Bluesky Loses Momentum: Mobile Monthly Active Users Down More Than Half Since 2024 Peak
Bluesky’s mobile app has seen a sharp decline in regular use, with Similarweb reporting 10.4 million monthly active users in June 2026 — a 27.2% drop year-over-year — as the platform shifts focus from the app to the AT Proto ecosystem.
Bluesky’s mobile activity steeply declined after a late-2024 peak, with daily engagement falling as well. Similarweb data shows mobile daily active users were around 3 million in July 2026, down roughly 25.6% year-over-year, signaling that many who registered during the post-election surge did not remain active long term.
Sharp decline from post-election peak
Bluesky’s quarterly average of monthly active users was about 22.1 million in Q4 2024, according to digital intelligence compiled by Similarweb, and slid to roughly 10.7 million by Q2 2026. That represents a decline of approximately 52% from the late-2024 high, underscoring how the initial influx of users dissipated over time.
The company’s public counters indicate nearly 46 million registered users, but Bluesky does not disclose official monthly or daily active user figures. Analysts say the gap between registrations and sustained activity underlines the platform’s challenge in converting sign-ups into habitual engagement.
Daily engagement and stickiness trends
Despite declines in raw user counts, the remaining Bluesky community shows relatively high stickiness compared with peers. Similarweb’s stickiness metric — the ratio of daily to monthly active users — was about 29% in June, roughly in line with Threads and suggesting a committed core of frequent users.
However, a healthy stickiness rate has not been enough to offset the reduction in overall scale. The platform continues to add registered accounts even as mobile app usage contracts, a pattern that points to interest without widespread retention among new arrivals.
Shift toward AT Proto and app ecosystem
Bluesky’s leadership has publicly framed the company’s mission as broader than a single consumer app. Under new CEO Toni Schneider, the organization is emphasizing AT Proto, the underlying protocol intended to enable a range of interoperable social experiences beyond Bluesky’s primary client.
That strategy is already producing alternative apps and communities built on AT Proto, including projects referred to as BlackSky and Eurosky, while early entrants like the video-focused Skylight have drawn attention for niche use cases. Company officials and outside observers argue this multi-app approach could diversify usage and reduce reliance on one flagship client.
New products seek to broaden use cases
Bluesky has introduced new features and products aimed at widening its appeal, including Attie, an AI-powered research tool positioned as an open social research utility. The company is also developing support for private data and private networking features that could attract users who prefer smaller, interest-based communities over public timelines.
If successful, these initiatives might bring new types of activity to the AT Proto ecosystem and lure users who value privacy or specialized tools. The risk remains that product additions will not translate into sustained mobile engagement unless they deliver clear everyday value for larger groups.
Competitive landscape: Threads and X dynamics
Bluesky’s contraction does not appear to have driven a mass return to X. Similarweb reported X’s mobile monthly active users were down about 3% year-over-year in June 2026, while its mobile daily active users fell about 7% in July to 123.7 million. X still reported roughly 302 million mobile monthly active users in June and rising web visits, indicating it remains a major platform despite volatility.
At the same time, Meta’s Threads has shown substantial growth, with daily active users up 21.3% year-over-year to 147 million in July 2026 and its website visits rising 112% to 471.6 million. It is unclear whether Threads is drawing former Bluesky users, new audiences unfamiliar with Twitter-style services, or both, but the app’s momentum complicates Bluesky’s path to regaining broad relevance.
Bluesky faces a twofold challenge: arresting the slide in mobile engagement while proving that the AT Proto strategy and new products can create durable, diversified usage. The company’s decision to prioritize a protocol and an ecosystem of apps may reduce dependency on a single client, but translating that vision into user growth will require convincing both creators and everyday users to make AT Proto apps part of their routine.
Longer term, Bluesky’s prospects hinge on whether its smaller, active community can scale into larger networks through differentiated features and interoperable experiences. For now, the platform’s headline numbers show a steep post-2024 descent, even as its leadership bets on a technical and product roadmap intended to build a more resilient social stack.
