Bluesky, the decentralized social platform, has surpassed 20 million users, nearly tripling its user base in the past three months. This milestone comes after a surge that saw the app gain 5 million new users in less than a week. Despite its smaller size compared to competitors like Threads and X, Bluesky’s growth trajectory has been notable, with some days adding a million users within 24 hours.
Recent data shows Bluesky leading the charts on both Apple’s App Store and Google Play. According to App Figures, the app has been the top non-gaming download on Google Play for four consecutive days and has held the top spot in the App Store for six days. Meanwhile, Threads sits in second place on Apple’s App Store.
Bluesky’s growth appears linked to growing dissatisfaction among X users, particularly following controversial changes on the platform. Analytics firm SimilarWeb reported a traffic spike on November 7, coinciding with increased deactivation activity on X after the U.S. presidential election. Bluesky has also set itself apart by promising not to use user content to train generative AI models—a stance contrasting X’s new privacy policy, which permits such data use.
CEO Jay Graber has further distinguished Bluesky by rejecting ad-heavy models, saying she intends to avoid what she described as “enshittifying the network.” This approach comes as Threads prepares to introduce ads in January, signaling a different trajectory for its monetization strategy.
While Bluesky’s numbers remain a fraction of Threads’ 275 million monthly users, its rapid ascent signals a growing appetite for decentralized alternatives. Whether it can sustain this momentum against its larger rivals remains to be seen.
Featured Image courtesy of IAN LANGSDON/AFP via Getty Images
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