Home WhatsApp Hits 700 Million Users

WhatsApp Hits 700 Million Users

WhatsApp has crossed another milestone number, with founder Jan Koum announcing that the messaging service now has more than 700 million active monthly users.

https://www.facebook.com/jan.koum/posts/10152994719980011

That’s 250 million more users than WhatsApp had in February 2014, when Facebook announced plans to buy it for $19 billion. (The deal closed in October, with Koum taking a Facebook board seat and continuing to run WhatsApp.)

For comparison, Twitter has 284 million active monthly users, and it’s currently worth around $23 billion. So in less than a year, WhatsApp has added nearly as many users as Twitter has altogether.

 Snapchat, another messaging service, is more close-mouthed about its user numbers. An August Wall Street Journal report put the number at more than 100 million. That would indicate rapid growth if this Business Insider report, from December 2013, correctly estimated the number of monthly active users at 30 million—but still puts it far behind WhatsApp.

Emails leaked by Sony hackers in November revealed that Facebook had offered more than $3 billion to buy Snapchat, confirming the social network’s strong interest in the fast-growing field of messaging apps. 

Photo by Tsahi Levent-Levi 

About ReadWrite’s Editorial Process

The ReadWrite Editorial policy involves closely monitoring the tech industry for major developments, new product launches, AI breakthroughs, video game releases and other newsworthy events. Editors assign relevant stories to staff writers or freelance contributors with expertise in each particular topic area. Before publication, articles go through a rigorous round of editing for accuracy, clarity, and to ensure adherence to ReadWrite's style guidelines.

Get the biggest tech headlines of the day delivered to your inbox

    By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. Unsubscribe anytime.

    Tech News

    Explore the latest in tech with our Tech News. We cut through the noise for concise, relevant updates, keeping you informed about the rapidly evolving tech landscape with curated content that separates signal from noise.

    In-Depth Tech Stories

    Explore tech impact in In-Depth Stories. Narrative data journalism offers comprehensive analyses, revealing stories behind data. Understand industry trends for a deeper perspective on tech's intricate relationships with society.

    Expert Reviews

    Empower decisions with Expert Reviews, merging industry expertise and insightful analysis. Delve into tech intricacies, get the best deals, and stay ahead with our trustworthy guide to navigating the ever-changing tech market.