Instagram statistics 2025: Growth You Must See

The social media platform Instagram remains a central hub for visual communication, with features ranging from photo sharing to short‑form video and in‑app commerce. Across industries such as retail (brands launching direct shopping via Instagram) and entertainment (creators monetizing Reels and Stories), Instagram’s data gives insight into user habits and market shifts. The following sections dive into key numbers and trends. Let’s begin with the editorial pick of stats and then move into the broader context.

Editor’s Choice

Here are seven standout statistics from 2025:

Instagram reached 3 billion monthly active users worldwide as of September 2025, representing approximately 37% of the world’s internet users.
The gender distribution is nearly even: about 50.6% male and 49.4% female globally.
In India alone, there were approximately 426.6 million Instagram users as of January 2025, representing about 28.9% of the country’s population.
More than 70% of Instagram users are under the age of 35 as of 2025.
Globally, 29% of Instagram users reported purchasing the platform in 2025.
The United States counted approximately 172.6 million Instagram users in 2024.
Instagram now reaches about 90.43% of its 1.88 billion ad‑reachable users outside the U.S.

Recent Developments

Instagram reached 3 billion monthly active users as of September 2025.
The new Instagram app interface prioritizes Reels first in markets like India and South Korea.
In India, 68.6% of Instagram users were male in January 2025.
Instagram’s user base in India was 426.6 million in January 2025, representing 28.9% of the population.
Instagram generated $32.03 billion in US ad revenue in 2025, making up 50.3% of Meta’s US ad income.
Over 90% of Instagram’s ad-reachable users are located outside the United States.
Instagram’s Reels engaged over 2 billion monthly active users in 2025, with about 35% of app usage time spent on Reels.
Instagram’s global ad reach surpassed 1.7 billion users by early 2025.
Instagram’s potential ad reach increased by 90.8 million users (+5.5%) between January 2024 and January 2025.
About 79.1% of Instagram users in India fall within the 18–34 age group, emphasizing strong youth engagement.

Instagram Users by Generation

The Silent Generation holds a 2.4% share, reflecting minimal engagement from users aged 75 and above.
Gen Z makes up the largest share of Instagram users at 30.8%, showing the platform’s strong appeal among digital natives.
Millennials closely follow at 30.3%, confirming their continued engagement and influence on the app.
Gen X represents 24.1% of Instagram’s user base, proving that the platform has a wide generational reach beyond younger audiences.
Gen Alpha accounts for 8.0% of users, indicating early adoption by the youngest generation now entering social platforms.
Baby Boomers comprise 4.3% of Instagram users, showing modest but notable usage among older adults.

General Instagram Statistics

Around 2 billion monthly active users globally are reported as of early to mid‑2025.
Instagram accounts for roughly 38.7% of all social media users worldwide.
Approximately 90.43% of Instagram’s 1.88 billion ad‑reachable users are outside the U.S.
In India, there were approximately 426.6 million users in January 2025, about 28.9% of the population.
In the U.S., there were approximately 172.6 million Instagram users in 2024.
More than 70% of users are under 35 years of age.
Instagram overtook several other apps in new user downloads globally, partly due to the Reels feature adoption.
Time spent per day on Instagram averages about 32 minutes for active users.
Instagram is used by about 36.7% of the world’s 5.45 billion internet users.

Instagram Age and Gender Distribution

Users aged 18‑24 represent about 31.7% of the global Instagram audience.
An estimated 70%+ of users globally are under the age of 35.
In India, the age 18‑24 group counted about 177 million users as of January 2025.
The gender gap globally is minimal, with 50.6% male vs 49.4% female users.
In the United States, female users slightly outnumber males at 55.4% female vs 44.6% male.
The 25‑34 age group is now the largest for male users globally on Instagram.
Instagram’s older users (35+) are growing, but younger cohorts remain dominant.
Instagram’s near-equal global gender distribution makes it well-suited for campaigns targeting people of all genders.

Instagram User Growth Worldwide (2020–2025)

By 2025, Instagram’s global user count is forecasted to reach 1.44 billion, highlighting its sustained dominance in the social media space.
In 2020, Instagram had 1.04 billion users worldwide, marking the platform’s solid entry into the billion-user club.
By 2021, global users grew to 1.21 billion, showing a strong annual increase of 170 million users.
In 2022, the number of users reached 1.28 billion, representing continued momentum as Instagram expands its global reach.
The user base was projected to hit 1.35 billion in 2023, reflecting Instagram’s growing popularity across markets.
For 2024, Instagram was expected to have 1.40 billion users, indicating a steady upward trend in adoption.

Instagram Usage Statistics

The average daily time spent on Instagram is about 32 minutes per user.
Instagram adoption among internet users is around 36.7% globally.
The platform reached more than 2 billion active users, making up roughly 37% of internet users.
Instagram Stories and Reels continue driving high engagement levels, especially among younger users.
The growth in usage outside the U.S. is strong; more than 90% of ad‑reachable users are non-U.S.-based.
In markets like India, Instagram users represented nearly 29% of the national population in early 2025.
Instagram’s user base among people under 35 remains above 70%, fostering a loyal younger‑user audience.
The platform’s integration into commerce (users discover and buy in‑app) is increasing, with 29% of users making purchases in 2025.

Instagram Regional/Country Statistics

As of 2025, India is reported to have approximately 426.6 million Instagram users, making it the largest national audience.
The U.S. user base is approximately 179.9 million, according to estimates for 2025.
Brazil and Indonesia follow with around 147 million and 109 million users, respectively.
Over 90% of the ad‑reachable audience (in 2025) is outside the U.S., signalling the global weight of the platform.
In markets like India, Instagram Stories usage reportedly reached 500 million daily users.
In the UK, there were around 35 million users as of July 2024.
The United States sees social commerce conversion via Instagram projected at 37.3% of users in 2025, making purchases via the app.
Growth rates vary by region; emerging markets show faster percent growth, while mature markets focus on deeper engagement rather than just user count.
The distribution of age and gender also differs by country, impacting regional engagement strategies.
Localization of features (language, culture‑adapted content) has helped the platform maintain strong performance in non‑English markets.

Instagram Engagement Statistics

The average engagement rate by reach for Instagram in 2025 is about 3.00%, compared to 1.20% for Facebook.
For influencer posts in 2024, the average engagement rate was around 1.8%, while Reels from influencers reached up to 2.08%.
Carousel posts had engagement of 1.7%, and photo posts about 1.17%.
The median engagement rate on Instagram was 2.94% in January 2024, then adjusted to approximately. 0.61% by January 2025.
Reels are reshared billions of times daily, indicating high viral potential and audience interaction.
The engagement gap between formats underscores the higher efficacy of video/short‑form content compared to static posts.
The algorithm update focuses on “saves, comments, shares” as ranking signals, emphasizing deep engagement over mere impressions.
Brands and creators are increasingly focusing on metrics beyond likes, such as profile visits, link clicks, and conversions.
Time‑spent metrics and session frequency are rising, particularly in regions where Reels dominate the feed experience.
The maturity of user behaviour in established markets means engagement growth is incremental, while newer markets still exhibit above‑average engagement growth.

Instagram Stories Statistics

Instagram Stories have approximately 500 million daily active users globally.
Stories generate up to 40% higher response rates with interactive elements like polls and quizzes.
Over 30% of brand accounts report Stories as their top traffic driver through link stickers.
Story ads see an average click-through rate of 1.3% for better audience engagement.
Stories outperform feed ads with up to 23% higher view-through rates and 78% more clicks.
Around 86.6% of Instagram users post Stories regularly.
Indian users form the largest Instagram base with 392.5 million users, driving high Stories engagement.
Stories have an 82% completion rate for ads, showcasing strong viewer retention.
Instagram Stories with interactive features boost brand interactions and direct responses weighted higher by the algorithm.
Roughly 50% of Instagram users visit a website or purchase after viewing a Story.

Instagram Reels Statistics

More than 2 billion people interact with Reels each month as of 2025.
Over 200 billion Reels are played daily across Instagram and Facebook.
Reels are reshared more than 4.5 billion times per day.
In 2024, Reels from influencers saw engagement rates of around 2.08%, higher than several other formats.
The average posting cadence for large-follower accounts is one Reel every two days.
Users spend 50% more time watching Reels compared to static feed posts or Stories.
Reels appear by default on app open in many regions due to the algorithm prioritizing video content.
Reels with strong hooks in the first three seconds achieve up to 80% higher completion rates.
Regions with dominant short-form platforms like TikTok see over 90% Reels adoption.
Brands allocate more than 50% of their video budget to Reels-based campaigns.
Instagram Reels receive 22% more interactions than standard video posts.
97% of users in markets like India watch short videos daily, with 92% preferring Reels.
Strong engagement in the first hour after posting can increase overall Reel reach by up to 75%.
Reels dominate feed reach rate at about 30.8% compared to 13-14% for photos.

Instagram Business Statistics

Over 200 million business profiles use Instagram worldwide.
In 2024, Instagram generated approximately $66.9 billion in ad revenue.
Advertisers on Instagram can reach 1.91 billion users globally as of January 2025.
The global potential ad reach increased by +5.5% year over year, roughly 90.8 million new reachable users.
62% of marketers believe Instagram consistently delivers positive ROI for business accounts.
In the U.S., Instagram is projected to represent more than half of its parent company’s ad revenue by 2025.
The average engagement rate for business profiles was around 2.18% as of February 2025.
By mid-2025, around 500 million users accessed Instagram daily.
Product-tagged feed ads show about 38% higher checkout rate compared to those without shopping features.
Business adoption of Stories and Reels expanded significantly as marketers shifted investment into these formats.

Instagram for Brands and Marketers

69% of social users say they see the most engaging brand content on Instagram.
44% of social users wish brands used Instagram more often.
36% of users use Instagram like a search engine to discover products.
61% of people say they use Instagram to discover their next purchase.
Among Gen Z, 72% prefer Instagram for customer care over other channels.
Carousel posts deliver higher engagement for brands, often around 2.4% depending on audience size.
Brands posting twice a week often perform better than brands posting more than 17 times weekly.
54% of users make purchases after seeing something on Instagram.
Interactive Stories help brands boost responses and conversions.
Marketers increasingly treat Instagram as a commerce platform, not simply an awareness tool.

Instagram Influencer Marketing Stats

The global influencer marketing industry is projected to reach $32.55 billion in 2025.
More than 80% of marketers consider influencer marketing a highly effective strategy.
Nano-influencers (under 10K followers) made up 75.9% of Instagram’s influencer base in 2024.
Influencer marketing delivers an average ROI of $5.78 for every $1 spent.
79% of marketers say Instagram is an important channel for influencer campaigns.
About 14.32% of Instagram influencers work in the lifestyle category.
India’s creator economy is growing at a 22% CAGR with 3.5–4.5 million creators.
Influencer-generated Reels tend to outperform other content formats, often hitting engagement rates near 2.08%.
47% of brands plan to invest in long-term influencer partnerships in 2025.
AI-powered tools support influencer campaign analysis for more than 66% of marketers.

Instagram Shopping and E-Commerce Metrics

In 2024, about 46.8 million people in the U.S. made purchases directly through Instagram.
Every month, more than 130 million users tap on shopping product tags.
40.1% of Instagram shoppers spend over $200 per year, while 8.7% spend over $700 per year.
54% of users have purchased a product after seeing it on Instagram.
36% of users treat Instagram as a search tool to find products or services.
Fashion leads shopping behavior, with 12% of users regularly searching fashion brands.
Users spend about 45% more time on Instagram than on Facebook when interacting with shoppable posts.
62% of marketers say Instagram Shopping delivers positive ROI.
Stories with product tags generate higher click-through than static posts for brand accounts.
Brands posting even a small number of tagged posts have seen traffic increases exceeding 2,600% in case studies.

Instagram Advertising Statistics

Instagram ad revenue is projected at $67.27 billion in 2025.
Instagram ads reach about 96.6% of active users monthly.
Carousel ads generate about 0.55% engagement compared with 0.45% for single images.
Instagram’s ad reach of 1.91 billion users is growing 5.5% year over year.
Instagram advertising reaches about 21.3% of the global population.
Ad cost per click fell by roughly 10% in 2025 while clicks increased by 14%.
Advertisers using Reels and Stories often achieve higher view-through and completion rates.
Industries like beauty and fashion lead in Instagram ad conversion performance.
In the U.S. market, Instagram is expected to surpass 50% of its parent company’s ad revenue contribution.
Instagram continues to deliver a stronger ROI than many other digital channels due to its blend of reach and engagement.

Instagram Post Formats Performance

Carousels remain among the highest-engagement formats with averages around 2.4%.
Reels deliver strong engagement at roughly 2.08% for influencer content.
Static images produce lower engagement, often around 0.45% for ads and nearly 2.18% for business profiles.
Carousel posts outperform single images in swipes and dwell time metrics.
Reels receive algorithm priority in feed and explore placements.
Posting twice per week tends to outperform posting high volume daily.
Multi-format posting strategies outperform single-format approaches.
Stories with interactive features boost engagement over passive Stories.
Shopping-tagged posts outperform non-tagged posts in engagement and conversions.
Smaller accounts posting consistent Reels see faster follower growth compared with those using static-only strategies.

Security, Privacy, and User Behavior Trends

More than 62% of marketers rely on social listening to monitor sentiment and behavior.
69% of marketers view AI as a revolutionary technology in content production.
Privacy-focused changes have pushed brands toward creator-led and first-party data strategies.
The algorithm prioritizes saves, shares, and comments, shifting how users interact with content.
Median engagement dropped from 2.94% in January 2024 to 0.61% in January 2025, reflecting changing behavior.
Only about 0.2% of Instagram users are unique to the platform, with most using multiple social networks.
Users increasingly expect transparency around AI-generated and sponsored content.
About 29% of users report making purchases directly through Instagram.
AI-powered creative tools are boosting engagement for creators and brands.
Reactive content and trend-driven posting have become essential for staying relevant.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How many monthly active users does Instagram have as of 2025?

3 billion monthly active users.

What percentage of the world’s internet users use Instagram in 2025?

Instagram is used by about 37% of all global internet users.

What is the global advertising reach of Instagram in January 2025?

Instagram ads reached approximately 1.91 billion users, representing 21.3% of the world’s population aged 13+.

What share of Instagram users report purchasing the platform in 2025?

About 29% of Instagram users have purchased via the platform.

Conclusion

The data for positions Instagram as a multi-purpose platform, serving roles that extend well beyond sharing photos or videos. It has evolved into a core channel for business growth, influencer partnerships, e-commerce, and advertising. Brands and marketers that adapt to these shifts, including heavier investment in Reels, shoppable content, creator collaborations, and agile storytelling, are better positioned to succeed.

At the same time, shifting user behaviors, stronger privacy expectations, and rapid adoption of AI tools continue to reshape how content is discovered and consumed. Ultimately, Instagram remains a primary arena for engagement and conversion, offering vast opportunities for businesses, creators, and consumers alike.