Instagram’s total number of app downloads grew 20% from 2022 to 2023, while TikTok’s only advanced by 4%, according to market intelligence firm Sensor Tower. Instagram was the most downloaded app in the world last year.
In 2023, Instagram outpaced TikTok in downloads, attributed to heightened US regulatory scrutiny due to security concerns.
Sensor Tower’s report revealed a 20% surge in Instagram downloads, totaling 768 million, while TikTok experienced a mere 4% increase, reaching 733 million downloads.
Analysts attribute Instagram’s success to its reels feature and traditional social media functions.
TikTok, launched by ByteDance in 2016 and gaining traction after merging with Musical.ly in 2018, initially dominated as the most downloaded app in the US however Instagram’s adoption of reels in 2020 mirrored TikTok’s strategy.
By 2023, Instagram’s monthly active users reached 1.47 billion, adding 13 million new users in the last quarter, contrasting with TikTok’s decline to 1.12 billion users.
Although TikTok boasts higher engagement, with users spending an average of 95 minutes compared to Instagram’s 62 minutes, concerns over data privacy persist.
TikTok’s algorithm facilitates rapid viral success for content creators, incentivized by the Creator Fund, which directly compensates creators—a departure from Instagram’s model.
Bipartisan legislative efforts have sought ByteDance’s divestment from TikTok, driven by worries over its Chinese ownership and allegations of data privacy breaches, despite TikTok’s assertions of defending free speech. These concerns fuel regulatory actions and public skepticism.