Although Facebook and TikTok convincingly lead in the number of users, Instagram, as the third-largest platform in the social media space, is definitely the most rapidly evolving. Instagram’s user growth has been consistent over the past years and shows no signs of slowing down any time soon.
According to data presented by OnlyAccounts.io, the photo, and video-sharing social networking app is expected to hit a massive 1.33 billion users in 2023, 86 million more than a year ago. By 2027, the number of people using Instagram is expected to grow by another 17.2% and hit 1.56 billion worldwide.
Instagram to Dethrone TikTok and Become the Fastest-Growing Social Media Platform
In 2020, Instagram’s user base hit over one billion for the first time, a massive milestone seemingly only reserved for social media giants like Facebook. However, the popular social media platform and one of the most downloaded apps in the App Store and Google Play has seen its user base skyrocket ever since, with only TikTok reporting higher growth rates.
According to Statista Market Insights, between 2019 and 2023, almost 465 million people worldwide started using Instagram, driving the total user count from 867.8 million to a massive 1.33 billion and showing a huge 53% increase in four years. In comparison, Facebook’s user count grew by 36% in this period, jumping from 1.99 billion in 2019 to 2.72 billion in 2023. As the fastest-growing social media platform, TikTok has seen its user count explode by 202% and hit 1.92 billion in this period.
However, Statista expects Instagram to dethrone TikTok and become the fastest-growing social media platform by 2027. Statistics show that Instagram’s user count will grow by 234 million or 17.2% in the next four years. TikTok closely follows with a 17% growth rate in this period and around 327 million new users. Facebook is forecasted to see the smallest growth of 14% among the top three platforms, and its user base growing by 391 million by 2027.
Instagram Users to Make 26% of Global Social Media User Count by 2027
Instagram’s impressive user growth reflects its huge popularity among users, especially Gen Zers and Millennials, who make up more than 60% of the total user count. However, according to Digital 2023 Global Overview Report, around 14% of all social media users aged between 16 and 64 named Instagram their favorite social media platform, 0.1% more than Facebook. Surprisingly, TikTok ranked fifth on this list, with a 6.1% share among respondents.
The same report showed Android users spent an average of 12 hours using Instagram per month, the second largest time in the social media space. TikTok remained an absolute king in this category, with an average of 23 hours and 28 minutes spent using the app in one month, almost 20% more than a year before.
Thanks to its huge popularity and surging user base, Instagram will make up one-quarter of the total social media user count, forecasted to hit 5.85 billion by 2027.
