Bluesky, a social network challenging the likes of X, initially experienced a meteoric rise in users throughout 2023. However, as the year came to a close, this surge began to lose momentum in the United States. After skyrocketing from just over 9 million users in September to more than 20 million in November, Bluesky’s growth rate significantly tapered off. Data analysis from Similarweb revealed that in December 2024, the platform’s growth rate fell to under 10% month-over-month, a stark contrast to the 189% boost seen in November.
In terms of daily active users on the Bluesky mobile app in the U.S., the uptrend subsided to just 12% in December, compared to a dramatic 284% growth in the previous month. By the close of the year, Bluesky’s user base had expanded to 26.44 million, with the platform incorporating new features reminiscent of X, such as Trending Topics.
Bluesky enjoyed a significant influx of users following the shifting dynamics on X, particularly as Elon Musk’s alignment with President-elect Donald Trump and promotion of the Trump campaign led to discontent among some users. Seeking an alternative, many migrated to Bluesky, propelling the app to the top of the U.S. App Store in November, where it soared to the No. 1 spot from November 13 through November 21, 2024. This surge attracted a flurry of attention from celebrities, musicians, authors, and journalists joining the platform, sparking mainstream interest.
Recent analytics imply that the initial explosive growth phase is stabilizing, yet Bluesky is still marching forward. In December, it outpaced Instagram Threads, another X alternative, with a 9.6% rise in U.S. desktop and mobile web visits, as Threads.net observed a 1.6% decline. On a worldwide scale, Bluesky’s app visits edged up by 9.5% month-over-month, surpassing Threads’ 5.7% and X’s 2.4% gains for the same period.
Despite the moderated growth, Bluesky’s rapidly expanding user base presents new challenges. These include grappling with moderation issues, bot invasions, and dealings with malevolent activities like username squatting and impersonation, which the company has sought to manage through recent app updates.
Even with the December deceleration, Bluesky boasted an impressive 2024, marking a 930% increase in global web visits year-over-year, and an astonishing 30,564% growth over the past two years, underscoring its continued influence and potential in the social media landscape.
