SafetyDetectives Cybersecurity Team
Meta (formerly Facebook) is an internet goliath. The company has grown to mammoth proportions since co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg and a few classmates coded the Facebook platform in a Harvard dorm room in 2004.
Fast-forward to 2025, and Meta’s social media platforms reach 48% of the global population.
A company so large and influential deserves a closer look. That’s why I’ve gathered over 45 Facebook/Meta stats that demonstrate the company’s immense scale and significance. Read on to find out more about Meta’s growth, plans, user base, and much more!
Meta at a Glance
- As of Q4 2024, 60% of internet users (3.35 billion people) access one of the core Meta applications (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, or Messenger) every day.
- Meta platforms had 74,067 employees as of December, 2024.
- Meta’s total revenue across all platforms was over $134.9 billion in 2023; in 2024, it was $164.5 billion.
- Meta’s net income for 2024 was $46.8 billion, representing a year-over-year increase of 48%.
- In 2024 Meta’s average revenue per user increased by 11%, an increase from $44.60 in 2023 to $49.63.
- Meta is estimated to have received $64.6 billion in US ad revenue in 2024, accounting for 21.3% of US digital ad spend and a staggering 74.5% of US social network ad spend.
- Meta’s co-founder and CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, owns 13.5% of Meta Platforms Inc, giving him 61.9% of the voting power.
- Mark Zuckerberg is the 3rd wealthiest person in the world, with a net worth of $211.8 billion in 2025.
1. Meta owns 3 of the top 4 most popular social platforms.
CEO and co-founder Mark Zuckerberg rebranded Facebook Inc. to Meta Platforms in late 2021, stating that the company was “moving from being Facebook first” to “being metaverse first.”
While Zuckerberg references Meta’s plans to build a virtual social space, the move also highlights that the company has become bigger than its original platform. Currently, 3.35 billion users access Meta’s four online communication and social media platforms: Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Facebook Messenger.
2. Meta’s annual revenue has increased by 1,220% over the last 10 years.
In 2024, Meta Platforms generated approximately $164.5 billion in revenue, marking an increase from $134.9 billion in 2023.
Meta splits its revenue across two segments: Family of Apps (FoA), which includes Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp, and Reality Labs (RL), focused on virtual and augmented reality.
Advertisers based in China, particularly Temu and Shein, have played a key role in Meta’s growth since late 2023, spending around $600 million and $200 million, respectively, on Facebook and Instagram ads in Q3 2023 alone. These two companies alone accounted for about 3% of Meta’s growth during that period.
Meta’s aggressive acquisition strategy — which has seen it snap up new products like Giphy, and major competitors like Instagram — has contributed to the company’s growth and financial success. Facebook’s expanding ad revenue and the platform’s global expansion are also key factors behind Meta’s success.
3. 98.7% of Meta’s 2024 revenue came from advertising.
You’re probably wondering: How does Meta make so much money when most of its services are free?
The answer: Advertising. Meta sells advertising space on its platforms to companies so they can market their products. Meta also collects data about users, which it shares with advertisers — which is why many of its ads feel so relevant to its users.
In 2024, Meta’s Family of Apps (FoA) contributed over 98.7% of the company’s revenue, with nearly all of its $160.5 billion in earnings coming from advertising.
4. The US and Canada generated 43.8% of Meta’s 2024 revenue, despite accounting for just 8.9% of its users (Business of Apps).
While only 8.9% of Facebook’s users live in the US and Canada, the region accounted for $72.1 billion of the company’s 2024 revenue.
One reason: Advertisers find it an attractive market. They are willing to invest heavily into their marketing campaigns in a region in which people have the luxury of spending time shopping online.
That advertisers invest heavily in the region likely creates a feedback loop in which the people who have money to spend see advertisements targeted to their interests, so they spend more money, so they see more targeted ads… and so on.
5. Meta Platforms has a 2025 market cap of $1.59 trillion.
Meta Platforms has a market capitalization of approximately $1.59 trillion as of January 2025. Meta faced some significant challenges over the past few years, including competition from TikTok, Apple’s privacy policy changes, and a softening ad market. Meta’s stock struggled early in the decade, culminating in a record loss of $232 billion in 2022.
However, with a focus on cost-cutting measures and a strategic refocus on core business areas, Meta rebounded; its revenue rose to $164.5 billion in 2024. The recovery of digital ad demand and growth in products like Reels has contributed to a sharp rise in Meta’s stock value, which has almost tripled since its 2022 low.
Facebook Users
- 3.08 billion people use Facebook every month — a higher user count than any other social media platform (Business of Apps).
- 60% of social media account holders use Facebook every month (Demandsage).
- Facebook aims to have 5 billion users by 2030.
- Facebook’s app has over 5 billion cumulative downloads.
- Facebook app downloads rose from 553 million in 2023 to 598 million in 2024.
- Facebook is most popular in the Asia-Pacific region, with 1.363 billion monthly active users as of Q2 2024 (Business of Apps).
- Over 7 out of 10 US adults have used Facebook.
- Only 19% of US teens use Facebook daily.
- 84% of Canadians use Facebook.
6. Facebook has gained over 1 billion monthly users in the last 7 years (Business of Apps).
Facebook’s consistent growth has helped it dominate the social media market.
As of Q3 2024, Facebook had 3.08 billion active monthly users, giving it the largest user base in the world. This marks a 12-month increase of 52 million users.
Overall, Facebook’s user base has grown by a whopping 2,980% since Q2 2008. In the last 7 years, Facebook has gained 1 billion monthly users, rising from 2.06 billion users in 2017 to 3.08 billion in 2024.
7. Facebook’s user growth is expected to decelerate.
As Facebook matures as a platform, its user growth rate is forecast to decelerate, with 0.7% user growth expected in 2024 and dropping to 0.6% in 2025. The forecasted total growth between 2024 and 2028 is 5.04%. The deceleration is largely driven by Facebook having already saturated the market, which limits the number of new users it can hope to attract.
Despite the slower growth rate, and the higher growth predictions for platforms like TikTok and Snapchat, Facebook is still forecast to remain the most popular social media platform; its predicted growth deceleration doesn’t mean a decrease in its number of users.
8. 57% of Facebook users are male, and 31% are 25 to 34 years old.
As of April 2024, Facebook’s largest audience segment was men aged 25 to 34; they accounted for 18.4 percent of global users. The platform’s second largest audience base was men aged 18 to 24.
The popularity of Facebook among these age groups can be partly explained by the fact that 50% of all internet users are aged 18 to 34.
Only 19% of teens use Facebook daily, compared to 71% using YouTube and 58% who spend time on TikTok every day. Meanwhile, 57% of users are male and 43% are female.
Facebook currently reports on users’ sex (defined by the person’s reproductive functions assigned at birth), but does not currently report on users’ gender identification (defined as the person’s perception of themself as man, woman, or as someone outside of that gender binary).
9. The number of 13-17 year olds using Facebook has fallen by 38% since 2015.
Facebook hasn’t captured much of the teen market but is still wildly popular among older users.
The majority of teenagers aged 13 to 17 are using Gen-Z-focused alternatives like TikTok (63%), Snapchat (60%), and Instagram (59%). Closer to 70% of older teens (aged 15 to 17) use these alternative platforms.
This is comparable to the statistics for Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) a decade ago. In 2015, 71% of American teens used Facebook and X, compared to just 33% in 2024. X also saw a decrease during the same time, albeit at a slower rate than Facebook.
Facebook launched Reels to compete with TikTok and Snapchat, but it seems teenagers are sticking to those rival platforms for short-form video content. That could be a problem for Meta moving forward; advertisers like to market to young audiences so they can attract lifetime customers.
10. Facebook.com’s monthly traffic fell from 21.1 billion users in December 2021 to 12.3 billion in September 2024 (similarweb).
In December 2021, Facebook’s website reached 21.1 billion users per month. This fell to 16.6 billion by December 2023 and dropped to 12.3 billion as of September 2024.
The decline in traffic to the website doesn’t mean a decline in traffic to the platform. Rather, users are accessing the site from the convenience of apps on their mobile devices; as of Q3 2023, around 60% of the world’s mobile users browsed the internet with their devices. With 5G becoming more widespread and 6G technology on the horizon, mobile connectivity is set to grow, and the result will likely see even higher numbers of mobile internet users.
11. India has 378.05 million Facebook users, more than any other nation.
India has more Facebook users (378.05 million) than any other country. The US is second, with 193.8 million Facebook users.
Even though India has the most users, Facebook has a better user penetration rate in other markets. India’s 378.05 million users make up only around 26.5% of its total population.
Elsewhere, several other countries have topped 100 million Facebook users. As mentioned, the United States has 193.8 million users. Meanwhile, 42% of Indonesia’s 119.05 million inhabitants have a Facebook account. Brazil also has 112.55 million Facebook users.
12. Men make up 57% of Facebook’s ad reach.
According to advertising data from Data Reportal, in April 2024 men accounted for 57% of Facebook’s total ad reach. Understanding user behavior is a crucial part of successful ad campaigns and may explain why men are more frequently reached by ads.
The CPC (cost-per-click) ad model means advertisers pay per click. Statistically, while women click on ads more frequently, they are less likely to take action after the click, which makes ad campaigns more expensive with lower results. Men are 53% more likely to take action after clicking on an ad, which means companies are more incentivized to target men.
13. News media consumers on Facebook are relatively balanced between Democrats and Republicans.
A Pew Research Center study revealed that Facebook has a close to equal distribution of users consuming news from both Republican and Democratic affiliations. The study showed that 50% of Republicans and 43% of Democrats aged 18-65+ used Facebook.
Women dominate regular news consumption on platforms like Nextdoor, TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram, while men are more prevalent on Reddit, X, and Rumble.
Republicans or Republican-leaning independents make up the majority of regular news consumers on Truth Social (88%) and Rumble (83%), and approximately half of those on Facebook and YouTube.
In contrast, platforms like Instagram, WhatsApp, and Reddit tend to have more Democrat-leaning news consumers.
14. Fake accounts represent approximately 3% of Facebook’s global monthly active users.
Fake and duplicate accounts are a big issue for Facebook, for several reasons.
Criminals create fake or clone accounts and spam messages to legitimate users in the hopes of tricking them into scams. Scammers can be particularly believable when they impersonate legitimate users and send messages to the friends of those accounts.
False profiles are also an issue because foreign governments or other parties can use them to spread misinformation and influence people.
Israeli tech company Cyabra used machine learning to identify fake accounts on X. The results showed that 15% of accounts praising former President Donald Trump and criticizing President Joe Biden are fake. The same report also revealed that 7% of accounts praising Biden and criticizing Trump are fake.
Catfishing, in which a scammer attempts to trick people into thinking they’re someone else, and bullying are two more reasons someone might create a fake or duplicate profile.
Facebook Content, Engagement, & Usage
- More than two-thirds (68%) of Facebook’s monthly active users are also daily users (Meta Platforms).
- On average, Americans spend 31 minutes on Facebook every day.
- Facebook Android app users spend an average of 20 hours per month on the platform.
- In 2023, Facebook posts were liked at a rate of 4 million every minute.
- 55% of women in the US use Facebook Messenger.
- Facebook Reels are available in over 150 countries.
- 91% of companies maintain a Facebook presence.
- 73.3% of Facebook users also use WhatsApp and 76.9% of Facebook users also use Instagram.
15. 81.8% of Facebook users only access the platform via mobile.
Mark Zuckerberg was quick to pivot Facebook toward mobile users in early 2012 when he realized the company was neglecting this new medium.
Facebook had been busy working on its web application, but its mobile app was slow, buggy, and lackluster compared to its competitors. Zuckerberg redirected the company’s attention. He forced employees to use Facebook’s mobile app, hired iOS and Android engineers, and hosted week-long training camps to teach product teams about mobile development.
Zuckerberg’s gamble has paid off. 98.5% of Facebook users access the platform via mobile devices, and 81.8% of users access Facebook on mobile exclusively. The figures demonstrate just how important mobile is to users, and how valuable mobile users are to Facebook.
16. Album posts have the highest engagement rates on Facebook.
Facebook users engage with album and general photo posts more than any other type of content.
In 2024, the most popular post types were albums followed by photos, status posts, reels, videos, and link-based posts. The popularity of post types remains largely consistent with 2023, with only reels becoming more popular in 2024 than the previous year.
Facebook’s engagement rates are influenced by the platform’s algorithm, which grades posts in four stages: Inventory, Signals, Predictions, and Relevance. This means branded content and off-site links are suppressed while personal, native Facebook posts, such as photos and status updates from friends, are prioritized.
17. Facebook is the fourth-most popular place to watch short-form videos, with a 14% share of viewers.
Facebook has become a popular place to watch videos with its live content, Stories, and short- and long-form videos.
Meta introduced Reels on Instagram in 2020 and on Facebook in 2021 in response to the rapid rise of ByteDance’s short video platform, TikTok. Reels have become a prominent feature across Meta’s apps, generating an impressive 140 billion daily plays. Its success highlights Meta’s effort to stay competitive in the short-form video space and cater to users’ demand for engaging, bite-sized content.
Despite this success, TikTok remains the leading platform for short-form videos in the US, with 40% of users preferring it. YouTube Shorts ranks second with 23% of users, while Instagram Reels takes third place. Facebook is the fourth-most-used platform for watching videos under 10 minutes.
18. Facebook Live videos generate three times the engagement of traditional videos.
Facebook Live creates a more interactive and immersive experience for viewers as opposed to the reactionary engagement of traditional video uploads. The ability to actively participate in the video through real-time comments and reactions helps to create a deeper connection with the audience, building a sense of community and immediacy.
Live-streamed content typically has a much longer run time than pre-recorded content, which naturally encourages longer viewing times. Additionally, the dynamic nature of live content is a draw for users, who feel compelled to keep watching and see if their contribution is acknowledged or discussed.
The Facebook algorithm also prioritizes live content, which boosts its visibility. The notion of being part of the video can make people join in as opposed to watching it later or watching a traditionally uploaded video of the same interaction at a later date.
19. Almost one-third of US adults use Facebook as a news source.
Despite criticism over misinformation on the platform, Facebook is still how many US adults get the latest news.
33% of surveyed US adults regularly use Facebook as a news source. While that figure has declined since 2020, Facebook is still favored over other platforms for news content, including YouTube which came second (32%).
Facebook’s overall popularity explains why so many people see news content on the platform. But when Pew Research measured news consumers against each platform’s total user base, Facebook still came second with 48% of users accessing news content.
As an older Pew Research study notes, Facebook users may not be actively looking for news but are often served this content while they browse.
Businesses & Advertising on Facebook
- More than 10 million businesses use Meta advertising.
- More than 200 million businesses create virtual storefronts on Meta apps every month.
- On average, companies post 2.37 times per day on Facebook (Business of Apps).
- Facebook ads can reach 27.2% of the world’s population.
- Facebook ads reach 62.6% of Americans aged 13 or over (Hootsuite).
- Ads on Facebook’s Marketplace can potentially reach 560 million people (WebTribunal).
- 1 billion people use Facebook Marketplace each month.
20. Facebook ads can reach up to 2.19 billion people, or 71% of Facebook’s monthly users.
With more than one-third of the global population using Facebook, the platform represents a huge potential market for advertisers — 2.28 billion potential customers can be reached by Facebook ads. That equates to nearly three-quarters of Facebook’s total user base.
21. Over 200 million businesses use Facebook’s free tools.
Facebook provides business pages with a long list of free tools to effectively communicate with potential customers and sell products or services.
These include business tools like Appointments, which allows businesses to receive bookings through Facebook and manage their calendar. Other tools help businesses create and promote events, search for new employees, and create an online storefront.
Facebook also offers free optimization tools that businesses can use to gain insights into their audience and ad campaign performance.
22. The United Kingdom had the highest average CPC rate in early 2024.
Cost-per-click (CPC) is the amount of money an advertiser pays each time a user clicks on their ad to become a potential customer (a lead). Facebook divides the total amount of money spent on an ad campaign by the total number of clicks it receives to calculate the CPC.
Supply and demand influence CPC on Facebook. CPC increases if lots of companies are buying ads on Facebook for your targeted demographic and decreases when there’s less competition. Typically, Facebook ads cost more in Q4 as companies aggressively buy up advertising space in preparation for the holiday season.
The average CPC for Facebook varies from country to country. In January and February 2024, the United Kingdom ($0.38), Germany ($0.35), and the United States ($0.25) were the three most expensive countries. The 2024 global average CPC stands at $0.19 based on the top ten countries.
23. In 2023, Facebook removed 224 million pieces of content because of copyright or counterfeit violations.
Facebook removes content that violates copyright or counterfeit regulations. These might include individual posts, photos, videos, advertisements, events, groups, and profiles.
Copyrights protect original works of authorship and prevent them from being unfairly copied, distributed, adapted, displayed, or performed. Counterfeits are unauthorized imitations or reproductions of a trademarked product.
Other Meta Companies and Apps
Meta has acquired several major competitors and emerging technologies since it was founded in 2004, including social platforms like WhatsApp and Instagram, and AI companies like CTRL-labs.
Meta’s social platforms still account for 98.7% of its revenue (or $162 billion). But Meta has also invested heavily in virtual reality companies, including Oculus, Spark AR, and Project Aria, as it pivots toward its metaverse project. Meta’s VR companies make up 1.41% ($1.9 billion) of the company’s total revenue.
We’ve compiled statistics on four of Meta’s most popular subsidiaries and products, starting with WhatsApp, a platform that’s achieved unparalleled success within the online messaging industry.
WhatsApp Statistics
- WhatsApp was the fourth most downloaded app in 2024, with a total of 564.3 million downloads. TikTok led the rankings with 825.5 million downloads, followed by Instagram (817.5 million) and Facebook (598 million).
- WhatsApp Business has over 311 million downloads on iOS and Android.
- WhatsApp users send a combined 140 billion messages every day (TimelinesAI).
- Around 175 million people message companies on WhatsApp Business every day.
- India has 535.8 million WhatsApp users, which is more than any other nation.
- WhatsApp has more users than any other messaging app in over 150 nations (Business of Apps).
- 51.7% of WhatsApp users are male and 48.2% are female.
- WhatsApp was Meta’s most expensive acquisition at $19 billion.
24. WhatsApp is the second favorite social media platform.
WhatsApp doesn’t have the kind of engaging content you find on Facebook, TikTok, or YouTube — in fact, it doesn’t have much user content at all. You can’t show off on WhatsApp quite like you can on Instagram, or go viral quite like a post might on X.
But above all of these other platforms, WhatsApp offers a more functional, simple, and adaptable way to communicate with friends, colleagues, and businesses, and this has played a large part in the app’s popularity.
25. Active WhatsApp users spend over 52 hours per month in the application.
WhatsApp is the king of messaging apps; no other dedicated messaging application comes close with regards to users’ monthly usage.
WhatsApp users spent over 50 hours on the app in November. Facebook Messenger is the second most popular messaging app with just under 6 hours a month.
Outside of messaging apps, WhatsApp is the third most heavily used Social Media platform each month. On average, users spend around 90 minutes on the app each day. When looking at daily usage rates, 83.2% of users open the app daily.
26. WhatsApp reaches over 90% of internet users in 8 countries (DataReportal).
Over 90% of internet users are on WhatsApp in Nigeria, South Africa, Brazil, Mexico, Indonesia, Spain, and Portugal. Over 95% of Nigerian internet users are on WhatsApp as of Q3, 2023.
WhatsApp was designed to provide service in areas of low connectivity. WhatsApp is also cheaper than local telecom providers in nations with limited infrastructure.
Throughout Africa, Asia, and South America, people use WhatsApp for more than simply chatting with friends.
Across Central and South America, businesses are embracing WhatsApp as a platform. In Costa Rica, fast food brand KFC uses WhatsApp to receive customer orders, while Colombian airline Avianca now uses the messaging app for customer support and service through a combination of automated and human representative responses.
27. 30% of WhatsApp users are aged 46 or older.
While social media services often appeal to younger generations, people of all ages use WhatsApp; nearly one-third of the app’s user base is 46 or older.
Additionally, research has found that WhatsApp is the most popular application among people over 65, with 64% of people polled saying they felt comfortable using the app.
Researchers believe older people use WhatsApp to stay connected with family and friends, and because of its low cost. WhatsApp is also one of the least overwhelming social media platforms, making it less daunting for older and less tech-savvy users.
28. WhatsApp’s revenue increased by 108% in 2024 (Business of Apps).
WhatsApp is free to use and, unlike many of Meta’s other properties, the platform doesn’t sell advertising space. So you’re probably wondering how WhatsApp makes money.
WhatsApp Business is WhatsApp’s primary revenue stream. The sister app allows companies to access tools that automate, categorize, and quickly reply to customer queries sent via WhatsApp. Businesses pay a rate for each conversation they have after their first 1,000 conversations per month.
Users in highly developed countries may not realize how many businesses use WhatsApp in places like India and Brazil. According to WhatsApp CEO Will Cathcart, 175 million people message businesses on WhatsApp every day.
Instagram Statistics
- Instagram was the second most-downloaded app in 2024, with 817.5 million downloads.
- Instagram generated $66.9 billion in revenue in 2024 — 40% of Meta’s total revenue. (Business of Apps)
- Instagram reached 2 billion monthly active users in 2024.
- Instagram Stories generate 24.6% of Instagram’s advertising revenue.
- Instagram is the fourth most visited website in the world as of 2024.
- Instagram ads account for 10.2% of the total US digital ad spend in 2024.
- By 2025, Instagram will contribute 49.5% of Meta’s U.S. revenue.
29. Instagram has a higher average engagement rate than Facebook and X.
Instagram’s engagement rate of 0.50% ranks higher than its sister-app Facebook and Meta’s long-time rival, X, which both sit at 0.15%.
Instagram’s focus on engaging forms of media, like video and images, makes it an excellent choice for marketing campaigns. According to Socialinsider, carousel posts obtain the highest average engagement rate at 0.55%, while reels rank second with 0.50% engagement, and single-image posts achieve an average of 0.45%.
While Instagram’s engagement rate of 0.50% is excellent, the platform is beaten to first place by TikTok, with its focus on viral, short-form videos. In Socialinsider’s study, TikTok posted an exceptionally high engagement rate of 2.50%.
30. Around 57% of brands use Instagram for their influencer marketing efforts.
Influencer marketing uses endorsements from popular social media influencers to generate interest in a brand or product.
Influencer marketing thrives on Instagram because of the personal relationships between its influencers and their followers. According to Upfluence, the largest influencers see an average engagement rate as high as 5.30%. Marketers can capitalize on these relationships to generate high engagement with their branded content.
At the start of 2025, 57.1% of marketers think Instagram is the most valuable social media channel for influencer marketing. This is a drop from 76% at the start of 2024, largely due to the rise of TikTok influencers. Additionally, TikTok has an average influencer engagement rate of 18% compared to around 5% on Instagram.
31. 28% of Instagram users are 25-34 years old.
While TikTok and Snapchat continue to attract teen users and Facebook appeals to an older audience, Instagram sits nicely between these platforms as the social app of choice for young adults.
54.8% of Instagram users are between 18 and 34; 26.5% are in the 18-24 demographic, while 28.3% are aged 25-34.
According to a 2023 report, 62% of US teens use Instagram, with 37% of these using the app several times a day. While 32% of teens believe social media has a negative impact on people their age, only 9% said it negatively impacts themselves, with 32% claiming their experiences are mostly positive.
Facebook Messenger Statistics
- 78.4% of Facebook users also use Facebook Messenger (Gitnux).
- Facebook Messenger ads can reach 16.5% of the global population aged 13+.
- 25- to 34-year-olds make up 32.1% of Facebook Messenger’s advertising audience.
- People send more than 21 billion photos to friends through Messenger every month (Meta Platforms).
- 40 million businesses are active on Facebook Messenger (Meta Platforms).
- Businesses and customers exchange a collective 20 billion messages on Facebook Messenger every month.
32. Facebook Messenger is the most popular messaging app in the US.
As of Q1 2024, 55% of US messaging app users are on Facebook Messenger, and 24% use WhatsApp. This might surprise you, given WhatsApp’s dominance almost everywhere else in the world.
WhatsApp’s struggles in the US market can be attributed to the fact that many American cellular networks offer free SMS and voice calling, practically defeating the need for online messaging apps. If US users do send online messages, they’ll likely use Messenger because it’s already integrated with Facebook.
Overall, Meta still dominates the nation’s communication app market, accounting for 78% of usage in the US.
33. Facebook Messenger has the most users in India, Mexico, and Brazil
Developing countries throughout Asia, South and Central America, and Africa are some of the biggest markets for Facebook Messenger. In these countries, people can use Facebook Messenger to contact businesses and as a cheaper alternative to SMS.
34. Just 9.9% of Messenger users are aged 18-24, while 23% of Facebook’s total user base falls into this age group.
Much like its sibling platform, Facebook, Messenger is struggling to retain a younger audience, with Gen Z preferring apps like Snapchat.
In 2024, 20.3% of global Snapchat users were males aged 18-24, while women in the same age bracket made up 17.8% of users. This equates to 38.1% of Snapchat’s 48.6 million users being Gen Z.
Snapchat is a direct competitor to Facebook Messenger; both platforms focus on messaging. Facebook’s struggle to engage younger demographics helps explain why Messenger performs so poorly among young adults.
35. Facebook Messenger’s revenue decreased by over 37.5% in 2023.
Increased competition from other messaging apps has likely played a role in reducing Messenger’s user engagement and growth.
Additionally, changes to Facebook’s advertising policies may have impacted Messenger’s ability to generate ad revenue. Despite total downloads of 262.5 million in 2023, Messenger reported a 20% decrease compared to previous years, contributing to the platform’s revenue shortfall.
However, this drop doesn’t necessarily indicate that Messenger is in decline, as it remains a significant player in the messaging space. Figures released for the first half of 2024 showed that Facebook Messenger’s revenue has increased from 2023.
Reality Labs Statistics
Reality Labs is the division within Meta Platforms that creates virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) products, including Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses, Meta Quest headsets, virtual reality games, and Meta’s Horizon Worlds metaverse.
- Reality Labs saw a revenue increase in 2024, reaching $2.1 billion, up from $1.9 billion in the previous year. 2023, having generated $1.9B compared to $2.2B in 2022.
- The Meta Horizon mobile app reached 8.99 million downloads in 2024, a 21% increase from 2023.
- Quest users have spent over $2 billion on VR content in the Quest store.
- Zuckerberg hopes to attract 1 billion people to the metaverse.
36. Meta’s Reality Labs segment, which is building its VR products, reported a $17.7 billion loss in 2024.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has stated publicly that he thinks “the metaverse is the next chapter for the internet.” He imagines a virtual world in which people can immerse themselves and a workplace where employees carry out cross-continental meetings with a pair of virtual reality goggles.
The numbers show Meta is investing heavily in its metaverse project. The company’s Reality Labs segment, which includes its VR and AR companies, posted a $17.7 billion loss in 2024.
The 2024 figures take Reality Labs’ total operational losses to over $64 billion since the segment was established as an individual business in 2020 with record losses each year.
37. Meta sold over 60% of the VR headsets used on SteamVR as of September 2024.
SteamVR is a gaming platform where users can purchase, play, and discuss VR games and other content. As one of the biggest VR marketplaces, Steam surveys its users each month, and the results suggest Meta dominates the VR headset market.
The VR industry is still in its formative years, but the current success of Meta’s headsets bodes well for the company’s future, even if Meta’s Reality Labs continues to lose money.
Data from research firm IDC shows that Meta is the leading manufacturer of VR headsets: Meta accounted for 70% of all AR or VR headsets shipped during Q3 2024.
38. 34% of VR game developers are focusing on the Meta Quest platform.
Over one-third of VR game developers are creating titles for Oculus’ Quest VR headsets, including the Meta Quest, Quest 2, and Quest 3. Those figures are hardly surprising. Meta’s Quest 2 is currently the best-selling VR headset, so it stands to reason that companies are targeting the product’s sizable user base.
39. Forty titles have generated more than $10 million in revenue on the Quest platform.
Chris Pruett, Meta’s director of Content Ecosystem and head of Third-party Games, confirmed that the top game genres include multiplayer competitive titles, along with physics-based combat, horror adventure, fitness and workout, social collaborative, and shooters.
Growth is also being seen in single-player narrative adventure, role-playing games (RPGs), simulators, survival, and boxing, golf, and other sports.
Referring to game revenue, Pruett says there’s a “giant correlation between quality and sales.”
The Bottom Line
Meta is now focused on two major areas: advancing social media for young adults and leveraging AI to create new product capabilities. CEO Mark Zuckerberg highlighted that Meta’s long-term goal is to develop artificial general intelligence (AGI) and make it open-source for global benefit. To support this vision, Meta is purchasing 350,000 H100 graphics cards from NVIDIA, which will be needed to support the project’s processing needs.
Additionally, Meta will be looking to leverage the engagement rates and ad revenue brought in by Instagram and Threads to help offset the continued investment and development in the metaverse. While a long-term goal for the company, the risks of investing in the metaverse need to be balanced with proven profit generators.
While some of Zuckerberg’s decisions – such as rebranding Facebook, Inc. to Meta – have been met with criticism, the company continues to rank among the most valuable in the world. The decision to focus on avant-garde technologies like virtual reality may be a risk, but it’s a risk Meta may need to take to continue leading the social media market in a world increasingly dominated by AI.
