Bluesky hits 20m users amid explosive growth

Bluesky, the decentralized social media platform, has surpassed 20 million users, marking a significant milestone in its recent growth trajectory. The app, which reached 15 million users less than a week ago, has nearly tripled its user base in just three months.

Though Bluesky is still far smaller than rivals like Threads and X, its momentum is noteworthy. Over the past week, Bluesky has seen multiple days of adding a million new users within 24 hours. By comparison, Meta’s Threads, which reached 275 million monthly users earlier this month, has been adding similar daily sign-ups for nearly three months, according to an update from Meta’s Adam Mosseri.

Bluesky’s growing popularity is also reflected in its position atop the app store rankings. The platform has held the number one spot in Apple’s App Store for six consecutive days and has been the top non-gaming app on Google Play for four days, according to data from analytics firm App Figures. Threads is currently ranked second in the App Store.

The surge in Bluesky’s user base seems linked to growing discontent among users of X, formerly Twitter. A notable traffic spike occurred on November 7, the day after the U.S. presidential election, as many X users reportedly sought to deactivate their accounts.

Bluesky is also gaining traction by positioning itself as a privacy-conscious alternative to its competitors. The company has pledged not to use user content to train generative AI models—a practice allowed by X’s privacy policy. Bluesky’s CEO, Jay Graber, has further emphasized the platform’s commitment to avoiding intrusive advertising, contrasting with Threads, which plans to introduce ads starting in January.

As Bluesky continues to grow, its unique policies and decentralized structure are helping it carve out a distinct niche in the social media landscape, attracting users seeking alternatives to mainstream platforms.