Messaging App Statistics 2026
This page collects 54 figures on messaging apps: how many people use WhatsApp, Telegram, WeChat, Messenger, Snapchat, LINE, KakaoTalk, Discord and Slack, how much they use them, and how businesses, bots and AI agents now operate inside them. It covers worldwide company figures plus surveys from the US, EU, Australia and the 48 markets in the Reuters Institute Digital News Report. Most data describes 2025 and 2026, and every figure links to the publisher that produced it.
By the DBotMaker research desk · Updated November 6, 2026 · 54 numbers drawn from 42 publishers and reports
Short answer
WhatsApp is used by more than 3 billion people and Meta's apps reach 3.64 billion people a day (September 2026), while Telegram passed 1 billion monthly users in 2025 and Weixin and WeChat had 1.439 billion in mid 2026. In the US, 32% of adults use WhatsApp (Pew Research Center, 2025), and in the EU 82% of people aged 16 to 74 used instant messaging (Eurostat, 2025). Business use is growing fast: Meta counts more than 1 billion daily business chat threads, and Telegram hosts more than 10 million bots.
Headline numbers
- 3.64 billionMeta's family of apps, which includes WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram and Facebook, was used by an average of 3.64 billion people a day in September 2026, up 3% year over year.Meta Platforms
- 1 billionTelegram passed 1 billion monthly active users in March 2025, which founder Pavel Durov said made it the second most popular messaging app outside China.Telegram
- 1,439 millionWeixin and WeChat had a combined 1.439 billion monthly active users at the end of June 2026, according to Tencent's second quarter results.Tencent
- 32%32% of US adults said they use WhatsApp in a Pew Research Center survey conducted from February to June 2025.Pew Research Center
- 82%82% of people aged 16 to 74 in the EU used instant messaging in 2025, the same share that sent or received email, according to Eurostat.Eurostat
- 1 billionPeople have more than 1 billion active chat threads with business accounts every day across Meta's messaging apps, the company said in October 2025.Meta Platforms
- 10 millionThe Telegram Bot Platform hosts more than 10 million bots, according to Telegram's developer documentation checked in November 2026.Telegram
- $2 billionWhatsApp paid messaging passed a $2 billion annual revenue run rate in the fourth quarter of 2025, according to Meta.Meta Platforms
Reading the numbers
Meta's apps reached 3.64 billion people a day in September 2026, WhatsApp alone counts more than 3 billion users, and Telegram reported passing 1 billion monthly users in March 2025. China runs on its own network: Tencent reported 1.439 billion combined Weixin and WeChat users in mid 2026. National champions hold strong positions at home, with LINE at 98 million monthly users in Japan and KakaoTalk close to 50 million in South Korea.
Surveys show how uneven that reach is. Eurostat finds 82% of EU adults aged 16 to 74 used instant messaging in 2025, and the Australian Communications and Media Authority found 83% of Australian adults used a messaging or calling app. In the US, Pew Research Center puts WhatsApp at 32% of adults, up from 23% in 2021, because SMS and iMessage still carry much of everyday texting. The Reuters Institute shows WhatsApp working as a news channel too, used for news by 56% of online respondents in Indonesia in 2026.
The biggest change is commercial. Meta says people hold more than 1 billion active threads with businesses each day, more than 1 million businesses used its Business Agents weekly by mid 2026, and WhatsApp paid messaging passed a $2 billion run rate in late 2025. Telegram hosts more than 10 million bots and earned more than $1 billion in revenue in 2024. Infobip reports that WhatsApp carried 91% of conversational AI interactions on its platform in 2025, and Juniper Research expects messaging chatbot users to reach almost 1.9 billion by 2030.
Trust remains the constraint. The FTC recorded $470 million in reported US losses to text message scams in 2024, five times the 2020 level, and Gartner found only 27% of customers would try a chatbot again after a bad experience. For anyone building messaging bots, the data points to high reach and rising business use, paired with users who expect fast answers and clear disclosure when they are talking to AI.
How many people use messaging apps worldwide
- 1.
Meta's family of apps, which includes WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram and Facebook, was used by an average of 3.64 billion people a day in September 2026, up 3% year over year.
Meta Platforms, Meta Reports Third Quarter 2026 Results (Form 8-K, Exhibit 99.1) (Oct 2026)
Exact wording at the source
DAP was 3.64 billion on average for September 2026, an increase of 3% year-over-year.
- 2.
More than 3 billion people in over 180 countries use WhatsApp, according to WhatsApp's own About page as checked in November 2026.
Meta Platforms, About WhatsApp (Nov 2026)
Exact wording at the source
More than 3 billion people in over 180 countries use WhatsApp
- 3.
Telegram passed 1 billion monthly active users in March 2025, which founder Pavel Durov said made it the second most popular messaging app outside China.
Telegram, Pavel Durov (Telegram channel post, 19 March 2025) (Mar 2025)
Exact wording at the source
Telegram now has significantly over 1 billion monthly active users, becoming the second most popular messaging app in the world (excluding the China-specific WeChat)
- 4.
Weixin and WeChat had a combined 1.439 billion monthly active users at the end of June 2026, according to Tencent's second quarter results.
Tencent, Tencent 2026 Second Quarter Results Presentation (Aug 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Weixin & WeChat • #1 mobile community • MAU at 1,439m
- 5.
Tencent's older QQ messenger still had 520 million monthly active users on mobile devices at the end of June 2026.
Tencent, Tencent 2026 Second Quarter Results Presentation (Aug 2026)
Exact wording at the source
QQ • Mobile devices MAU at 520m
- 6.
Snapchat, a camera and messaging app, averaged 495 million daily active users in the third quarter of 2026, up 4% from a year earlier.
Snap Inc., Snap Inc. Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2026 (Nov 2026)
Exact wording at the source
We had 495 million DAUs on average in the third quarter of 2026, an increase of 18 million, or 4%, from the third quarter of 2025.
- 7.
Discord said in April 2025 that it serves more than 200 million monthly active users worldwide.
Discord, Discord Appoints Humam Sakhnini as Chief Executive Officer (Apr 2025)
Exact wording at the source
Discord is a cornerstone of the global gaming ecosystem, now serving more than 200 million monthly active users worldwide who spend 2 billion hours playing games each month across thousands of titles.
- 8.
Discord had more than 90 million daily active users as of the second quarter of 2026, according to the company.
Discord, Discord Opens Advertising to Brands of All Sizes With Ads Manager and Video Quests (Sep 2026)
Exact wording at the source
With more than 90 million daily active users as of Q2 2026, Discord offers advertisers an opportunity to reach players in the moments when they are discovering games, connecting with friends and engaging with communities around the things they love.
- 9.
LINE had 98 million monthly users in Japan as of March 2025, which LY Corporation says covers about 80% of the Japanese population.
LY Corporation, LY Corporation Media Guide (Apr 2025)
Exact wording at the source
No. of monthly users of LINE: 98 million, Yahoo! JAPAN: 54 million. Covers over approx. 80% of Japanese population.
- 10.
KakaoTalk averaged 54.9 million global monthly active users in the third quarter of 2026, including its home market of South Korea.
Kakao, Kakao 3Q26 Earnings Release (Nov 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Global 54,198 54,048 54,080 54,286 54,500 54,501 54,683 55,346 54,944 Average of monthly MAUs. Global includes domestic MAUs. (in thousands)
Chart
KakaoTalk monthly active users in South Korea, 3Q24 to 3Q26 (thousands)
Average monthly active users per quarter, in thousands. Source: Kakao 3Q26 earnings release.
Source: Kakao, Kakao 3Q26 Earnings Release
How much people use them
- 11.
Telegram users open the app 21 times a day on average and spend 41 minutes in it daily, Pavel Durov said in March 2025.
Telegram, Pavel Durov (Telegram channel post, 19 March 2025) (Mar 2025)
Exact wording at the source
On average, each user opens Telegram 21 times daily and spends 41 minutes on the app every day.
- 12.
WhatsApp set an all-time record of 30 million messages sent per second during the 2026 World Cup Final, Meta said on its second quarter 2026 earnings call.
Meta Platforms, Meta Q2 2026 Earnings Call Transcript (Jul 2026)
Exact wording at the source
WhatsApp just hit an all-time messaging record, peaking at 30 million messages sent per second during the World Cup Final.
- 13.
The average Microsoft 365 worker received 153 Teams messages per weekday in the year to February 2025, based on Microsoft telemetry.
Microsoft, Breaking down the infinite workday (Jun 2025)
Exact wording at the source
The average worker receives 153 Teams messages per weekday.
- 14.
WhatsApp Messenger peaked at about 62.5 million weekly active users on Android in the US in early December 2025, according to Sensor Tower estimates.
Sensor Tower, Top 5 Communication Apps on Android in the US: Q4 2025 Performance (Jan 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Active users showed a steady increase, peaking at about 62.5M in early December.
- 15.
Discord averaged about 14.7 million weekly active users on Android in the US in the fourth quarter of 2025, according to Sensor Tower estimates.
Sensor Tower, Top 5 Communication Apps on Android in the US: Q4 2025 Performance (Jan 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Active users remained consistent, averaging about 14.7M.
Who uses messaging apps: surveys in the US, EU and Australia
- 16.
32% of US adults said they use WhatsApp in a Pew Research Center survey conducted from February to June 2025.
Pew Research Center, Americans’ Social Media Use 2025 (Nov 2025)
Exact wording at the source
Smaller shares use the other sites and apps we asked about, such as TikTok (37%) and WhatsApp (32%).
- 17.
WhatsApp use among US adults stood at 23% in 2021, so its reach grew by roughly 9 points in four years, according to Pew Research Center.
Pew Research Center, Americans’ Social Media Use 2025 (Nov 2025)
Exact wording at the source
WhatsApp and Reddit: About a third say they use WhatsApp, up from 23% in 2021.
- 18.
24% of US teens aged 13 to 17 said they use WhatsApp in Pew Research Center's 2025 teen survey.
Pew Research Center, Teens, Social Media and AI Chatbots 2025 (Dec 2025)
Exact wording at the source
Fewer use Facebook (31%) and WhatsApp (24%).
- 19.
82% of people aged 16 to 74 in the EU used instant messaging in 2025, the same share that sent or received email, according to Eurostat.
Eurostat, Digital economy and society statistics - households and individuals (Dec 2025)
Exact wording at the source
At EU level, in 2025, 82% of individuals aged between 16 and 74 years old reported having sent or received e-mails, matching the rate of those who used instant messaging.
- 20.
83% of Australian adults used at least one app to send messages or make voice or video calls in the six months to mid 2025, according to the ACMA.
Australian Communications and Media Authority, Communications and media in Australia: How we communicate – Executive summary and key findings (Feb 2026)
Exact wording at the source
In 2025, 83% of us used at least one app to send messages or make video/voice call in the previous 6 months.
- 21.
71% of Australian adults used Facebook Messenger in the six months to mid 2025, down from 74% in 2024, according to the ACMA.
Australian Communications and Media Authority, Communications and media in Australia: How we communicate – Executive summary and key findings (Feb 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Facebook (78%) remained the most widely used platform in the previous 6 months, followed by YouTube (71%) and Facebook Messenger (71%). Messenger usage declined in 2025, from 74% in 2024.
- 22.
28% of Australian adults used WhatsApp several times a day in 2025, up from 24% in 2024, according to the ACMA.
Australian Communications and Media Authority, Communications and media in Australia: How we communicate – Executive summary and key findings (Feb 2026)
Exact wording at the source
28% used WhatsApp multiple times a day, up from 24% in 2024.
- 23.
Telegram reached 9% of Australian adults in 2025, up from 7% a year earlier, according to the ACMA.
Australian Communications and Media Authority, Communications and media in Australia: How we communicate – Executive summary and key findings (Feb 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Telegram increased to 9% (from 7%) and Threads increased to 8% (from 4%).
- 24.
23% of Australian children aged 10 to 15 used WhatsApp to chat, message or call others in the four weeks before the eSafety Commissioner's survey, run from December 2024 to February 2025.
eSafety Commissioner, Digital use and risk: Online platform engagement among children aged 10 to 15 (Jul 2025)
Exact wording at the source
As shown in Table 4, in the 4 weeks prior to the survey, children aged 10–15 had most commonly used Messenger Kids (27%), FaceTime (25%), text messages (25%) or WhatsApp (23%) to chat, message, call or video call others.
Chart
Communication platforms ever used by Australian children aged 10 to 15
National survey of 3,454 children, December 2024 to February 2025. Source: eSafety Commissioner.
- FaceTime44%
- Messenger Kids40%
- Text messages32%
- WhatsApp29%
- Email26%
- Discord22%
- Messenger21%
Source: eSafety Commissioner, Digital use and risk: Online platform engagement among children aged 10 to 15
Regional strongholds and news use
- 25.
19% of people across the 48 markets in the Reuters Institute's 2025 Digital News Report used WhatsApp for news each week, level with Instagram.
Reuters Institute, Overview and key findings of the 2025 Digital News Report (Jun 2025)
Exact wording at the source
Instagram (19%) and WhatsApp (19%) are used by around a fifth, while TikTok (16%) remains ahead of X at 12%.
- 26.
4% of respondents across the Digital News Report's 48 markets used Telegram for news weekly in 2025, compared with 5% for Messenger.
Reuters Institute, Overview and key findings of the 2025 Digital News Report (Jun 2025)
Exact wording at the source
But Messenger (5%), LinkedIn (4%), Telegram (4%,) Snapchat (3%), Reddit (3%), Threads (1%), and Bluesky (1%) are also an important part of the mix for specific audiences or for particular occasions.
- 27.
56% of online respondents in Indonesia used WhatsApp for news in 2026, a jump of 13 points in a year, according to the Reuters Institute.
Reuters Institute, Indonesia | Digital News Report 2026 (Jun 2026)
Exact wording at the source
While use of most social media platforms increased, WhatsApp continued to dominate both for news and other purposes, jumping up 13pp to 56% for news.
- 28.
53% of online news users in Nigeria used WhatsApp for news in 2025, down 5 points from the year before, according to the Reuters Institute.
Reuters Institute, Nigeria | Digital News Report 2025 (Jun 2025)
Exact wording at the source
Conversely, WhatsApp saw a 5pp decline, dropping to 53% while Instagram and Telegram have experienced modest growth.
- 29.
65 million people in Russia still used Telegram daily through VPNs after the April 2026 ban, with more than 50 million sending messages each day, according to Pavel Durov.
Telegram, Pavel Durov (Telegram channel post, 4 April 2026) (Apr 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Telegram was banned in Russia — yet 65M Russians still use it daily via VPNs, with 50M+ sending messages every day.
- 30.
Telegram had 150 million users in India in June 2026, according to Pavel Durov, who cited the figure while objecting to a temporary ban.
Telegram, Pavel Durov (Telegram channel post, 16 June 2026) (Jun 2026)
Exact wording at the source
This punishes 150 million ordinary Telegram users in India — not the insiders who leaked the exam materials.
Chart
Weekly use of smaller platforms for news across 48 markets, 2025
Share of all respondents in the Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2025 using each platform for news in the past week.
- Messenger5%
- LinkedIn4%
- Telegram4%
- Snapchat3%
- Reddit3%
- Threads1%
- Bluesky1%
Source: Reuters Institute, Overview and key findings of the 2025 Digital News Report
Business messaging, bots and AI agents in chat
- 31.
People have more than 1 billion active chat threads with business accounts every day across Meta's messaging apps, the company said in October 2025.
Meta Platforms, Meta Q3 2025 Earnings Call Transcript (Oct 2025)
Exact wording at the source
Every day, people have more than 1 billion active threads with business accounts across our messaging platforms -- ranging from product questions to customer support.
- 32.
More than 1 million businesses used Meta Business Agents each week to talk to customers or complete sales on WhatsApp and Messenger in the second quarter of 2026.
Meta Platforms, Meta Q2 2026 Earnings Call Transcript (Jul 2026)
Exact wording at the source
We made Meta Business Agents available globally this quarter on WhatsApp and Messenger, and there are already more than 1 million businesses using them to talk to their customers or complete sales every week.
- 33.
Meta's Business AIs handled more than 10 million conversations a week by April 2026, up from 1 million at the start of the year.
Meta Platforms, Meta Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript (Apr 2026)
Exact wording at the source
We now have more than 10 million conversations each week being facilitated through Business AIs, up from 1 million at the start of the year.
- 34.
91% of online adults in India chat with a business every week, according to a 2025 Kantar study cited by Meta.
Meta Platforms, Introducing Business AI on WhatsApp for Small Businesses in India (May 2026)
Exact wording at the source
According to a Kantar study (2025), 91% of online adults in India chat with a business on a weekly basis, making messaging the preferred way for Indians to interact with businesses, and WhatsApp is central to that connection between businesses and their customers.
- 35.
The Telegram Bot Platform hosts more than 10 million bots, according to Telegram's developer documentation checked in November 2026.
Telegram, Bots: An introduction for developers (Nov 2026)
Exact wording at the source
The Telegram Bot Platform hosts more than 10 million bots and is free for both users and developers.
- 36.
WhatsApp carried 91% of all conversational AI interactions on Infobip's business messaging platform in 2025.
Infobip, Infobip’s 20-year analysis of 3.8 trillion messages reveals rise of omnichannel, RCS and AI-driven communication (Mar 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Meanwhile, WhatsApp continues to dominate the conversational landscape, facilitating 91% of all conversational AI interactions on the platform, marking a 25% increase year over year.
- 37.
Businesses sent an estimated 390 billion messages over messaging apps such as WhatsApp in 2025, and Juniper Research forecasts more than 560 billion by 2027.
Juniper Research, OTT Business Messaging Traffic to Grow 45% Globally Over Next Two Years (Oct 2025)
Exact wording at the source
A new study by global tech strategists Juniper Research has found that over-the-top (OTT) business messaging traffic will grow from 390 billion messages in 2025 to more than 560 billion by 2027.
- 38.
Juniper Research forecasts that users of chatbots reached through messaging channels will grow from under 1 billion in 2026 to almost 1.9 billion by 2030.
Juniper Research, Conversational AI Usage to Surge by 88% Globally by 2030 (Aug 2026)
Exact wording at the source
The number of users accessing messaging chatbots via these channels will grow 88% over the next five years; from under 1 billion in 2026 to almost 1.9 billion by 2030.
- 39.
Slackbot users grew more than 150% quarter over quarter in Salesforce's quarter ended July 31, 2026.
Salesforce, Salesforce Delivers Record Second Quarter Fiscal 2027 Results (Aug 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Slack delivered its fastest quarterly Net New Annual Order Value ("NNAOV") growth since acquisition as Slackbot users grew over 150% Q/Q
Revenue, subscriptions and RCS
- 40.
WhatsApp paid messaging passed a $2 billion annual revenue run rate in the fourth quarter of 2025, according to Meta.
Meta Platforms, Meta Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript (Jan 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Paid messaging within WhatsApp continues to scale as well, crossing a $2 billion annual run-rate in Q4.
- 41.
Meta's Family of Apps other revenue reached $1 billion in the second quarter of 2026, up 73% year over year, driven mainly by WhatsApp paid messaging and subscriptions.
Meta Platforms, Meta Q2 2026 Earnings Call Transcript (Jul 2026)
Exact wording at the source
For the first time, quarterly Family of Apps other revenue reached $1 billion and grew 73% year-over-year, driven primarily by WhatsApp paid messaging and subscriptions revenue.
- 42.
US revenue from Meta's click-to-message ads grew more than 50% year over year in the fourth quarter of 2025.
Meta Platforms, Meta Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript (Jan 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Click-to-message ads revenue growth accelerated in Q4, with the US up more than 50% year-over-year driven by strong adoption of our Website to Message ads, which direct people to a businesses’ website for more information before choosing to launch a chat.
- 43.
Telegram's total revenue passed $1 billion in 2024, Pavel Durov said in December 2024.
Telegram, Pavel Durov (Telegram channel post, 23 December 2024) (Dec 2024)
Exact wording at the source
As a result, Telegram's total revenue in 2024 surpassed $1 billion, and we are closing the year with more than $500 million in cash reserves, not including crypto assets
- 44.
Telegram Premium had more than 15 million paid subscribers in May 2025, double the number a year earlier, according to Pavel Durov.
Telegram, Pavel Durov (Telegram channel post, 27 May 2025) (May 2025)
Exact wording at the source
Telegram Premium now has over 15 million paid subscribers. The number has doubled in just one year.
- 45.
Snap had more than 30 million paid subscribers across Snapchat+, Memories Storage and Lens+ in the third quarter of 2026.
Snap Inc., Snap Inc. Q3 2026 Prepared Remarks (Form 8-K exhibit) (Nov 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Other Revenue grew 84% year-over-year, and we surpassed 30 million paid subscribers across Snapchat+, Memories Storage, and Lens+.
- 46.
More than a billion RCS messages were sent every day in the US in May 2025, based on a 28-day average, according to Google.
Google, A billion RCS messages are sent every day in the U.S. (May 2025)
Exact wording at the source
Now, in the U.S. alone, there are more than a billion RCS messages sent every day (based on an average of the last 28 days).
- 47.
Businesses sent an estimated 70 billion RCS messages worldwide in 2025, and Juniper Research forecasts more than 200 billion by 2027.
Juniper Research, Business RCS Traffic to Surpass 200 Billion Messages Globally by 2027, Despite Uneven Market Growth (Apr 2026)
Exact wording at the source
A new study by global tech strategists Juniper Research forecasts that Rich Communication Services (RCS) for Business traffic will exceed 200 billion messages globally by 2027; up from 70 billion in 2025.
Trust, scams and how customers feel about chatbots
- 48.
US consumers reported losing $470 million to scams that started with a text message in 2024, five times the 2020 amount, according to the FTC.
Federal Trade Commission, New FTC Data Show Top Text Message Scams of 2024; Overall Losses to Text Scams Hit $470 Million (Apr 2025)
Exact wording at the source
New data from the Federal Trade Commission show that in 2024, consumers reported losing $470 million to scams that started with text messages. This amount is five times higher than what was reported in 2020, even though the number of reports declined.
- 49.
Subscriber losses to SMS fraud worldwide were estimated at $80 billion in 2025, falling to $71 billion in 2026, according to Juniper Research.
Juniper Research, Consumer Losses to Mobile Messaging Fraud to Fall 10% Globally in 2026 (Nov 2025)
Exact wording at the source
A new study by global tech strategists Juniper Research has revealed that the value of subscriber losses arising from fraud over SMS will shrink by $9 billion next year. This represents a decline from $80 billion in 2025 to $71 billion in 2026.
- 50.
53% of survey respondents in India named WhatsApp as the channel carrying the biggest threat of false and misleading information in 2025, the highest score of any market in the Reuters Institute survey.
Reuters Institute, India | Digital News Report 2025 (Jun 2025)
Exact wording at the source
Meta owned WhatsApp was cited by more than half of our Indian survey respondents (53%) as the channel that carried the biggest threat when it comes to false and misleading information, by far the highest score across markets.
- 51.
Only 27% of customers would try a chatbot again after a negative experience, according to a Gartner survey of 3,566 customers in early 2026.
Gartner, Gartner Survey Finds Only 27% of Customers Would Try a Chatbot Again After a Negative Experience (Sep 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Customers give chatbots a short leash. Only 27% said they would be willing to try a chatbot again after a negative experience.
- 52.
Only 7% of customers used a chatbot or digital assistant in their most recent service interaction, although 49% said they would have been willing to, according to Gartner's 2026 survey.
Gartner, Gartner Survey Finds Only 27% of Customers Would Try a Chatbot Again After a Negative Experience (Sep 2026)
Exact wording at the source
While 49% of customers said they would have been willing to use a chatbot if the company had provided one, only 7% used a chatbot or digital assistant during their most recent service interaction.
- 53.
54% of consumers want to know when they are talking to AI rather than a human, according to Twilio's 2025 survey of more than 7,600 consumers in 18 countries.
Twilio, AI Alone Won’t Cut It: Twilio’s 6th Annual Report Finds Trust and Timing Drive Customer Loyalty (Jun 2025)
Exact wording at the source
84% want control over their personalization settings, and 54% want to know when they’re talking to AI—not a human.
- 54.
58% of consumers want to choose which channels brands use to message them, according to a Sinch survey of consumers in 12 countries in January 2025.
Sinch, 97% of Businesses to Use AI in Customer Communications in 2025, But Are Consumers Ready for It? (Jun 2025)
Exact wording at the source
58% of consumers want to choose the channels they receive messages on, with preferences varying by use case and demographic.
Chart
Share of US text scam reports where money was lost, 2020 to 2024
Reports to the FTC Consumer Sentinel Network about scams that began with a text message.
- 20205%
- 20214%
- 20226%
- 20239%
- 202411%
Source: Federal Trade Commission, Top text scams of 2024
Questions readers ask
- How many people use WhatsApp?
- More than 3 billion people in over 180 countries use WhatsApp, according to WhatsApp's own figures. In the US, Pew Research Center found 32% of adults used it in 2025, up from 23% in 2021.
- How many users does Telegram have?
- Telegram passed 1 billion monthly active users in March 2025, according to founder Pavel Durov. He also said users open the app 21 times a day and spend 41 minutes in it, and that Telegram Premium had more than 15 million paid subscribers by May 2025.
- What is the most used messaging app in the world?
- WhatsApp is the largest, with more than 3 billion users. Weixin and WeChat follow with 1.439 billion monthly users (Tencent, June 2026), then Telegram with more than 1 billion monthly users (March 2025).
- How many bots are on Telegram?
- Telegram's developer documentation says its Bot Platform hosts more than 10 million bots and is free for users and developers. Telegram does not publish how many people use bots each month.
- How many businesses use WhatsApp and Messenger to talk to customers?
- Meta says people have more than 1 billion active threads with business accounts every day, and more than 1 million businesses used Meta Business Agents each week in the second quarter of 2026. WhatsApp paid messaging passed a $2 billion annual run rate in late 2025.
- Do customers like chatbots in messaging apps?
- Opinion is mixed. Gartner found only 27% of customers would retry a chatbot after a bad experience, and Twilio found 54% of consumers want to know when they are talking to AI, while Sinch found 58% of consumers want to choose which channels brands use to message them.
Where these numbers come from
We collected figures from company filings and investor materials (Meta, Tencent, Snap, Kakao, Salesforce), official company announcements (Telegram, WhatsApp, Discord, Google), government and regulator surveys (Eurostat, ACMA, eSafety Commissioner, FTC), independent research (Pew Research Center, Reuters Institute) and industry analysts and vendors (Sensor Tower, Juniper Research, Gartner, Infobip, Sinch, Twilio, Microsoft). Company user counts use different definitions: daily people, daily users and monthly users are not comparable, and Telegram figures are statements by its founder rather than audited numbers. Survey samples differ by country, age range and fieldwork date, and some Reuters Institute samples are online and English-speaking only. Juniper Research figures are model estimates and forecasts, and vendor data such as Infobip's describes traffic on its own platform. Ofcom's UK data could not be included because its site could not be fetched for automated quote checks. Every quote was rechecked against the live source page on the update date. We store the sentence each number appears in, and a script loads the publisher's page again to make sure that sentence is still there. Our methodology has the details.
Sources
- Australian Communications and Media Authority. Communications and media in Australia: How we communicate – Executive summary and key findings (Feb 2026).
- Discord. Discord Appoints Humam Sakhnini as Chief Executive Officer (Apr 2025).
- Discord. Discord Opens Advertising to Brands of All Sizes With Ads Manager and Video Quests (Sep 2026).
- eSafety Commissioner. Digital use and risk: Online platform engagement among children aged 10 to 15 (Jul 2025).
- Eurostat. Digital economy and society statistics - households and individuals (Dec 2025).
- Federal Trade Commission. New FTC Data Show Top Text Message Scams of 2024; Overall Losses to Text Scams Hit $470 Million (Apr 2025).
- Gartner. Gartner Survey Finds Only 27% of Customers Would Try a Chatbot Again After a Negative Experience (Sep 2026).
- Google. A billion RCS messages are sent every day in the U.S. (May 2025).
- Infobip. Infobip’s 20-year analysis of 3.8 trillion messages reveals rise of omnichannel, RCS and AI-driven communication (Mar 2026).
- Juniper Research. OTT Business Messaging Traffic to Grow 45% Globally Over Next Two Years (Oct 2025).
- Juniper Research. Conversational AI Usage to Surge by 88% Globally by 2030 (Aug 2026).
- Juniper Research. Business RCS Traffic to Surpass 200 Billion Messages Globally by 2027, Despite Uneven Market Growth (Apr 2026).
- Juniper Research. Consumer Losses to Mobile Messaging Fraud to Fall 10% Globally in 2026 (Nov 2025).
- Kakao. Kakao 3Q26 Earnings Release (Nov 2026).
- LY Corporation. LY Corporation Media Guide (Apr 2025).
- Meta Platforms. Meta Reports Third Quarter 2026 Results (Form 8-K, Exhibit 99.1) (Oct 2026).
- Meta Platforms. About WhatsApp (Nov 2026).
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