Snapchat pioneered a disappearing messaging system that forever transformed the social media landscape. Once users were able to interact without worrying about the permanent consequences of internet communication, social networks acquired a new meaning. So it's been almost a decade since its launch, and if you're wondering if Snaps are the way to go for marketers, you're in the right place. We'll deal with all the FAQs, as well as answer the main one — how many people use Snapchat?
How Many Users Does Snapchat Have?
The innovative design of this mobile app encourages a more natural flow in communication. You can limit the time your Snap is viewable — 1 to 10 seconds or until closed by the recipient. In 2020, the platform ranked slow as 12th in worldwide popularity, but it nevertheless remains a top app for marketers for specific target groups of consumers. Let’s see how many people exactly use it.
How many people are on Snapchat worldwide?
As of January 2021, the total number of Snapchat users is close to half a billion — 498.2 million reported. In the last quarter of 2020, 65 million users joined the platform. That's a 15% growth. The most significant Q-o-Q increase interestingly happened with new users aged over 50, where an increase was 23.3% and 33.3% of female and male users.
(Digital 2021)
How many people use Snapchat on average each day?
When we examine the number of Snapchat daily active users (DAU), an interesting report points to the platform’s ups and downs throughout the years. The exponential growth was happening from the platform's launch until Q2 of 2018. Snapchat was at 191 million when they did an app redesign which had cost them a few million users. In Q3 of 2019, the number of DAU reached 200 million and has been growing since. The latest data shows that, as of Q1 2021, there are 280 million Snapchat daily active users, up from 265 million in Q4 2020.
(Statista)
Who uses Snapchat the most?
The vast majority of the platform’s users are young people — teenagers and young adults account for 82.2% of the platform’s user base. The numbers make sense when we consider the fact that they are digital natives. Their understanding of technology in general, including internet security and the potential consequences of permanent messages, makes them more likely to see the benefits of short-term availability of content.
Over half of the platform's users, 59% exactly, are aged under 24. Gen Z is an increasingly important target audience for social media marketing professionals because of the continuous rise in their direct and indirect purchasing power. Most of them are also still developing brand loyalty, making them the perfect opportunity for marketers.
(Digital 2021)
What's the number of Snapchat users by country?
As of January 2021, the USA has the most active users on Snapchat: 108 million. Compared to data from Q3 2020, that's a 6% increase. India ranks second with over 74 million and the highest recorded growth in popularity. Interestingly, their Q-o-Q increase was a stunning 49.3%.
These two lead the race by far as France, which ranks third, has only 24.5 million users. Some other countries where Snapchat has over 15 million users are the UK, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, and Germany. For companies targeting Gen Z and millennials, digital marketing professionals are wise to include the platform in their social strategy.
(Digital 2021)
Which countries have the highest audience reach?
In terms of Snapchat users by country, in Saudi Arabia, where there are 20.35 million users of the platform, Snapchat has the highest reach of a stunning 73.8%. Norway ranks second with a 71% penetration rate, while Luxembourg is third with 67.2%. Kuwait is next with 56.9%, Denmark follows with 51%, and we have the US with a 38.8% reach on the 13th place. The UK, New Zealand, Australia also have a high reach, above 35%.
(Statista, Statista)
How many Snapchat users are there: Distribution by age and gender
The latest data shows the distribution by gender, and the female audience is still prevailing on the platform, with 57.4%. Snapchat statistics show the biggest gap of 4.6% is among the youngest users, as 12.6% of Snapchat’s audience are girls aged 13-17 and 8% boys in the same group. Female users are prevailing in every age category. For 18-20, Snapchat’s audience is distributed 11.8% vs. 9.2%, then for 21-24, it's 9.3% vs. 8.1%, for 25-34 it's 12.1% vs. 9.5%, for 35-49 it's 8.9% vs. 4.9%. The group of users 50+ accounts for only 4% of the total, with 2.7% vs. 1.3% female vs. male users.
(Digital 2021)
Snapchat users in the USA: Who uses the app the most?
Gen Z and Millennials are loving Snapchat, both worldwide and in the US. 78% of US internet users aged under 35 are also Snapchat users. Snapchat is also the most popular platform with US teenagers, now favored over TikTok and Instagram. The app’s reach in the 13-24 age range is a whopping 90%, as the company states.
Even though Instagram's user base is more extensive among the same demographics, Snapchat dethroned it in popularity in 2016. Currently, 34% of teens say it's their favorite, while only 25& do so for Instagram. TikTok comes in between at 29%.
(Statista, Statista, Snapchat)
How many Snapchat users engage in AR daily?
Out of 280 million daily active users on the platform, over 200 million report regularly engaging with augmented reality. AR plays a massive role in increasing engagement levels and is said to be revolutionizing how people experience the world. In 2018, the platform introduced Shoppable AR lenses and further boosted AR with voice search in 2020. Some of the most popular brands, such as Gucci, NYX, and Ralph Lauren, make use of the feature, allowing consumers to “try” their products this way.
(Snapchat, Snapchat)
How many Snapchat users get news on the platform?
Social media platforms have come a long way from being only a communication method with personal connections. The way people use them is changing as the features evolve. Among many other habits developed, people started using social media as a news source. The latest research shows that 19% of Snapchat users regularly get news on the platform.
(Journalism — Pew Research Center)
How many Snaps do users create daily?
The latest company's report shows a whopping number of over five billion daily Snaps. The average number of daily Snaps increases by about 25% yearly, as the company's CEO Evan Spiegel noted in late 2020.
(Snapchat, Business Standard)
How many marketers target Snapchat daily active users?
When we examine who uses Snapchat for social media marketing, the percentage is only 6% on a worldwide level. Even though it's not as popular as Facebook or Instagram, Snapchat marketing's potential is great if your target audience consists primarily of millennials and Gen Zers. US marketers leveraging the power of Snapchat have almost doubled from 2016 to 2020 — from 17.3% to 32.7%. It's an especially relevant platform for influencer marketing, as users are fairly receptive to it.
(Statista, eMarketer)
How many times was the Snapchat app downloaded in 2020?
Snapchat is meant to be used on a mobile app. Unlike Instagram, for example, it doesn’t even have an official desktop version of a website. The only way to access Snapchat on the computer is by using an Android emulator. So, with 281 million downloads in 2020, Snapchat was the 7th most downloaded app worldwide. Statistics for the US only point to 51 million downloads and the same ranking.
(Apptopia)
Conclusion
There's an entire spectrum of different opportunities Snapchat creates for users, brands, and marketers. Early adoption of AR and VR, customized geotags, and the Discover content make it an attractive platform full of potential. It's up to you to experiment and engage half a billion Snapchat users!
