One fact about WhatsApp is that it was acquired by Facebook in 2014, which you will learn was a prudent decision.

WhatsApp is a social messenger that allows people to communicate with friends, family, brands, and anyone who has similar interests.

Let’s learn how many users WhatsApp has and other interesting facts about the app.

Key WhatsApp Statistics

  • WhatsApp has over 2.2 billion active users.
  • 50% of the WhatsApp users in the United States use the app daily.
  • There are over 50 million WhatsApp Business App users as of 2020.
  • The United States accounts for 23% of adult WhatsApp users.
  • Android accounts for 73% of WhatsApp users, and iOS accounts for 22%. 
  • WhatsApp supports up to 60 languages on Android and over 40 on iOS.
  • WhatsApp has become the world’s most popular messaging app in 25 out of the 180 countries that use it.
  • WhatsApp ranks third behind Facebook among teleconferencing and communication apps in the United States.
  • WhatsApp is restricted in five countries. 

WhatsApp Users: How Many People Use WhatsApp in 2024?

Currently, WhatsApp hosts over 2.2 billion registered users.

Moreover, statistics show that 1 billion of these users started using WhatsApp between 2016 and 2020. 

As of April 2022, WhatsApp had around 2.24 billion monthly active users with the expectation of 2.26 billion by June 2022. 

March 2020 marked the official two billion monthly user mark for WhatsApp.

The app is expected to continue to grow in the coming years. 

Forbes shows the WhatsApp app as the third most downloaded app in the world out of the top 10 in 2022.

It fell behind TikTok (#1) and Instagram (#2). 

WhatsApp is in good company among the topmost downloaded apps in 2020 across the globe.

It’s ahead of Snapchat, Telegram, Facebook, Spotify, and some game apps.

How Many Adults in the United States Use WhatsApp?

WhatsApp

Overall, the United States accounts for 23% of adult WhatsApp users.

According to WhatsApp statistics, 31% of adults in the United States between 18 and 34 use WhatsApp, which is the largest market share of users according to age demographics.

The 35 to 44 age group follows with a market share of 27% in WhatsApp usage.

Among the 45 to 64 age group, 20% of WhatsApp usage and 11% of those 65 and older use the app.

By the Q3 of 2020, 91% of WhatsApp users in the United States engaged on the app monthly.

Another 78% engaged weekly and 50% used the app daily.

What is the Market Share for WhatsApp Per Country?

As of 2023, there are over 5 billion global downloads of WhatsApp.

In 2020, WhatsApp had been downloaded 424 million times worldwide, of which 63 million came from the United States. 

Here are the figures from the November 2022 WhatsApp market share according to country.

Top five:

  • Brazil: 98.9%
  • India: 97.1%
  • Italy: 97%
  • Argentina: 96%
  • Switzerland: 95.9%

Bottom five:

  • France: 48%
  • Canada: 42.4%
  • United States: 41.2%
  • Sweden: 33.5%
  • Australia: 32.9%

How Many Countries Can Use WhatsApp?

According to WhatsApp, the Android version supports up to 60 languages, while on iPhone, just over 41 languages are supported on the app.

The way to change your language preferences is to do so through your system settings.

So, if you prefer Spanish, you can engage on WhatsApp in Spanish.

According to 2019 data, WhatsApp is the most popular messaging and communications app in 25 out of the 180 countries using it.

Out of the 180 countries where WhatsApp is available, only five of them have restricted or banned the app to some extent.

This includes China, North Korea, Qatar, Syria, and the UAE. 

How Many Businesses Use WhatsApp?

According to Meta (Facebook), there are over 50 million WhatsApp Business App users as of 2020.

What do so many businesses use WhatsApp?

They are taking advantage of getting high rates of exposure that can help them gain leads to convert into loyal customers.

Meta/WhatsApp is dedicated to making business engagements easier.

Many WhatsApp chats start with QR codes to make communications easier. People use the company’s QR code to start a chat with a brand or business on the app.

It’s much faster and easier than having to add a company to your contacts one at a time just to initiate contact.

The WhatsApp Business App allows businesses to showcase their goods and services via a digital catalog across social sites including WhatsApp. 

How Many People Use WhatsApp According to Mobile Operating Systems?

The most recent data shows that in 2020, Android has the largest market share in WhatsApp usage with a 73% market share, while iOS has only 22%. 

The other 5% accounts for other mobile operating systems with access to the app.

How Many People Used WhatsApp During the Pandemic?

whatsapp

As with most messaging programs and social media networks, WhatsApp benefited from the global pandemic with a rise in not only users, but how long the app was used and how many calls and messages were conducted every day. 

WhatsApp experienced the highest growth among all social media apps during the global pandemic.

According to Kantar, WhatsApp saw a 40% usage increase during every phase of the pandemic. 

In the early phase, WhatsApp saw a 27% boost in usage.

During the middle phase, it saw a 41% increase. In the late phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, WhatsApp saw a 51% increase in usage. 

Usage all over the world varied in growth for WhatsApp, but each one had its own percentage.

For instance, in Spain, WhatsApp usage increased by 76%. 

What are Some Key Features of WhatsApp?

Knowing the features offered by WhatsApp will explain why it’s so widely used and popular across the globe. 

WhatsApp Features:

  • Voice calls
  • Video calls
  • Group video calls
  • Private message
  • Reach global customers
  • Express yourself – GIFS, stickers, etc.
  • PC Calls by connecting via desktop and laptop
  • Mute videos before sharing
  • Disappearing files that aren’t stored on the server or app
  • Transfer chats between Android and iPhone
  • Send and receive money
  • Shop from your phone 

Other hidden features include temporary messages, text accents, turn off images and videos, and pin chats.

Conclusion

Interestingly enough, Facebook owns WhatsApp and WhatsApp towers over Facebook Messenger with over 1 billion more users.

Obviously, WhatsApp is a valuable asset to Facebook/Meta. 

After learning more about WhatsApp, you can see how it became the most popular messaging and teleconferencing app in 25 out of 180 countries where it’s used.

While it outweighs Facebook Messenger in users, it ranks third to its parent company.

We’ve also discovered how WhatsApp usage differs among age groups, operating systems, countries, and business and personal demographics.

We also learned that the global pandemic gave WhatsApp the largest growth across platforms. 

We hope you have learned some new things about how many people use WhatsApp and other data that is relevant to its usage.

Sources

BacklinkoCloudwardsData Reportal
Digital Information WorldForbesKantar
Make Use OfMetaStatista
Statista 2Statista 3WhatsApp
World Population Review