STATISTICS

Instagram statistics for 2026

Instagram has more than 3 billion monthly active users, a milestone Meta announced in October 2025, and 2 billion daily active users, which Meta reported in July 2026. Meta's ad tools put Instagram's advertising reach at 1.99 billion accounts (DataReportal, April 2026). In the US, 51% of adults say they use Instagram (Pew Research Center, 2026), rising to 80% of adults aged 18 to 29 (Pew, 2025).

Compiled by the Zolyp team · Every figure checked against its source on

Users and reach

Meta's own user counts come from its earnings calls. Ad reach and survey figures measure different things, so they will not match.

  • 3 billion

    Instagram monthly active users, as stated by Meta on its third quarter 2025 earnings call (29 October 2025).

    Meta's wording: Instagram "hit a major milestone with 3 billion monthly actives".

    Source: Meta, Third Quarter 2025 Results Conference Call (transcript) (29 October 2025), checked 14 October 2026

  • 2 billion

    Instagram daily active users, as stated by Meta on its second quarter 2026 earnings call (29 July 2026).

    In January 2026 Meta described Instagram as "just shy of" 2 billion daily actives, so this milestone was reached in the first half of 2026.

    Source: Meta, Second Quarter 2026 Results Conference Call (transcript) (29 July 2026), checked 14 October 2026

  • 1.99 billion

    Instagram's worldwide advertising reach reported in Meta's ad tools, April 2026, ranking fourth among social platforms by ad reach.

    Advertising reach is the number of accounts Meta's ad tools say an advertiser can reach. It is not the same as monthly active users and may include duplicate or fake accounts.

    Source: DataReportal (Manochi), Global social media statistics (22 April 2026), checked 14 October 2026

  • 54.6%

    Share of internet users aged 16 and over who said they used Instagram in the past month, GWI Q4 2025 survey, third behind Facebook and YouTube.

    GWI survey of internet users aged 16 and over in 54 of the world's largest economies, as reported by DataReportal. It measures self-reported use, not accounts.

    Source: DataReportal (We Are Social & Manochi), Digital 2026 Mid-Year Global Update Report (22 April 2026), checked 14 October 2026

  • 71.4%

    The same GWI Q4 2025 measure with China and Russia removed from the sample, as many Western platforms are blocked or restricted there.

    GWI survey of internet users aged 16 and over in 54 of the world's largest economies, as reported by DataReportal. It measures self-reported use, not accounts.

    Source: DataReportal (We Are Social & Manochi), Digital 2026 Mid-Year Global Update Report (22 April 2026), checked 14 October 2026

  • 80.5

    Instagram's index score for monthly active app users, where YouTube (the largest) is 100, Similarweb data reported in April 2026. Instagram ranks third behind YouTube and WhatsApp.

    An index, not a user count. Based on Similarweb App Intelligence data.

    Source: DataReportal (Manochi), Global social media statistics (22 April 2026), checked 14 October 2026

Who uses Instagram (age, gender, countries)

How people use Instagram

What this means for a small business

  • Instagram is one of the few apps that most of your customers already open every day, so it is worth a steady presence even if you post only a few times a week.
  • Its audience skews young, and more women than men use it. If your customers are mostly over 65, Facebook is likely to reach more of them.
  • Meta keeps pushing fresh and original posts in recommendations. Posting your own photos and videos regularly matters more than reposting other people's content.
  • Short video is where time on Instagram is growing. A simple, well-lit Reel filmed on a phone is a fair starting point for most small businesses.
  • Ad reach numbers in Meta's tools are not head counts. Use them for rough planning, then judge results by the enquiries and sales your posts bring in.

Knowing where your customers are is half of it; the other half is posting there every week. Make a post with the free generator or let Zolyp plan and write the week for you.

Common questions

How many people use Instagram in 2026?

Meta says Instagram has more than 3 billion monthly active users (announced October 2025) and 2 billion daily active users (announced July 2026).

What age group uses Instagram the most?

Adults aged 18 to 29. Pew Research Center found 80% of US adults in that age group use Instagram, compared with 19% of those aged 65 and over (2025 survey).

How long do people spend on Instagram each day?

Similarweb data reported by DataReportal shows the average Instagram Android user spent 1 hour 13 minutes a day in the app in August 2025.

Why do Instagram user numbers differ between sources?

They measure different things. Meta reports active users, Meta's ad tools report advertising reach, and surveys such as Pew and GWI report the share of people who say they use the app.

Cite this page

You're welcome to use these figures. Please cite the original source shown under each one, and link to this page if it helped: Zolyp, “Instagram statistics for 2026”, updated 14 October 2026, https://www.zolyp.com/statistics/instagram-statistics

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