Market analysis company Sensor Tower has revealed that Instagram surpassed TikTok in global downloads in 2023, with over 767 million downloads, indicating a 20% increase compared to the previous year. In contrast, TikTok registered 733 million downloads, a decline from the prior year. Moreover, TikTok’s daily active users growth rate also stagnated, while Instagram’s continues to rise.
Although TikTok still attracts users, it does so at a slower rate. Experts believe that TikTok’s global monthly active users increased by just 2% in the fourth quarter of 2023, a slight decrease compared to the 6% increase in the same quarter of 2022.
Regarding user engagement, it is estimated that TikTok users spent an average of 95 minutes daily on the app in the fourth quarter of 2023. Meanwhile, users spend about an hour on Instagram and about 53 minutes a day on Facebook.
According to Insider, Instagram Reels, a new feature that allows users to create short videos, is on par with TikTok in terms of quality. Moreover, Instagram provides more photo editing tools than its competitors, making it a preferred platform for users looking for advanced editing options. Additionally, videos on Instagram do not have the feature of inserting sales links, which is a plus point for many users who find such links intrusive.
According to Abe Yousef, a senior information analyst at Sensor Tower, Instagram Reels appeals more to a broader audience since it is integrated with other social media features. Users not interested in Reels can still share photos and post stories, which are traditional social media features.
TikTok, on the other hand, has limited photo features that affect user engagement on the platform. According to the technology blog The SpAndroid, TikTok is developing a specialized image app based on code analysis. Moreover, TikTok does not allow group chats and direct messaging, a drawback compared to Instagram, where users can share Reels via text message.
