Twitter's monthly active users worldwide will reach between 429 million and 586 million by 2025. The platform has seen major changes since Elon Musk bought it for $44 billion in 2022. The social media giant changed its name to X Corp. in April 2023, but users and analysts still call it Twitter.
The platform lost about 33 million users after the rebrand. The revenue dropped from five billion U.S. dollars in 2021 to around $2.4-2.5 billion in 2024. X/Twitter still reaches 103.9 million users in the United States as of February 2025, which shows its power as a communication platform.
This complete analysis will get into X/Twitter's current position in 2025. We'll break down the user growth trends, demographics, how people use the platform, and the money it makes to show you where this powerful platform stands right now.
How many people use Twitter in 2025?
X (previously Twitter) has about 586 million monthly active users worldwide in 2025. This number stands as a milestone for the platform, though research sources provide different estimates. Recent data shows the platform lost around 33 million users from its previous count of 619 million.
Monthly active users (MAU) vs daily active users (DAU)
The distinction between monthly and daily user metrics reveals key usage patterns. X reports 288 million daily active users globally. This represents 76% of its monthly active user base and shows a 9.8% increase in daily usage year-over-year.
Different sources present varying numbers. Elon Musk states X has 259.4 million daily active users. Another analysis puts this number at 237.8 million monetizable daily active users (mDAU).
American users spend an average of 34.1 minutes on the platform during each visit, yet only half use it daily. The platform sees 96% of US users checking monthly, while 84% use it weekly. These numbers show X serves different user needs effectively.
Comparison with 2024 and 2023 figures
User growth shows notable changes over the last several years. The platform had roughly 611 million users in 2024, though some sources indicated lower numbers around 388 million monthly active users. X counted approximately 556 million monthly active users in 2023, showing steady growth from previous years.
Daily active users grew from 109 million in 2017 to 245 million by 2024. This seven-year span showed exceptional expansion. Recent data suggests a potential plateau. One source reports 4.8% growth from 2024 to 2025, while another indicates a possible decline.
Where Twitter ranks among global social platforms
X ranks 12th worldwide among social media platforms by user count. Facebook leads with 3.07 billion users, followed by YouTube at 2.53 billion. WhatsApp and Instagram both have 2 billion users, while TikTok counts 1.59 billion. The platform reaches 12.6% of global internet users, making it a vital but not dominant social media player.
The platform surpasses Pinterest (537 million users) but trails behind Reddit (606 million) and Snapchat (850 million). X maintains strong cultural and political influence, with 10% of users creating 90% of all US tweets.
Recent rankings show some changes. The platform moved from 12th place in 2024 to 14th in certain listings, as Reddit and Weibo gained popularity. These shifts reflect social media's evolving nature and user priorities globally.
Twitter user growth: The real story
Twitter's user numbers tell a remarkable story that defies what many experts expected. Unlike other social platforms that grew steadily, Twitter's growth has seen wild ups and downs, especially in recent times.
User growth timeline from 2017 to 2025
Twitter's growth shows clear patterns of change. The platform had about 109 million daily active users worldwide in early 2017. This number grew to 152 million by late 2019. COVID-19 pushed these numbers higher, and daily users jumped to 186 million by mid-2020.
The numbers kept climbing through 2021, reaching 217 million daily active users by year-end. Twitter hit 237.8 million monetizable daily active users just before Elon Musk started talking about buying it in Q2 2022. The platform's yearly growth rate was just 2% at this point, nowhere near its competitors. Still, it managed to keep an impressive 84.1% of its global users.
Late 2022 through 2025 brought bigger changes. User numbers peaked at about 259.4 million daily users right after Musk bought Twitter in November 2022. These numbers then started dropping. By September 2023, new data showed only 225 million daily active users, a big drop from its peak.
Effect of Elon Musk's acquisition on user trends
Musk's $44 billion Twitter purchase in October 2022 changed everything. User behavior changed drastically after the takeover. By February 2024, Twitter (now X) had lost 23% of its daily app users in the US since November 2022. The global picture was slightly better, with a 15% drop leaving about 174 million daily active app users.
The platform saw its biggest one-day user exodus right after the 2024 US election, with 115,414 users deleting their accounts. A 2023 survey showed that 60% of US adults who used Twitter that year took breaks from the platform. About 25% said they probably wouldn't use Twitter the following year.
The platform's power users changed their habits too. The top 20% of users posted 25% less after Musk took over. People spent less time on the platform overall, with total hours dropping 8% in Q3 2023 compared to the previous year.
Rise and fall of Twitter alternatives
Twitter's troubles created opportunities for new platforms. Threads, Meta's new platform, grew to 300 million monthly active users by December 2024. It reached 275 million monthly active users in November 2024 and kept growing to 320 million registered users by January 2025.
Bluesky took off quickly, with its US user base growing five times larger by November 2024. The platform gained over 1 million new users in just one week after the 2024 US election, reaching 37 million registered users by early 2025. Bluesky's daily traffic briefly topped Threads on November 6, 2024.
Mastodon grew fast right after Musk bought Twitter, adding about 500,000 new users in just ten days. While it's still smaller than Twitter, its decentralized approach keeps attracting users who want more control.
None of these platforms has completely replaced Twitter yet. Recent studies show 48% of social media users worldwide plan to spend more time on platforms like Bluesky in the next six months. This suggests users will keep spreading their social media time across different platforms throughout 2025.
Who uses Twitter? A look at demographics
Twitter's user base shows a unique demographic pattern that makes it different from other social platforms. A closer look at Twitter users in 2025 reveals how the platform reaches different groups of people.
Age distribution of Twitter users
Young adults dominate Twitter. Users between 25-34 years make up the largest group at 37.5% of the global audience. The 18-24 age group follows closely at 32.1%, which shows how millennials and Gen Z gravitate toward the platform.
Twitter struggles to attract users at both ends of the age range. Teens under 18 represent only 2% of users. The platform hasn't captured young teenagers' attention like TikTok and Instagram have. Adults over 50 make up just 7.3% of the user base, which shows Twitter's limited appeal to older generations.
Gender breakdown in 2025
Twitter's gender distribution sets it apart from other social networks. Males make up 57.3% of Twitter's global users, while females account for 42.7%. This gap grows even wider in the United States, where men represent 63% of all users.
The male-heavy user base represents the biggest gender gap among major social media platforms. While other social networks tend to have slightly more male users, Twitter's male dominance surpasses Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and Facebook.
Top countries by number of Twitter users
Twitter's global reach centers on several key markets. The United States leads with 103.96 million users, making it Twitter's biggest audience. Japan comes second with 70 million users, which covers about 60% of Japan's population.
India holds third place with 25.45 million users, and Indonesia follows with 24.85 million. The UK rounds out the top five with 24.3 million users. The UK market grew by 2.8 million users since 2022.
Brazil (21.48 million), Turkey (19.74 million), and Mexico (17.45 million) also represent major markets. China officially bans Twitter, which makes exact user numbers hard to track. However, estimates suggest 8.6 million Chinese users access Twitter through VPNs.
How people use Twitter in 2025
Twitter users in 2025 show unique patterns that tell us how they fit the platform into their daily digital lives. The platform might have fewer users than Facebook and Instagram, but its highly engaged community gives it powerful influence.
Time spent on the platform daily
Users spend about 30.9 minutes each day on Twitter, which adds up to 15.67 hours every month. Americans stay even longer on the platform at 34 minutes and 6 seconds daily. This makes Twitter the second most used social platform in the US, right behind TikTok. British users are nowhere near as active and spend just 4 minutes a day on the platform.
People use Twitter most during specific times of day. They check news in the morning, browse trending topics at lunch, and join conversations in the evening. Users might not spend hours on the platform, but they stay busy reading more than posting.
Top reasons people use Twitter
News and entertainment tie as the main reasons people use Twitter, with 48% of users choosing each. The platform's live updates make it a great source for current events. About 72% of users say Twitter gives them the most current commentary on what's happening right now.
People also use Twitter to:
- Keep in touch with friends and family (34%)
- Watch what brands and companies are doing (33%)
- Build professional connections (14%)
- Other activities (12%)
Twitter works as both a news source and entertainment hub. By 2025, 82% of users come to the platform mainly to be entertained.
Mobile vs desktop usage
Twitter's users mostly stick to their phones, with 80% accessing the platform through mobile devices. These mobile users engage 40% more than desktop users and read content 60% faster. This explains why Twitter posts tend to be short and easy to digest.
Most followed accounts and influencers
Elon Musk leads Twitter's follower count with about 225 million followers. He's more than doubled his following since 2021. Barack Obama comes in second with around 130 million followers, while Cristiano Ronaldo holds third place with about 115 million.
The rest of the top five includes Donald Trump (109M), Narendra Modi (109M), Justin Bieber (108.7M), Rihanna (107.5M), and Katy Perry (104.3M). Only eight accounts have reached 100 million followers, showing just how exclusive Twitter's most influential voices are.
Twitter revenue and monetization trends
Twitter's financial world has dramatically changed. Revenue dropped from its peak of $5.08 billion in 2021 to a projected $2.90 billion in 2025. These numbers show the platform's struggle to make money under new ownership.
Annual revenue from 2015 to 2025
Twitter's revenue growth tells an interesting story. The platform's earnings jumped from $2.22 billion in 2015 to $5.08 billion in 2021. Everything changed after Elon Musk bought the company. Revenue fell to $3.40 billion in 2023 and dropped further to $2.60 billion in 2024. Analysts now expect a slight recovery to $2.90 billion in 2025.
Revenue by region: US vs rest of world
American users drive most of Twitter's revenue. The US market generates over 50% of the platform's earnings despite having only 17% of its users. Recent figures show US revenue at $1.30 billion in 2024, while other countries brought in $1.20 billion combined.
Advertising vs subscription income
Advertising remains Twitter's biggest money maker. Ad revenue should grow 16.5% to $2.26 billion in 2025. These numbers are nowhere near the pre-Musk era when ads brought in $4.51 billion in 2021. X Premium subscriptions add about $200 million each year.
Creator monetization and new features
X gives content creators several ways to earn money:
- Ad Revenue Sharing (creators earn $8.50 per million verified impressions)
- Subscriptions (creators keep up to 97% of revenue until they reach $50,000 lifetime earnings)
Creators need verified accounts and at least 2,000 followers to access these subscription features.
Conclusion
Twitter faces a startling reality about its user base in 2025. The platform's monthly users have dropped from 619 million to 586 million worldwide. This represents a loss of 33 million users that happened after Elon Musk bought the company for $44 billion.
The platform still holds strong as a major social media force. It ranks 12th among global social platforms and reaches about 12.6% of internet users worldwide. Young adults make up most of Twitter's audience. Users aged 25-34 account for 37.5% of the total base, and men dominate at 57.3% globally.
Musk's takeover stands as the turning point in Twitter's story. The company's switch to X, new policies, and leadership changes led many users to leave. This exodus happened while alternatives like Threads and Bluesky saw rapid growth. Threads now has 320 million users, and Bluesky has grown to 37 million users.
The company's finances tell a similar story. Revenue has dropped from $5.08 billion in 2021 to an expected $2.90 billion in 2025. Advertising money remains the biggest source of income, but it's nowhere near what it used to be before Musk took over.
The loyal users still spend about 31 minutes each day on the platform. Most people use Twitter to find news and entertainment, with 82% saying they're there mainly to be entertained. The platform works best on mobile, as 80% of users check Twitter on their phones.
Twitter must overcome big challenges to grow again. While other platforms keep gaining users, Twitter's cultural impact remains bigger than its numbers suggest. Content creators and marketers need to learn about these changes to work effectively on this powerful communication tool in 2025.
FAQs
Q1. Is Twitter's user base growing or shrinking in 2025?
Twitter's user base has experienced a decline, with approximately 586 million monthly active users in 2025, down from a peak of 619 million. This represents a loss of around 33 million users, largely attributed to changes following Elon Musk's acquisition.
Q2. How much time do people spend on Twitter daily?
On average, Twitter users spend about 30.9 minutes per day on the platform. American users tend to be more engaged, averaging 34 minutes and 6 seconds daily, making Twitter the second most time-consuming social platform in the United States after TikTok.
Q3. What are the primary reasons people use Twitter in 2025?
The top reasons for using Twitter are news consumption and entertainment, with 48% of users citing each as their primary motivation. Additionally, 82% of users access the platform mainly for entertainment purposes, while 72% value it for up-to-date commentary on current events.
Q4. How does Twitter's revenue in 2025 compare to previous years?
Twitter's revenue has declined significantly from its peak of $5.08 billion in 2021. In 2025, the platform is expected to generate around $2.90 billion in revenue, showing a modest recovery from $2.60 billion in 2024 but still far below pre-acquisition levels.
Q5. What is the gender distribution of Twitter users in 2025?
Twitter has a notably male-dominated user base. Globally, approximately 57.3% of users identify as male, while 42.7% identify as female. This gender imbalance is even more pronounced in the United States, where men account for 63% of all users.
