Brands Social
Top 20 Social Media Websites: 2025 User Stats & Tips
Scrolling through your phone at the end of the day, do you ever notice how the apps you tap first have changed? Three years ago Clubhouse rooms were packed; today short form video dominates and a fresh wave of AI features promises even more disruption. As creators and brands you need to know which social media platforms have the most users and which work best to grow your audience. This 2025 ranking of the Top 20 Social Media Websites puts hard numbers behind the hype and helps you decide where to invest your creative energy.
Why a 2025 update matters
- Platforms evolve at breakneck speed. In the last 24 months alone TikTok expanded to 59‑minute uploads, Threads rocketed past 150 million sign‑ups, and X pivoted toward long form video podcasts.
- Algorithms keep changing. A reel that soared in 2023 might sink today if it ignores new watch time signals.
- User demographics shift. Facebook’s median age climbed to 34 while BeReal’s user base plateaued below 20 million.
Methodology and criteria
| Metric | Weight | Reason it matters |
| Monthly active users (MAU) | 40 % | Indicates scale and potential reach |
| Year‑over‑year growth | 20 % | Signals momentum, not just size |
| Average daily time‑spent | 15 % | Suggests stickiness |
| Engagement rate | 15 % | Quality of interactions |
| Monetization options | 10 % | Creator and brand viability |
Data sources include public earnings reports, third‑party analytics panels and anonymized client dashboards. Figures are rounded to the nearest 5 million to account for reporting lags.
The 2025 list: top 20 social media websites
Below you will find a data driven look at the largest players. MAU figures are global unless noted.
1. Facebook (3.05 billion MAU)
Once the campus directory, Facebook remains the broadest reach machine in history. Its Groups feature still drives niche community engagement, and Marketplace has become a Craigslist killer.
Best for: Community builders, local commerce, broad‑age advertising.
Watch‑out: Gen Z usage slid five points last year; budget accordingly.
2. YouTube (2.70 billion MAU)
The second largest search engine offers evergreen discovery. Long form retention charts and chapter markers help creators iterate quickly.
Pro move: Use YouTube Shorts as ads for your long videos, a tech channel saw a 12 % subscriber lift using this funnel.
3. WhatsApp (2.60 billion MAU)
A messaging giant that quietly enables newsletter style Channels and shoppable catalogs.
Why it matters: Audiences in Latin America often treat business WhatsApp numbers like a website header, ignoring it means lost trust.
4. Instagram (2.35 billion MAU)
Reels dominate, but don’t underestimate Guides for evergreen collections. Shopping tags boosted one fashion client’s conversion rate by 8 %.
5. TikTok (1.92 billion MAU)
TikTok made discovery addictive via interest graphs rather than follow graphs.
Stat nugget: Average session length tops 10 minutes, double Snapchat. That stickiness powers commerce pilots like TikTok Shop for US sellers.
6. Telegram (900 million MAU)
Channels allow one‑to‑many broadcasting while Bots enable advanced customer service. Crypto communities flock here for API flexibility.
7. Snapchat (800 million MAU)
Location based Lenses and Snap Map layers give brands AR playgrounds. My campus ambassador program used “Snap Score races” to spur UGC spikes during orientation week.
8. X (formerly Twitter) (720 million MAU)
The pivot to “everything app” includes ad revenue sharing for creators and long‑form uploads up to two hours.
Tip: Threads longer than 280 characters now auto collapse, add a hook line to increase open rate.
9. LinkedIn (620 million MAU)
No longer just resumes. The new AI assisted post composer suggests hooks based on trending industry phrases.
10. Pinterest (520 million MAU)
Often overlooked, yet its visual search lens identifies 2.5 billion items monthly. Idea Pins loop like stories but stay searchable.
11. Reddit (500 million MAU)
Community authenticity reigns. AMAs (Ask Me Anything) still yield brand lift when run transparently.
12. Discord (460 million MAU)
Started with gamers, now attracts study groups and NFT projects. Forum channels introduced in 2024 improved SEO discoverability outside the walled garden.
13. Quora (350 million MAU)
Quora Spaces resemble mini‑blogs. Monetization via Quora+ revenue share reached $1 per 1000 viewed answers in tech niches.
14. WeChat (1.3 billion MAU, China‑centric)
Ranked lower globally due to geographic concentration, yet a must have for Chinese market entry.
15. QQ (560 million MAU, China)
Skews younger than WeChat and boasts built in gaming.
16. VKontakte (410 million MAU, Russia & CIS)
Music streaming integration drives daily return visits.
17. Kuaishou (370 million MAU, China)
TikTok’s mainland rival emphasizes earnings for rural creators.
18. Line (180 million MAU, Japan & Thailand)
Sticker packs net $250 million annually for indie artists, a quiet monetization gem.
19. Tumblr (150 million MAU)
Microblog revival is real. Tip Jar launched in 2024 allows direct fan support.
20. Threads by Instagram (150 million MAU and climbing)
Launched mid 2023, now features keyword search and an API, engagement doubled after introducing trending topics.
How to pick the right platforms for your goals
| Goal | Platform highlights | Quick action |
| Brand awareness | TikTok, YouTube, Instagram Reels | Batch 5 short videos per week |
| Community support | Discord, Facebook Groups | Host monthly live Q&A |
| Thought leadership | LinkedIn, X | Publish one long‑form post every Tuesday |
| Visual commerce | Pinterest, Instagram Shopping | Tag products in at least 80 % of posts |
| International expansion | WeChat, Line, VK | Hire native moderators |
Decision matrix takeaways:
- Match audience age: Snapchat for Gen Z, Facebook for 30 +.
- Consider content stamina: YouTube demands high production but offers long shelf life.
Leverage overlap: Repurpose TikTok verticals to Instagram Reels with minor edits.
Emerging channels to watch
- Lemon8: ByteDance photo app merges Pinterest aesthetics with TikTok algorithms.
- Sunroom: Monetization first platform for female creators.
- Bluesky: Decentralized social feeds gaining momentum after open source federation launch.
Stay agile: claim handles early, experiment with low risk content and measure traction before scaling.
Conclusion & next steps
Social media in 2025 consists of global giants and quick acting newcomers. You do not need to master all 20 platforms, but you do need to match your audience, resources and goals to the right ones. Start by shortlisting three channels from the matrix above, set a 90 day content experiment and track metrics that matter: reach, saves, click‑throughs, not likes.
