Bluesky Grows to 44 Million Users, Emphasizing Decentralized Social Media

Bluesky, a decentralized, text-based social media application, has expanded its user base to 44 million, according to recent data. The platform, which saw its user count grow by nearly 60% in 2025, is no longer considered an experimental alternative to established social networks. It officially opened to all users in February 2024, moving past its initial invite-only phase.

The platform was created by former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey and operates on the AT Protocol, defining itself as a social app designed to avoid control by a single company or person. This decentralized model gives users more authority over their feeds, moderation settings, and identity compared to centralized platforms. Its interface allows users to post short updates, reply, repost, and follow accounts, similar to Twitter (now X).

Bluesky offers distinct features such as custom feeds, enabling users to choose their timelines, whether algorithmic or topic-specific. It also provides enhanced moderation options, allowing users to subscribe to additional "labelers" that can flag content like AI images, hate speech, or bots. Notably, the platform is advertisement-free, aiming for a cleaner user experience. Its open protocol allows other developers to build their own applications on the same network, and users can verify their identity by linking their handles to website domain names.

The platform's audience is primarily young, U.S.-based, and male, with over half of its users under the age of 35. The gender distribution is approximately 63% male and 36% female. Bluesky also facilitates the growth of niche communities, making it easier for users to discover or build audiences around specific topics and industries.

Bluesky stands alongside other alternatives to X, such as Mastodon and Threads. While Bluesky has over 44 million users, Mastodon has approximately 10.5 million users and Threads has over 150 million monthly active users. Bluesky allows posts up to 300 characters with videos up to three minutes, compared to Mastodon and Threads, which allow 500 characters and videos up to five minutes for Threads. Both Bluesky and Mastodon are decentralized and ad-free, whereas Threads is only partly decentralized and incorporates ads. All three platforms support direct messaging and verification options, with Threads utilizing "topic tags" more than traditional hashtags.

According to the Hootsuite Blog, the platform is gaining traction within the social media landscape.