Over three billion people use messaging apps, making them one of the most popular app types.
For most people, mobile messaging consists of two platforms: Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp. Collectively, over 2.8 billion people use one of these two platforms, in some markets the two apps hold over 90 percent marketshare.
This dominance has led to alternative messaging communities which look to be the opposite of Facebook. Telegram and Signal were both founded with strong pro-encryption ideals, and regularly attack Facebook for its commercialisation of messaging.
Country or region specific messaging apps have also performed well. WeChat is the most popular messaging platform in China, Line in Japan and KakaoTalk in South Korea.
The United States is unique in that iMessage is used by a large percentage of iOS users as their prefered way of communicating. In Eastern Europe and Africa, Viber is competitive with WhatsApp for most downloads and usage.
We have collected data and statistics on messaging apps. Read on below to find out more.
Key Messaging App Statistics
- Over three billion people actively use messaging apps around the world
- WhatsApp is the most popular messaging app, with 2.5 billion users, followed by WeChat
- WhatsApp has been the most downloaded messenger app for the past decade
- Facebook Messenger is the most popular messaging app in the US by sessions
Top Messaging Apps
| Title | Description | |
|---|---|---|
| https://www.businessofapps.com/data/whatsapp-statistics/ | The most popular messaging app in the world, with over five billion downloads and two billion active users | |
| https://www.businessofapps.com/data/facebook-statistics/ | Facebook Messenger | Facebook's own messaging app isn't too shabby either, reaching five billion downloads a year after WhatsApp |
| https://www.businessofapps.com/data/snapchat-statistics/ | Snapchat | Snapchat kickstarted photo sharing and has since branched out its platform into a fully-fledged social network |
| https://www.businessofapps.com/data/telegram-statistics/ | Telegram | Popular alternative messaging app in Central Asia and the Middle East, known for strong pro-privacy stance |
| https://www.businessofapps.com/data/wechat-statistics/ | China's messaging super-app, with more than one billion users in the country and thousands of mini-programs | |
| https://www.businessofapps.com/data/line-statistics/ | LINE | Popular in Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan and Thailand. Part of Naver and SoftBank's tech conglomerate, Z Holdings |
| https://www.businessofapps.com/data/apple-statistics/ | iMessage | Apple's messaging platform has about one billion users, although how many use it as the primary platform is unknown |
| https://www.businessofapps.com/data/discord-statistics/ | Discord | Originally built as a communications platform for gamers, Discord has branched out into a whole host of other communities |
| https://www.businessofapps.com/data/signal-statistics/ | Signal | Hyper-focused on privacy and security, Signal has built a loyal following of disgruntled ex-WhatsApp and Facebook users |
| https://www.viber.com/en/ | Viber | Another messaging app that has been able to target emerging markets, such as Eastern Europe and the Middle East |
| https://www.kakaocorp.com/page/service/service/KakaoTalk?lang=en | KakaoTalk | South Korea's homegrown messaging app which is also the most popular in the country, with over 40 million active users |
Messaging App Users
The number of people using messaging apps almost reached four billion in 2024.
Messaging app users 2016 to 2024 (bn)
Messaging Users by App
WhatsApp is the most popular messaging app worldwide, and is the most used app in over 150 countries.
Messaging users by app 2024 (bn)
Messaging App Downloads
WhatsApp has been the most installed messaging app from 2019 onwards, although Telegram is starting to compete with it in total downloads.
Messaging app downloads 2019 to 2024 (mm)
Messaging App Market Share in US
Facebook Messenger is still the favourite messaging app in the US by sessions, although a lot of people use iMessage instead of a third-party app.
Messaging app market share in United States 2024 (bn)
Messaging App Market Share in UK
WhatsApp surpassed Facebook Messenger as the most popular messaging app in the UK in 2021 and has increased the gap in the next few years.
Messaging app market share in United Kingdom 2024 (bn)
Messaging App Market Share in India
WhatsApp is far ahead of other messaging platforms in India, with more than three times the session volume of Snapchat.
