How Many People Use Discord?
Discord has experienced meteoric growth since launching in 2015. It reached 190 million monthly active users in 2021.
That user base grew 46% year-over-year from 130 million in 2020. For comparison, leading social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram grew around 6% during the same period.
Discord‘s astronomical growth is even more impressive when you look further back. The platform gained over 173 million monthly active users between 2018 and 2021.
To put Discord‘s burgeoning size into perspective, here is how it compares to other top social apps:
- Facebook: 2.91 billion MAUs
- YouTube: 2 billion MAUs
- WhatsApp: 2 billion MAUs
- Instagram: 1.44 billion MAUs
- Discord: 190 million MAUs
- Twitter: 217 million MAUs
- Snapchat: 332 million MAUs
While Discord has a ways to go before catching the leaders, its current trajectory is unprecedented. The platform could realistically reach over 250 million monthly active users in 2024.
Diving deeper into Discord‘s demographics reveals why it has taken off:
- Over 56% of users are aged 18-24. Discord gained traction early among youth and students.
- Around 71% of daily active users are male. However, Discord has been working to expand its female user base.
- Roughly 55% of users are on Discord for gaming communities. Its seamless chat features cater directly to gamers.
Discord also has strong global reach, with popular servers in many countries:
- Brazil: 267,000 members
- France: 254,000 members
- Russia: 119,000 members
- Germany: 95,000 members
Why Discord Caught On and Kept Growing
There are a few key reasons why Discord successfully extended beyond its initial gaming niche:
- The platform feels like a virtual third place to casually hang out with a community.
- It‘s mobile-first design makes it easily accessible on smartphones.
- Servers keep conversations neatly organized around specific topics.
- The interface promotes transparent conversations by allowing users to jump into channels.
- Lightning-fast performance enables real-time chats during gameplay and activities.
Discord grew by continually improving features based on user feedback. For example, it recently added a "Stage Channel" feature that allows admins to moderate Q&A‘s, classes, talks, and more like a virtual auditorium.
User retention has also fueled growth. According to Discord, 90% of new users who join a server are still in that server 30 days later.
Now companies outside gaming – like retailers, content creators, and educators – are tapping Discord to build engaged user bases that keep coming back.
Key Takeaways for Entrepreneurs
For entrepreneurs and small business owners, Discord presents a major opportunity. Some key tips:
- Create a Discord server to cultivate an active, loyal community.
- Participate in existing servers related to your business’ niche to raise awareness.
- Offer exclusive content or deals on your company’s Discord server to attract new members.
- Utilize Discord’s free tools for communicating with customers and building relationships.
With the platform‘s stellar user growth and retention, Discord can no longer be ignored. Savvy entrepreneurs who capitalize on Discord now will gain a leg up on competitors.
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