Social media keeps changing, and billions of people now use these platforms to stay in touch, share content, and see what’s trending. As of 2025, over 5 billion people use social media worldwide—about 63% of everyone on the planet. In the United States, more than 302 million people have active accounts, spending an average of 2 hours and 24 minutes on these apps every day. This guide looks at the most popular social media apps, what makes each one different, and who uses them.
If you want the quick version, here’s what consistently ranks highest in the United States:
Each platform does different things well, depending on whether you want visual storytelling, short videos, professional connections, or real-time updates.
Instagram is the go-to app for photos and videos. Owned by Meta, it has about 2 billion monthly active users worldwide, with over 200 million in the United States. It started as a simple photo app and turned into something much bigger—a place where people shop, follow creators, and run businesses.
The main features are the Feed, Stories, Reels, and Notes. Instagram Reels came out as a response to TikTok and now play a big role in what gets recommended. The algorithm pushes content that keeps people engaged, and it doesn’t matter as much how many followers you have—new creators can go viral if their content is good.
Instagram also became a shopping app. People can browse products, read reviews, and buy things without leaving Instagram. Over 100 million Americans shop on the platform every month, which is a big deal for small businesses and influencers trying to make money.
TikTok changed how people make and watch content. The app is owned by ByteDance, a Chinese company, and it hit 1.5 billion monthly active users in 2025. It’s especially popular with Gen Z—in the US, about 170 million people use it.
What makes TikTok different is how it recommends content. The “For You Page” uses AI to figure out what you like based on what you watch and engage with. It doesn’t mainly rely on who you follow. People end up scrolling for way longer than on other apps.
TikTok pays creators through its Creator Fund, and TikTok Shop lets people sell products directly in the app. Brands spend more and more on TikTok ads every year because that’s where young people are spending their time.
YouTube is still the biggest place for video, whether it’s 15 seconds or several hours. It has 2.5 billion monthly active users globally and over 246 million in the US. It’s basically a search engine on its own, and people watch it for entertainment and learning alike. Every minute, more than 500 hours of video get uploaded—that’s an insane amount of content.
The YouTube Partner Program let millions of people make a living from making videos. Top creators make real money from ads, channel memberships, Super Chats, and brand deals. The algorithm rewards videos people actually watch all the way through, not just ones that get a lot of clicks.
YouTube Shorts, the TikTok competitor, took off too. Over 2 billion people watch Shorts every month.
Facebook is still the biggest social media platform in the world with around 3 billion monthly active users, even with all the competition. About 213 million people in the US use it, so it’s still essential for reaching a wide audience.
Facebook does a lot of things. You can post text, photos, videos, go live, use Stories, join Groups, and buy and sell on Marketplace. Facebook Groups became huge—people build communities around hobbies, jobs, neighborhoods, and all kinds of interests. Some groups are tiny and local, others have millions of members worldwide.
Facebook’s ad tools are still some of the best. You can target specific types of people, track how your ads do, and change them to get better results. For businesses, that’s a big deal.
Snapchat found its niche by focusing on disappearing content and augmented reality. It has about 750 million monthly active users globally and around 75 million in the US. Mostly teenagers and young adults use it.
The disappearing photos and videos were the original hook, and it still appeals to people who want to share without the pressure of something staying online forever. Snapchat Stories disappear after 24 hours too—that became a standard feature everywhere, showing how much Snapchat influenced other apps.
The AR features are pretty innovative. Lens Studio lets creators build their own filters and effects, and people use AR stuff every day through face filters and location-based experiences. Users engage with AR over 6 billion times daily, which is pretty remarkable.
LinkedIn is the main place for professional networking, with over 930 million members worldwide and about 200 million in the US. Job seekers, recruiters, and professionals building their personal brands all use it.
It’s not just for finding jobs anymore. People share insights about their industries, post about achievements, and discuss professional topics. The algorithm now rewards posts that get real conversations going rather than just promotional stuff.
Microsoft bought LinkedIn in 2016, and that led to investments in things like LinkedIn Learning (professional courses) and better analytics for paying subscribers. The ad tools got better too, making it more important for B2B marketing and hiring.
Elon Musk bought Twitter in 2022 and rebranded it to X. It still matters for real-time news, public discussion, and brands wanting to join conversations. About 550 million people use it monthly worldwide, with around 68 million in the US.
Breaking news still shows up on X first a lot of the time. Journalists, politicians, and thought leaders use it to talk directly to people. The public nature of the platform makes it useful for brands wanting to weigh in on trending topics.
Premium subscriptions (Twitter Blue and X Premium) offer verification, longer posts, and other features. It’s a new way to make money while trying to deal with abuse and misinformation problems that have plagued the platform.
This ranking looks at several things: how many people use each platform, what features they offer, who they’re for, and how creators can make money. Each platform has its strengths. The “best” one depends entirely on what you’re trying to do—build a business, keep up with friends, watch videos, or network professionally. This guide gives you the facts so you can pick what works for you.
Beyond the big names, a few other apps are worth knowing about depending on what you need:
Pinterest – 480 million monthly active users globally. It’s a visual discovery platform, especially popular for fashion, home decor, and DIY. The shopping features make it useful for e-commerce.
Reddit – The “front page of the internet” has thousands of topic-specific communities called subreddits. About 52 million people use it daily in the US, and it’s great for finding niche communities.
Threads – Meta’s Twitter alternative launched in 2023 and grew fast, hitting over 200 million users. It’s a text-based option for people looking for something other than X.
Discord – Started for gamers but became a communication platform for all kinds of communities, businesses, and creators. It combines text, voice, and video, which makes it flexible for group communication.
What is the most popular social media app in 2025?
Facebook has the most users worldwide with about 3 billion monthly active users. YouTube has 2.5 billion and Instagram has 2 billion. But popularity depends on age—TikTok dominates among 18-24 year olds, while Facebook and YouTube are bigger with older crowds.
Which social media app is best for beginners?
Facebook and Instagram are the easiest to figure out and have the most users, so they’re good starting points. Facebook Groups make it easy to find communities you’re interested in, and Instagram’s visual format is pretty intuitive for casual posting.
What social media apps are actually worth using in 2025?
It depends on your goals. For staying in touch with friends: Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat. For making content and potentially earning money: TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube. For work connections: LinkedIn is still the standard.
Which social media app has the most users?
Facebook leads with about 3 billion monthly active users—roughly 37% of the global population. YouTube is second with 2.5 billion, making video platforms the second most popular category.
Are newer social media apps like Threads worth using?
Threads grew quickly and works as a text-based alternative to X, especially for people interested in news and public discussion. Since it connects to Instagram, it’s easy to cross-post if you already use Meta’s other apps.
How do social media apps make money?
Mostly through advertising. Companies pay to show ads based on what you do and what they know about you. Some platforms also make money from creator monetization programs, premium subscriptions, and e-commerce features.
In 2025, you have more options than ever for connecting, consuming content, and selling things online. Each platform has its strengths—Instagram for visual commerce, TikTok for algorithmic discovery, YouTube for all kinds of video, Facebook for building communities, Snapchat for AR features, LinkedIn for professional networking, and X for real-time conversation.
Getting results on social media means knowing where your audience hangs out and what kind of content they want. Spreading yourself too thin across every platform usually doesn’t work. It’s better to focus on the ones that actually match what you’re trying to do.
AI is changing how content gets made and recommended, so these platforms will keep evolving. Keeping up with what’s new, what features are launching, and what users are doing differently will help anyone who wants to get the most out of social media.
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