WhatsApp Statistics (2024): Number of Downloads, Demographics, and More

Updated on February 16, 2024
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David Mercado
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WhatsApp Statistics 1

If there’s a messaging app that has become a household name and continued to break new ground in 2023, it’s WhatsApp. In this article, I will unravel the latest WhatsApp Statistics worldwide that underscore its unparalleled growth and widespread adoption. From its dominance in emerging markets to its innovative features capturing diverse age groups, let’s take a look at how WhatsApp is becoming the definition of communication in the digital era.

How Many WhatsApp Users There Are?

According to Statista, as of July 2023, WhatsApp had approximately 2.7 billion active users, a significant increase from 2.24 billion in April 2022. This continual growth demonstrates the app's expanding global influence and its role as a primary communication tool​.

The best way to understand the magnitude of this app is by checking some WhatsApp statistics by country.

What Country Has The Most WhatsApp Users?

According to data gathered by World Population Review, India is the country with the most WhatsApp users, with 535.8 million people. Its features make it more popular than WeChat and even Facebook Messenger. 

Top Countries With The Most WhatsApp Users

Undoubtedly, we know that India has the crown, but I bet you didn’t expect that it was so far ahead of the second country, by almost four times the number of users. Brazil is the second country with nearly 140 million people. For you to get a better glimpse of India’s dominance in this specific statistic, let’s take a look at the top 10 countries with the most WhatsApp users:

  1. India, with 535.8 million
  2. Brazil, with 139.3 million
  3. United States, with 91.3 million
  4. Indonesia, with 86.9 million
  5. Mexico, with 69.7 million
  6. Russia, with 66.7 million
  7. Pakistan, with 52.3 million
  8. Germany, with 51.9 million
  9. Philippines, with 51.2 million
  10. Nigeria, with 51 million
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Ironically, this doesn’t necessarily mean that WhatsApp is the most used messaging app in those countries. If we want to check in what countries is WhatsApp the strongest:

Brazil, India, and Italy are the countries most penetrated by WhatsApp

Brazil, India, and Italy have the highest WhatsApp penetration rates among messaging app users — which is the share of WhatsApp users out of the total number of people who use messaging apps, with rates of 98.9%, 97.1%, and 97%, respectively, a report showed. This high penetration in diverse markets demonstrates WhatsApp's global appeal and its ability to adapt to different cultural contexts​.

In How Many Countries and Languages Is WhatsApp Available?

WhatsApp is available in over 180 countries and supports 60 languages, demonstrating its adaptability and global reach. However, it faces restrictions in countries like China, UAE, and Iran, often due to political or security concerns​.

WhatsApp Users In Europe Could Increase 2.52% by 2028

The number of WhatsApp users in Europe was forecast to continuously increase between 2024 and 2028 by a total 3 million users, or 2.52% out of the 121.93 million it currently has, according to a recent report.

WhatsApp User Demographics in the US

WhatsApp is most popular among Americans aged 18-34, who constitute 31% of its user base, followed by the 35-44 age group at 27%. This skew towards a younger demographic suggests that WhatsApp is more appealing to digital natives and younger generations.Even though the US is not the biggest market, it still shows a growing user base with over 85 million new users by 2023.​

Hispanic Americans are the most prolific WhatsApp users in the US

In the US, Hispanic Americans are the most prolific WhatsApp users at 46%, followed by Black and white Americans. The majority of users earn over $75,000 per year, and most live in urban areas

Gender Distribution in WhatsApp

According to a report from Statista, 47.1% of WhatsApp users are female and 52.8% are male. This shows a fairly balanced gender distribution among WhatsApp users, suggesting that the app is popular across genders, without a strong skew towards one gender. 

WhatsApp Statistics 3

How Many Messages are Sent Every Day Using WhatsApp?

A Statista report revealed that more than 100 billion messages are being sent each day. Some experts even suggest that as of 2023, 140 billion messages were being sent daily. This means around 5833 million messages are exchanged every hour, 97 million messages are sent every minute, and about 1.6 million messages are sent every second.

WhatsApp Is The Third Most Popular App in the world.

A report from Statista revealed that WhatsApp is only beaten by Facebook and Youtube. Behind it follow: Instagram, WeChat, Tiktok, Facebook Messenger, Telegram, Snapchat, Threads and many more.  

WhatsApp owns over 34% of the global mobile communication apps industry

WhatsApp currently owns a third of the global market share of the mobile communication apps industry, indicating a strong position of dominance and suggesting that WhatsApp is a leading player and has a significant influence over market trends and consumer preferences.

WhatsApp Statistics 4

How Many Businesses Use WhatsApp Businesses?

Over 50 million businesses globally use WhatsApp Business, with the app downloaded over 1 billion times on Google Play Store. This reflects the growing importance of WhatsApp as a platform for business communication and customer engagement.

Number of WhatsApp downloads

WhatsApp's downloads have consistently increased since its launch, reaching over 5 billion downloads in Google’s Play Store. This growth trajectory reflects its increasing popularity and user trust in the platform, which currently sits #3 in the top free apps in the Play Store.

How Many WhatsApp Messages Are Sent Per Minute?

According to a study that tracked the world’s data usage, by December 2023, there were 41,600,000 WhatsApp messages being sent each minute. This staggering number was only surpassed by the amount of emails sent (241,000,000), and the amount of USD traded in US treasury bonds (398,000,000).

During pandemic, people spent a total of 15 billion minutes talking on WhatsApp Calls

According to an official communication in 2020, on average, people were spending a total of 15 billion minutes on WhatsApp calls to stay connected. 

More than 40 people view a WhatsApp Business Catalog each month

On WhatsApp, more than 40 million people view a Business Catalog every month. Also, 83% of customers use messaging apps like WhatsApp Business to contact a business to learn about products, and 75% of them actually go on to make the purchase.

WhatsApp Valuation Reached $105.6 billion in 2022

WhatsApp's valuation reached $105.6 billion in 2022, with each user valued at approximately $44. The app's revenue in 2021 was $790 million, indicating a substantial commercial impact​.

WhatsApp was acquired for approximately $22 billion by Facebook

WhatsApp was acquired by Facebook in 2014 being one of the largest tech acquisitions at the time. The deal, which initially consisted of $19 billion distributed in $4 billion in cash, approximately $12 billion in Facebook shares, and an additional $3 billion in restricted stock units to be granted to WhatsApp’s founders and employees, ended up being worth around $22 billion dollars thanks to a 14% increase in Facebook’s share price that year.

How Does WhatsApp Make Money?

According to an article by FEEDOUGH, WhatsApp began as a 'freemium' service, allowing users to send messages for free for the first year and then renew for an annual fee of $0.99.

The model never took off, and they decided to abandon it in favor of in-app advertising. Now, they make money instead through WhatsApp for Business and WhatsApp Pay.

It charges businesses for delayed responses. This means that businesses can respond to user messages for free for the first 24 hours, but must pay a fee for each message sent after that. The fee is fixed but varies depending on the country.

WhatsApp is set to make $3.6 billion in WhatsApp Business

According to estimates, medium and big businesses throughout the globe spent about 38.7 million dollars on WhatsApp Business in 2019. By 2024, it is anticipated that 3.6 billion US dollars will be spent overall on the instant messaging app's commercial platform.

Final Thoughts

It's clear that WhatsApp isn't just staying relevant; it's thriving, innovating, and expanding its horizons. Whether you're using it for a quick catch-up with friends or as a tool for your business, WhatsApp is proving itself indispensable in our digital lives, and it’s setting the stage for even more exciting developments. The app's expansion into business services and its increasing integration into various markets demonstrate its versatility and potential for future innovations.

Sources:

Statista

World Population Review

WhatsApp

Pew Research

Business of Apps

WhatsApp

Zoko.io

Crunchbase

FEEDOUGH

Yahoo! Finance

Domo

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David Mercado is an experienced writer and marketer with over 5 years of experience covering topics like online business, digital marketing, technology, and personal finance. David is especially passionate about leveraging technology and the internet to help everyday people achieve financial freedom and build income streams through online marketing and entrepreneurship. His practical advice helps his readers successfully launch online businesses, optimize their digital marketing funnels, and utilize tools to boost productivity.
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