Facebook is the largest social media platform in the world, a staggering 59% of social media users choose to use Facebook.
Naturally, many of these people also use Facebook Messenger.
It’s convenient, and as the following Facebook Messenger statistics show, it’s incredibly popular.
Facebook was started in February 2004, it aimed to allow Harvard University students to connect with each other and share photos and other information.
Just four years later, in 2008, Facebook Messenger was launched.
Instead of simply posting what you were doing to a Facebook page, Messenger allowed you to chat, with written messages, in real time.
The app was only available to Facebook users until 2011 when it was made available to anyone.
It was initially popular. However, its popularity has grown significantly as the app developed.
Today, billions of people use the app to connect with each other.
The fact you can now video call people, share videos and catch them together, access Spotify and Pinterest through the app, and even play community games, has simply made Facebook Messenger even more appealing.
Alongside this, the app is currently embracing Artificial Intelligence.
This makes suggestions and offers advice to users, based on their history and type of activity. It should make the experience smoother and more fun.
Of course, to remain popular Facebook Messenger will need to keep evolving.
The recent stories feature and the internet to integrate a payment system are all ways in which this app will remain at the forefront of communication for the foreseeable future.
Key Statistics
- 1.3 billion people currently use Facebook Messenger
- Over 100 billion messages get sent via Messenger every day
- In 2020 the app was downloaded 181 million times just in North America
- 500,000 new users sign up daily!
- Over 2 million new FB Messenger groups start daily
- 200 million plus videos are sent daily
- 150 million video calls are made daily
- 56% of FB Messenger users are men
- 25-34 year olds use Facebook Messenger the most
- Facebook messenger is the most popular messaging app in 15 countries
- In 2020 Messenger saw a 270% revenue increase
- 85% of brands use Messenger often
- Facebook Messenger is home to over 300,000 bots
- Messenger scams cost users $124 million in 2020
- Average time spent on mobile messaging apps in the US is 24 minutes per day
- As of 2023 Facebook Messenger has been downloaded over 5 billion times
- 78.4% of Facebook users also use Facebook Messenger
Top Facebook Messenger Statistics in 2025
1. 1.3 Billion People Currently Use Facebook Messenger
Facebook Messenger has grown massively in popularity in the last 5-6 years. Today, it has over 1.3 billion users.
According to the latest figures, Facebook Messenger is the fifth most popular social media platform in the world.
Facebook is the most popular with nearly 3 billion users, YouTube is a close second with 2.3 billion, and Whatsapp follows at third with a respectable 2 billion users.
Instagram sneaks ahead of Messenger with nearly 1.4 billion users to Messenger’s 1.3 billion.
The Chinese WeChat is hot on Messenger’s heels in sixth, with 1.2 billion users.
It’s worth noting that all of the top five most popular social media platforms, with the exception of YouTube, are actually owned by Facebook.
That’s a lot of power in one company’s hands.
Although fifth on the social media platform list, Facebook Messenger is second on the list of top messaging apps, only WhatsApp beats it.
(Statista)
2. Over 100 Billion Messages Go Via Messenger Every Day
Facebook regularly releases facts and figures regarding its growth and popularity.
The latest figures suggest that over 100 billion messages are sent daily via apps owned by Facebook.
This includes WhatsApp and Instagram.
The exact figure which is sent via Facebook Messenger isn’t disclosed.
However, as it is a dedicated messaging app and not a social media channel or video call app, it’s likely that the majority of these are sent through Facebook Messenger.
Even if only half of these messages went through Messenger, that equates to roughly 50 billion messages a day.
When you consider there are only 8 billion people on the planet you can appreciate how many messages each person is sending.
(Facebook News)
3. In 2020 The App Was Downloaded 181 Million Times Just In North America
Messaging apps reached new heights of popularity in 2020.
This was the year of a pandemic, global lockdowns, and millions of people working from home.
Messaging apps were essential for communication.
Just like other messaging apps, Facebook Messenger saw a surge in user numbers and popularity.
According to reports, the app was downloaded an impressive 181 million times during 2020.
That was just in North America, including Latin America.
Interestingly, as the pandemic passed, user numbers and even download statistics haven’t significantly dropped.
It’s likely the pandemic has changed the way people work and communicate for good.
(Statista)
4. 500,000 New Users Sign Up Daily!
According to the latest study, 400 people join Facebook every minute.
It’s a sign of how popular the app is and helps to dispel the myth that Facebook Messenger is no longer a popular option amongst young people.
400 new Facebook users every minute with a 73% take up equates to over 500,000 new Messenger users every day!
This figure is confirmed by Inc.com which saw an increase in Facebook Messenger membership of approximately 100 million users in just six months.
That’s also the equivalent of 500,000 + new users daily!
(Social Shepherd)
5. Over 2 Million New Fb Messenger Groups Start Daily
Facebook Messenger was originally started to allow messages to go directly from one person to another, making it easy to share information or even arrange social engagements.
Of course, the video call also allows you to talk to multiple people at the same time.
It’s a great way to hold long-distance meetings, arrange things with friends in different locations, or simply catch-up without having to repeat a story over and over again.
The easiest way to do this is to create a Facebook Messenger group.
You add the people you want into the group and then send a message, image, or even a video.
It instantly goes to all the group members.
They can comment and reply and all the other members will see this.
This feature has become incredibly popular. According to the latest statistics, over 2.5 million groups are created every day.
Some are used for just one meeting, others are used regularly for years.
(Inc.com)
6. 200 Million Plus Videos Are Sent Daily
Facebook allows you to send a message to anyone at any time.
You can call them using the video phone, or send them pictures.
However, to share properly, it’s hard to beat a video.
It’s not always possible to connect via video call. Time Zones and daily events get in the way.
However, a video call means the receiver can be part of any experience, whether it’s just saying hi, showing yourself in the latest online challenge, or a video of a wedding proposal.
Sharing video content ensures dedicated people can share your special moment.
It’s also a great way to reach customers, allowing them to digest information in their own time.
Once you appreciate the benefits of sending videos via messenger the fact that 200 million are sent daily seems less surprising.
Facebook is helping by introducing a ‘watch together’ feature. You simply start your standard video call and, once connected, swipe upwards.
You’ll see a list of options, including ‘watch together’.
Selecting it allows you to select a video and play it, you and the others on the call will be able to see it at the same time.
It’s great for connecting with people and even helps with employee training.
(Facebook News)
7. 150 Million Video Calls Are Made Daily
Facebook Messenger has become the place to call friends and colleagues.
After all, it’s always been easier to resolve an issue when you deal with someone face-to-face.
The pandemic made this harder. However, it was already more difficult as the digital revolution has made the world smaller.
Your colleague or customer may be on the other side of the planet.
A phone call is expensive and can cause issues with translation.
A video call allows people to connect and any issues to be resolved.
While there are several dedicated video conferencing apps, many of them don’t fare as well as Facebook Messenger.
The latest figures show that more than 150 million video calls are made via Messenger every day.
(Facebook News)
8. 56% Of Fb Messenger Users Are Men
A survey conducted in July 2021 showed that 55.9% of Facebook Messenger users in the US are male.
This statistic isn’t that surprising as the official US gender split is 56% male to 44% female.
However, it should be noted that this statistic was derived from advertising data.
It could simply suggest that more men respond to adverts than women.
Other surveys have suggested the proportion of males to females is closer to 55% male/45% female.
In both scenarios, advertisers will need to skew adverts slightly more toward men than women.
(Data reportal)
9. 25-34 Year Olds Use Facebook Messenger The Most
Facebook Messenger has been offering its services for many years.
It was the main app for the Baby Boomers as it predates much of the competition.
As such, it’s commonly assumed that the app is favored by older people and not so popular with the younger generation.
However, the latest statistics paint a different picture.
According to a survey done by Statista in the US, almost 24% of Facebook users are aged between 25-34.
That’s effectively a quarter of the Facebook user list and a larger proportion of Facebook users than any other age bracket.
A further study by Oberlo showed that almost half of all Facebook users are aged between 25-44. An impressive 44.3% of users are in this age bracket.
In fact, the statistics show that 54.7% of users are between 18-34, and just 21% of users are older than 44.
(Statista)
10. Facebook Messenger Is The Most Popular Messaging App In 15 Countries
Facebook Messenger can be accessed virtually anywhere on the planet.
It’s well-known across the globe and considered a useful, as well as fun, tool.
Interestingly, it isn’t the most popular Messaging app in the world, WhatsApp currently has that crown.
However, it is the most popular in at least 15 countries around the globe.
The most obvious is the US. It’s also the most popular in Australia, France, Poland, Canada, Belgium, Sweden, Denmark, Thailand, and the Philippines, along with others.
WhatsApp is more popular in the UK and WeChat is the most popular in China.
(Similar Web)
11. In 2020 Messenger Saw a 270% Revenue Increase
Facebook has been through a variety of changes, including the rebranding as Meta.
Many people have seen this as confirmation that Messenger is less popular than it used to be.
However, the steady increase in user numbers tells a different story.
As does the revenue increase.
For example, in 2017 Messenger generated $130,000 in revenue.
Not an overly impressive figure.
In 2018 the revenue had increased to a far more impressive $1.68 million.
That’s more than ten times the 2017 revenue in just two years.
2019 saw the revenue double again, to approximately $4 million.
However, 2020 saw the most impressive increase. Revenue went up to $14.78 million.
That’s roughly a 270% increase in just one year. While part of this was due to the global pandemic, the income level shows no sign of abating.
In short, if you’re considering investing, Facebook is probably a good option.
(Statista)
12. 85% Of Brands Use Messenger Often
Facebook Messenger can be used to reach potential customers.
Simply place ads on the site and they will pop-up where relevant.
It’s an effective way to boost customer numbers.
However, it’s not the only way to deal with customers on Messenger.
This messaging app allows businesses to send messages directly to specific customer groups.
This allows targeted marketing campaigns and helps customers to feel special.
That’s important for loyalty.
According to a recent survey, many businesses appreciate the importance of this.
The survey showed 85% of brands use Facebook Messenger to connect with customers.
It’s also a valuable tool to connect with colleagues.
The video calling service and ease of writing messages ensures colleagues can easily communicate, regardless of where they are in the world.
(Statista)
13. Facebook Messenger Is Home To Over 300,000 Bots
Mention bots and most people have negative connotations.
After all, bots create fake social media accounts and they are used by hackers to gain access to your account.
Fortunately, the bots on Facebook Messenger are different. They are predominantly chatbots.
In other words, they allow a business to appear online at all times of the day and night.
The chatbot will answer questions from potential customers and help any business stay in touch with its customers.
Most importantly, the chatbot makes it easy for businesses to do this.
Currently, there are over 300,000 businesses on Facebook Messenger with dedicated chatbots.
(Venture Beat)
14. A Facebook Messenger App Is More Effective Than An Email
To be successful every business needs a constant flow of customers.
Part of this involves taking care of the customers you have. This ensures they stay loyal.
However, you also need new customers, especially if you are selling a product people can only buy once.
In recent years it’s been common for businesses to send out emails to everyone on their customer lists.
The email notifies of new offers, reminds people of old ones, and helps the customer feel connected to the business.
Facebook Messenger does this more effectively. It makes it easier to target specific groups and even reach new customers.
Best of all, it allows customers to comment and interact.
That increases the likelihood of them becoming or staying customers.
According to the latest research, an ad on Facebook Messenger is 80% more effective at attracting new customers than an email!
At the least, it’s worth a try.
(Search Engine Journal)
15. Messenger Scams Cost Users $124 Million In 2020
Scams can take many forms, from a phone call to get your account details to a phishing site.
Naturally, scammers have realized, with so many people on social media, it’s a perfect location to target users.
2020 saw a large increase in Facebook Messenger scams.
This was the year people were forced to stay home and, therefore, spent a lot more time connecting to people via the internet.
Scammers use sophisticated hacking tools to identify your login and password.
This allows them to take control of your Facebook Messenger accounts, request funds from people, and access your account details.
The change in trends happened too quickly for Facebook.
They reacted, but only after scammers had successfully launched thousands of scams. The result was over $124 million lost by individuals to scammers.
Facebook is committed to improving security and notification procedures to ensure users are more aware of cyber threats and better protected against them.
(AARP)
16. Average Time Spent On Mobile Messaging Apps In The US Is 24 Minutes per Day
The US leads the world in many things, especially when it comes to technology.
However, it may surprise you to learn that India has the crown when it comes to the number of downloads.
Presently, there have been over 448 million downloads of Facebook Messenger in India.
That’s 448 million Messenger users in India, an increase of 118 million on 2022.
The US currently has 258 million. However, the average US citizen spends an impressive 24 minutes a day on Messenger.
In contrast, the average Indian spends a staggering 38 minutes on Messenger a day.
Interestingly, the average time on the app for US citizens has stayed the same for the last three years. In comparison, India’s average timer has been steadily increasing.
(Wise Voter/Statista)
17. As Of 2023 Facebook Messenger Has Been Downloaded Over 5 Billion Times
For an app to be truly successful it needs to be downloaded a lot of times.
Some apps are downloaded en masse, but most see a steady rate of downloads over years, ensuring the app remains popular.
Facebook Messenger definitely falls into the second category.
As of 2023 it has been downloaded via Google Play or the App Store over 5 billion times.
That’s a large number, and it’s more impressive as it’s over half the global population.
To put this into perspective, there are 8 billion people living on the planet and approximately 6 billion have internet access.
Messenger is popular because it is good at what it does and downloading the app makes it easier to use.
(Bank My Cell)
18. 78.4% Of Facebook Users Also Use Facebook Messenger
Facebook is the most popular social media platform. You can access Facebook Messenger directly from Facebook with the app.
That means it’s incredibly easy to use.
While some people only want to use Facebook, the majority of them are happy to use Messenger as well.
In fact, the latest statistics show that 78.4% of Facebook users are also active on Facebook Messenger.
Of course, some people only use Messenger. After all, you only need to download the app and use your phone number to create an account and get started.
(Gitnux)
Summing Up
The above Facebook Messenger statistics show a clear picture.
Messenger apps are incredibly popular and have become more so since the global pandemic.
While Facebook Messenger isn’t quite the most popular messaging app, it has seen a dramatic growth in user numbers and revenue since 2017.
It’s easy to download, install and use. It can be accessed from anywhere via your mobile, and it’s an effective way to stay in touch with friends or customers.
In other words, if you’re not already using Facebook Messenger, the above statistics suggest you should be.
