Snapchat Snaps at TikTok's Heels As the Fastest-Growing Social Media of 2023

Look over your shoulder, TikTok, because Snapchat is on your heels. In fact, it's growing faster than a carnivore's appetite at the meat market.


While Snapchat may not have the revenue or user base of the big players quite yet, it's made a mark with some astounding growth that could put it in place to "snap" up the position at the head of the table.

We know what you're thinking. Snapchat? If you're one of the many who think it's just a little app that has trouble keeping up with the big boys, you might want to check the rearview because it's gaining traction fast. Surprised? Well, keep reading.

The humble Snapchat's user base has doubled since 2018, sneaking up on the competition while nobody was looking. According to the folks at OnlyAccounts.io, Snapchat's current trajectory could dethrone TikTok and make it the fastest-growing social media platform.

So far, in 2023, Snapchat has seen a "snappy" 13.4% growth in its user base, causing some concern for many big players who might have overlooked their prowess.

Snapchat, which started in 2011, has made an unassuming trek to the top by slowly gaining ground, sneaking up like a Ninja in training. A whopping 550 million people worldwide made Snapchat the go-to app for sharing their fun-filled, excitement-tinged daily activities. That's a pretty impressive leap from the 245 million users they had in 2018.

But what's the secret to Snapchat's sneaky rise in popularity? The biggest thing is their eye for trendy little gems that people love, including Stories, Spectacles, Spotlight, voice filters, and even Bitmoji TV. Let's face it, folks, Snapchat is throwing a party, and we're all invited.

Ok, so Snapchat isn't the most popular kid on the block, but when you know how to throw a party, you can make up for a lot of lost ground. Compared to the 13.4% growth in users for Snapchat, TikTok is clocking in (see what we did there?) at 12.7%. The other big players are hardly worth mentioning, but we will anyway.

Twitter has lost users at a rate of 2.7% per year (maybe X will change that?), and Facebook thinks the Tortoise and Hare is the way to go with a 1% growth rate. Sure, they're still a big player in the game because, despite a slow growth rate, the platform still enjoys 53% of all social media visits in the U.S.

Snapchat has a lot going for it. It's not only a favorite hangout for the young and restless but also a go-to place for people of all ages, with more than 300 million people jumping on the app in the past five years. It's still the social network of choice for teens, especially in the USA, where nearly 60% of internet-savvy young folks aged 13 to 24 use it daily.

So note, everybody: By 2027, Snapchat will likely add 674 million users to its party. That's a bunch of snap, crackle, and pop with chats and stories bouncing everywhere, and it appears there's no end in sight for the Snapchat Juggernaut.

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