facebook and YouTube daily, 24% use TikTok daily and 10% use X daily.
9. 79% of US adults aged 18 to 29 use Instagram, and 65% use TikTok
Pew Research Center’s 2026 fact sheet shows the age gap clearly. Among adults aged 18 to 29, 95% use YouTube, 79% use Instagram, 69% use Facebook, 65% use TikTok and 56% use Snapchat. Among adults 65 and older, only 21% use Instagram and 11% use TikTok.
| Platform | Ages 18–29 | Ages 30–49 | Ages 50–64 | Ages 65+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| YouTube | 95% | 91% | 85% | 65% |
| 69% | 78% | 71% | 59% | |
| 79% | 64% | 41% | 21% | |
| TikTok | 65% | 45% | 31% | 11% |
| Snapchat | 56% | 33% | 13% | 4% |
| X (formerly Twitter) | 31% | 20% | 17% | 7% |
10. 21% of US teens use TikTok almost constantly
Pew Research Center’s Teens, Social Media and AI Chatbots 2025 survey of 1,458 US teens (September to October 2025) found that 21% use TikTok almost constantly and about one in five say the same of YouTube. Roughly nine in ten teens use YouTube, about six in ten or more use TikTok and Instagram, and 55% use Snapchat. Only 31% of teens use Facebook.
The same survey found that 64% of teens have used an AI chatbot, a sign that social discovery and AI tools now compete for young people’s attention.
11. X’s potential ad reach fell from 611 million to 450 million in two years
DataReportal’s Digital 2026 Mid-Year Global Update reports that X (formerly Twitter) had a potential ad reach of 450 million users in April 2026, down from 611 million in April 2024. Similarweb data in the same report shows X users average 32 minutes a day in the app, compared with about 5 minutes for Meta’s Threads.
12. TikTok’s ad tools reach more than 2 billion adults
According to DataReportal’s mid-year 2026 update, TikTok’s own advertising tools report a potential reach of more than 2 billion users aged 18 and over, up more than 8% in three months. That is despite TikTok being unavailable in India, one of the world’s largest social media markets.
Social media advertising statistics
13. US social media ad revenue reached $117.7 billion in 2025
The IAB/PwC Internet Advertising Revenue Report: Full Year 2025, released April 16, 2026, puts US social media advertising revenue at $117.7 billion, up 32.6% year over year. Social was the fastest-growing channel and edged past search ($114.2 billion, up 11%).
Total US internet advertising revenue reached $294.6 billion in 2025, up 13.9%, so social revenue is equivalent to about 40% of all US digital ad spend.
14. Creator advertising reached $37 billion in 2025
The same IAB/PwC report estimates that creator advertising spend reached $37 billion in 2025. That money goes to sponsored posts, videos and livestreams by independent creators rather than to the platforms’ own ad auctions, which is why influencer partnerships are now a standard line in social media budgets.
15. Meta’s ad impressions grew 14% and average price per ad rose 12%
Meta’s Q2 2026 results show ad impressions across its family of apps increased 14% year over year, while the average price per ad increased 12%. Advertising revenue reached $59.36 billion for the quarter, up 27%. Rising prices mean organic reach and well-targeted creative matter more for small businesses than they did a few years ago.
What do these social media statistics mean for your brand?
Three patterns stand out in the 2026 data. First, reach is concentrated: YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp each reach more than half of internet users. Second, the audience is split by age, with Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat dominating under-30s and Facebook still strongest among 30- to 64-year-olds. Third, paid social is now the largest digital ad channel in the US, so organic posting alone rarely scales.
A practical starting point is to claim a consistent name on every platform your customers use. Use the namechk social media name checker to see where your handle is free, or try the Instagram username generator and TikTok username generator if your first choice is taken. For platform-specific numbers, see our Facebook statistics, Instagram statistics and YouTube statistics roundups.
How we compiled these statistics
We used primary sources wherever possible: DataReportal’s Digital 2026 reports (produced with We Are Social and Meltwater, using GWI, Similarweb and platform ad-tool data), Pew Research Center surveys, Meta’s quarterly investor release and the IAB/PwC Internet Advertising Revenue Report. Each figure is given with the date of the underlying data, as of October 2026. Statistics we could not trace to a named, dated source were left out.
FAQs
How many people use social media in 2026?
According to DataReportal’s Digital 2026 Mid-Year Global Update, there were 5.79 billion social media user identities in April 2026, equal to 69.9% of the world population and up 5.4% in a year. Because one person can hold several accounts, the number of unique users is somewhat lower, but roughly two in three people worldwide use social media.
What is the most used social media platform?
Worldwide, Facebook is the most used social platform, reaching 56.3% of internet users aged 16+ each month according to GWI data in DataReportal’s mid-2026 update, just ahead of YouTube (55.3%) and Instagram (54.6%). In the US, Pew Research Center’s 2026 fact sheet ranks YouTube first at 84% of adults, followed by Facebook at 70%.
How much time do people spend on social media per day?
DataReportal’s Digital 2026 Global Overview Report, citing GWI, puts time on social and video platforms at 18 hours 36 minutes per week per user, or about 2 hours 39 minutes a day. Roughly one hour of that goes to traditional social networks like Facebook and X, and the rest to video platforms such as YouTube and TikTok.
Which social media platform is best for reaching young adults?
Instagram and TikTok lead among younger Americans. Pew Research Center’s 2026 fact sheet shows 79% of US adults aged 18 to 29 use Instagram, 65% use TikTok and 56% use Snapchat, while YouTube reaches 95% of that group. For teens, Pew found YouTube, TikTok and Instagram are the most used apps, with 21% on TikTok almost constantly.
How much do businesses spend on social media advertising?
US advertisers spent $117.7 billion on social media ads in 2025, up 32.6% from 2024, according to the IAB/PwC Internet Advertising Revenue Report released in April 2026. Social was the fastest-growing digital channel and slightly larger than search advertising, which brought in $114.2 billion. Creator advertising added an estimated $37 billion on top.
Is X (Twitter) still growing?
The data suggests X is shrinking as an advertising audience. DataReportal reports that X’s potential ad reach fell from 611 million users in April 2024 to 450 million in April 2026. In the US, Pew Research Center found only 10% of adults use X daily in 2025, compared with about half who visit Facebook or YouTube every day.
Sources
- DataReportal: Digital 2026 Mid-Year Global Update Report
- DataReportal: Digital 2026 Global Overview Report
- Pew Research Center: Social Media Fact Sheet (October 2026)
- Pew Research Center: Americans’ Social Media Use 2025 (November 2025)
- Pew Research Center: Teens, Social Media and AI Chatbots 2025 (December 2025)
- Meta: Meta Reports Second Quarter 2026 Results (July 29, 2026)
- IAB: Digital Ad Revenue Climbs to Nearly $300B (IAB/PwC Internet Advertising Revenue Report, Full Year 2025)
CHK_ YOUR NAME RIGHT NOW
Use our engine to quickly check your content right now!
