If we’re talking Snapchat stats, let’s start with a big one. It’s still in the social media top ten. Today Snapchat hangs on as the 9th most popular social media platform in the world. The short-form content app has approximately 800 million monthly active users. It trails closely behind Telegram and Facebook Messenger in the ranks.
Personally, I check Snapchat probably a hundred times per day. Kidding. My screen time settings say I only opened the app 44 times today…😬Anyway, unlike my mom (supposedly a master marketer), I know that Snapchat is still used and still RELEVANT for folks my age. It’s just more personal. And according to my students, “only for old people.” Coincidentally, I’m a 22YO Gen Zer who teaches middle and high school.
While my students happily classify me as “old people,” marketers typically conjure a different set of images upon hearing those same words. I won’t say who we think of. I’ll keep my opinions to myself. So, instead of taking the word of bunch of teens who think 22 is old (I literally can’t even rent a car yet), we dug into the most recent and relevant Snapchat stats as part of our mission to dig up all the influencer marketing stats we can. (FYI, we also published content around Pinterest stats, Facebook stats, Instagram stats, and LinkedIn stats, in case you’re interested.)
Without further ado, here are a dozen and a hal reasons Snapchat is still one of the greats.
The Snapchat Stats on Users
Who are old people according to those born after 2005? And are they in the target demographic of your upcoming nfluencer marketing campaigns? Let’s find out.
#1. Most users are using Snapchat for connection.
A 2021 Global Cassandra Study commissioned by Snap Inc. revealed that the number one reason people use Snapchat is to connect with family and friends. Some apps are great for creating a following. Some are great for constant entertainment from strangers. Snapchat is great for close connections. Users report “higher satisfaction with the quality of friendships” than those who don’t use the app. Snapchat sets itself apart with its ability to create intimate connections. You can snap people you know and love even when you’re thousands of miles away.
#2. There are 422 Million Daily Active Snapchat Users.
There are more than 400 million daily Snapchat users, according to Snapchat’s Investor report, and 800 million monthly active users. And Snapchat users are Snapchat users. Period. We check in daily to chat with friends and family and share too much information about our lives. It’s great.
#3. Snapchat has the largest percentage of US-based Gen Z users of the major digital platforms.
Uh huh. More than half of US Gen Zers (51.1 percent) use Snapchat. Be honest – you thought TikTok would take the top spot, didn’t you? TikTok comes in second with 44.7 percent of Gen Zers using the platform.
#4. Snapchat reaches 90 percent of 13- to 24-year-olds in over 25 countries.
And 75 percent of 13- to 34-year-olds. So, contrary to my students’ opinions, the data show Snapchat’s still popular amongst the kiddos. Woops! Sorry. Young adults. Not so old after all. That’s why we need the cold hard facts — Snapchat stats.
#5. The fast-growing Snapchat audience is the over-50 group.
I was wondering why my 78-year-old ballet teacher added me as a friend. Because the gOld people are coming in hot.
#6. 36 million of Snapchat’s US users are between 0 – 17 years old.
Representing about 39 percent of US-based Snapchat users, minors are heavily active on the platform. Data published by the National Library of Medicine indicate that nearly 2.9 million US Snapchat users are under the age of 12.
The Snapchat Stats on Consumption
Now that you’ve got the deets on who’s using the app, let’s break down the Snapchat stats on how they’re using it.
#7. Snapchat+ has 9 million paid subscribers now.
Snapchat joined the VIP club in July of 2022, creating a paid version of the app. By Q4 2023, Snapchat+ had seven million paid subscribers. By Q1 of 2024, the amount had grown to over 9 million users.
These users span 25 different countries, including the US, India, the UK, and Australia to name a few. These 9 million users pay anywhere from $2.50 to $14.99 per month to access Snapchat’s exclusive features. But we will talk more about that later.
Snapchat has an unbelievable amount of features. The constant growth is immaculate chefs kiss. Regular Snapchat users have access to features like lenses, Snap with My AI, Bitmojis, video calls, and more.
More recently, Snapchat+ users have been afforded fantastic features like Dreams, Chat Wallpapers, and even an ad-free Snapchat experience (for $14.99/month). This quick growth and abundance of features allows Snapchat to keep with the times and maintain its top 10 status.
#8. There are 350K Lens Creators
Pretty much any OG Snapchat user knows that we started using it for the lenses (filters). Snapchat has SO MANY filters it would probably take hours for me to scroll through them all.
One of the great things about lenses is they can be created by anyone. In fact, 350k users (whether individuals, brands, or locations) have created their own lenses. Brands will often make their own to promote a new product. Certain places will make their own so that when people post from that area they can show where they are. And believe it or not, even regular shmegular folks like me can create lenses and filters.
If you’re as goated as me and my friends, you know that dog filter was to die for. And if you were really cool, your school might have even had a prom filter. With so many creators, the possibilities and types of lenses are endless.
#9. Over 50 million people consume comedic content from the app each month.
Remember when Snapchat first became a thing, and it was like the Unstagram? Super chill, raw. Not at all living up to the ultra-high aesthetic standards of Instagram. Other than seeing what your friend ate for lunch, a lot of people scroll through and watch quite a bit of content on Snapchat, usually for the sake of entertainment.
#10. 42.9 percent of Snapchat users post or share content on the app.
Nothing to sneeze at. This makes Snapchat the third most popular digital platform for users to post to, after Instagram (70 percent of Grammers post), Facebook (63 percent), and before TikTok (where 39 percent of TikTokers post).
#11. And 70 million users get their news content from Snapchat.
I don’t know if that refers to updates from the Dance Moms reunion and new notifications about Jojo Siwa. But if it did, I’m one of the 70 million. It’s news for me…
#12. 75 million users watch sports content on Snapchat.
I scrolled through, and it turns out I do get some stories about sports popping up on my Discover. Apparently, the Mavs are leading the series. #LukaIsTheGoat
The Snapchat Generation
#13. The Snapchat generation is 150 percent more likely to use pictures instead of words to communicate.
The what? Okay, so, the Snapchat Generation is considered to be people over the age of 13. So, more pics than words. Which is fair. I mean it’s so much easier to reply to “wyd” with a pic of your pointe shoes on the floor partially painted brown sitting next to a bottle of foundation rather than this conversation:
Friend: wyd
Me: Pancaking my pointe shoes
Friend: huh?
Me: I’m using foundation to color my pointe shoes to match my skin
Friend: what are pointe shoes
Me: the shoes ballet dancers wear to dance on their toes
Friend: wait you be dancin on ur toes???????
See what I mean?
The Snapchat Stats on Ads
There are many ways ads are presented to users on Snapchat. Your typical commercial ad that ever so kindly interrupts your scrolling. Shop now ads that almost always end with me clicking “shop.” And my favorite, AR lenses. Because who doesn’t love a filter that allows you to pretend to drink Malibu?
Let’s dig into the Snapchat stats marketers like you want to know about ads on the platform.
#14. Snapchat has a potential ad reach of 550 MILLION users.
Snapchat can be very affordable for advertisers. At the lowest — not to be mistaken for least effective — advertisers can spend just $50 on a 10-second ad between videos in the Discover section. Of course, the cost goes up from there. The average starting monthly cost is about $3000. And it can get as high as $750K per day in times like Super Bowl Season. But when we think about the potential reach, it kinda works itself out, doesn’t it?
Snapchat Ad Reach
#15. Snapchat reaches nearly half of ALL smartphone users in the US.
That provides a pretty big platform for businesses and brands to market themselves. Advertisers on Snapchat have a broad reach of over 550 million people. With such a diverse audience, so many brands could benefit from advertising on Snapchat. You’ve got Gen Z to Boomers scrolling regularly.
#16. Snapchatters are 34 percent more likely to buy products they saw an ad for on Snap.
Snapchat is your oyster. Future campaign success is your pearl.
#17. 56.7 percent of Snap’s advertising audience is young men and women between the ages of 13-24.
And 70 percent of Snapchat’s advertising audience is under the age of 34, according to Data Reportal.
#18. It takes younger consumers less than two seconds to recall an ad.
According to a Kantar study conducted in conjunction with Snapchat of participants from US, UK, AU, and CA, Gen Z only needs a second or two to see and remember an ad.
Compared to older generations, Gen Z spends less time with both advertising and non-advertising content and still maintains ad recall of 55% for ads viewed just 0-2 seconds. Which means… brands need to front-load value prop and messaging.
The Snapchat Stats Prove It’s Still Relevant
While Snapchat may not be as popular as apps like TikTok or Instagram, it is still growing and going strong. Between the irrefutable evidence of it keeping us from being lonely hermits and its ability to stay with the times, it continues to present itself as a top-tier form of fast, worldwide communication.
If you’re looking to market on Snapchat, great! Welcome to the party. We’d be happy to help you structure a Snapchat influencer marketing campaign on Snapchat and beyond. Schedule a strategy call with one of our experts today to get started.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
KIRA SOPHIA | Trendspotting Gen Z Content Creator
Meet Kira Sophia, a multi-talented Content Creator from Covington, GA (home of The Vampire Diaries). In addition to being a professional choreographer, Ballet teacher, certified personal trainer, and avid foodie, Kira’s also an aspiring country music singer/songwriter. Oh, and she’s our resident Gen Z content creator, spreading joy through her writing and video content! 🎶📝🎥
Follow Kira on IG @kirabsophia