Published 06/26/2024. Updated July 2026.
If you ask someone in their 60s “what’s the biggest social media platform?” there’s a solid chance they’ll say Facebook.
Ask a 20-year-old and it might be TikTok. For someone in their mid 30s, it could be Instagram.
The truth is, the answer’s hard to pin down because it’s always changing. In fact, the rankings themselves shifted since we first wrote this: as of 2026, the six biggest players (and their order) look like this:
- YouTube – 2.65 billion monthly active users
- Facebook – 2.39 billion monthly active users
- TikTok – 2.21 billion monthly active users
- Instagram – 1.99 billion monthly active users
- LinkedIn – 1.43 billion monthly active users
- Pinterest – 579 million monthly active users
Notice what changed: YouTube passed Facebook for the top spot, TikTok nearly doubled its user base and jumped from fourth to third, and LinkedIn more than tripled its numbers to leapfrog Pinterest. Rankings like these are a moving target, which is exactly why it’s worth revisiting them instead of trusting a screenshot from a couple of years ago.
Now, let’s break down those rankings.
Keep reading to learn more about the top social platforms and the unique selling points of each.
1. YouTube
YouTube has almost entirely replaced TV for many, and the 2026 numbers back that up: it’s now the single largest social platform in the world. On average, users spend over 23 hours per month on YouTube, more than on any other social media platform.
Some stats for business owners and brand managers:
- 59% of Gen Z users say they use short-form video apps like YouTube Shorts to discover content that leads them to longer versions of the same video
- 68% of users watched YouTube to help them make a purchase decision
- 13.8% of internet users aged 16-64 use videos for brand research
2. Facebook
In 2021, Facebook the company officially underwent a name change to Meta, but the social media site has kept its original name. While Facebook has recently gotten a reputation as the place baby boomers hang out online, the overall percentage of users over 65 is fairly low at only 6%. The largest demographic still sits at males from 25-34, making up over 18% of users.
Some stats for business owners and brand managers:
- 66% of Facebook users visit a local business page at least once a week
- 69% of online shoppers who use Meta platforms weekly made purchases after seeing personalized content on Facebook or Instagram
- The average US user spends 33 minutes per day on Facebook
3. TikTok
The video-sharing app takes full advantage of users’ scrolling habits on phones, leading from one video to the next and the next. TikTok has grown to over 2.2 billion worldwide users, and the ownership uncertainty that used to hang over its US operations has been resolved: in January 2026, TikTok’s US business moved to a new, US-based ownership group (TikTok USDS), backed by investors including Oracle and Silver Lake, ending the “will it get banned” question for good.
Some stats for business owners and brand managers:
- TikTok appeals to the youngest users, nearly half are between 12 and 24 years old
- TikTok users worldwide spend an average of 22.9 hours per month on the app
- 63% of TikTok ads with the highest click-through rate (CTR) share their message within the first three seconds
4. Instagram
Founded in 2010, Instagram focuses almost exclusively on image and video sharing, building a lucrative niche in the social media landscape. A key feature of Instagram are “Stories,” posts that are only on the platform for 24 hours before removal.
The short-form “Reels” also helped keep Instagram competitive when social media users fell in love with this format via TikTok and YouTube Shorts. Owned by Meta since 2012, Instagram has roughly half of its US users falling between ages 18-34.
Some stats for business owners and brand managers:
- 50% of Instagram users say they’ve visited a brand’s website after viewing their Stories
- 90% of Instagram users follow a business
- 62.3% of Instagram users worldwide say they use the platform to follow or research brands and products
5. LinkedIn
Acquired by Microsoft in 2016, LinkedIn is what we think it is: a digital resume, a place to network with other professionals, and a place for businesses to post job listings and generate B2B leads. LinkedIn’s global user base has grown substantially, and it now sits ahead of Pinterest in worldwide monthly active users, a genuine shift from just a couple of years ago.
Some stats for business owners and brand managers:
- LinkedIn is especially popular among high-income earners and college-educated users
- LinkedIn ads reach hundreds of millions of people worldwide, a meaningful share of the global population
- LinkedIn has continued to post steady year-over-year revenue growth, driven by its ad business and premium subscriptions
- The most-followed brands on LinkedIn include: Amazon, Google, TED Conferences, Microsoft, Unilever, and Forbes
6. Pinterest
A digital bulletin board with an over 75% female audience, Pinterest has a well-established demographic and shares a high user overlap with Instagram. The brand also has a good track record, 8 out of 10 people associate Pinterest with feeling positive. This has a lot to do with why people use Pinterest. In most cases, they are working on something they enjoy, whether it’s planning a vacation, collecting recipes, or learning a hobby.
This “positive platform” contrasts with the often polarizing political and social dialogue on other platforms and can even help boost sales, as JJ Hirschle, Head of US Partnerships at Pinterest notes: “positivity is a key driver for action, so Pinterest sets the bar high for advertisers as a platform that will benefit both their audiences and bottom line.”
Some stats for business owners and brand managers:
- The main reason people use Pinterest is to follow or research brands and products
- 97% of top searches on Pinterest are unbranded (meaning users haven’t made up their minds yet and/or are looking for inspiration or ideas)
- Almost 10.4% of internet users between the ages of 16-64 use online pinboards for brand research
What’s Changed Since 2024
Beyond the reshuffled rankings, two bigger shifts are worth calling out. First, short-form video has fully cemented itself as the default way people discover brands, not just on TikTok, but on YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, and increasingly LinkedIn too. If your brand isn’t producing short-form video somewhere, you’re competing for attention with one hand tied behind your back.
Second, more people are starting their research with AI tools and chat assistants instead of a traditional search bar, asking things like “what’s the best platform to reach Gen Z” or “where should a B2B brand post.” That means the same principles that make a page rank well in classic search (clear structure, real data, answering the actual question) also decide whether an AI assistant cites and recommends your brand. For more on that shift, see our guide to how LLMs and other AI tools are reshaping modern marketing.
Ready for your brand to thrive on social media?
At a time when social media popularity is riding on an increasing peak, it’s more important than ever for business owners and marketers to understand how to take advantage of multi-channel social media marketing.
We understand that effective social media can be time-consuming, but with a proper strategy, brands can flourish by reaching new and current customers where they’re most active. If you want a deeper look at why so many social and digital campaigns underperform (and how to avoid the same mistakes), check out why most digital marketing campaigns fall flat, and how we fix that. Want to learn more or see some of our social media strategies in action? Follow us (@thrivewithasen) for more content like this or reach out to us at asenmarketing.com/contact to discuss your social media marketing needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which social media platform has the most users in 2026?
YouTube now leads with roughly 2.65 billion monthly active users worldwide, passing Facebook for the top spot. Facebook and TikTok follow closely behind, each with over 2 billion users.
Has TikTok’s ownership situation in the US been resolved?
Yes. After years of uncertainty, TikTok’s US operations were divested into a new, US-based ownership group in January 2026, backed by investors including Oracle and Silver Lake. The platform continues to operate in the US under this new structure.
How do I decide which platforms to prioritize for my brand?
Start with where your audience actually spends time and what they’re trying to do there (research, entertainment, professional networking) rather than chasing every platform at once. A brand targeting Gen Z consumers will lean differently than a B2B manufacturer, for example, which is why platform strategy should tie back to your broader marketing plan, not run in isolation.
Authored by Amanda Myers, Copywriter and Marketing Strategist at Asen. With nearly a decade of experience in brand writing and content creation, Amanda has crafted targeted social media strategies that engage diverse audiences, leveraging platform-specific insights to enhance brand visibility and drive measurable results across major channels.