Pinned to the wall of Jan Koum’s open-plan office, a simple message served as a constant reminder of the vision he and his co-founder Brian Acton shared: “No ads! No games! No gimmicks!”
This simple mantra captured the essence of WhatsApp, an app that promised to keep things straightforward for its users. The founders envisioned an app that cut through the noise of clunky user interfaces and intrusive ads, focusing instead on easy and seamless communication.
This article will outline the tumultuous yet exciting journey of WhatsApp from its initial beginnings as a messaging app to a phenomenon in instant messaging.
We’ll also look into the app’s current user base and how it has spread its digital footprint across continents. Additionally, we will showcase data from our user base to reveal some fascinating insights into WhatsApp’s usage trends.
From Frustration to Innovation: The Beginnings of WhatsApp
Jan Koum and Brian Acton Source: Inc
WhatsApp was created in 2007 by Jan Koum and Brian Acton, former Yahoo employees. They initially planned it as a status update app, but the first version had many problems. It frequently crashed and drained the battery. The app’s fortunes changed when Apple introduced push notifications, which helped improve WhatsApp’s functionality.
The Turning Point
Introduced in June 2009, Apple’s push notifications transformed WhatsApp. The app could now notify friends about status updates. Koum saw the potential here and shifted the app’s focus from status updates to messaging. So, WhatsApp was relaunched in August 2009 as a messaging app.
WhatsApp initially struggled in the U.S. but found success in international markets like Asia and Europe, where SMS was metered. It expanded to multiple operating systems and grew rapidly, reaching 500 million active users by early 2014.
The app’s success attracted attention from major tech leaders, including Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg.
Acquisition By Facebook And The Change In Business Model
WhatsApp’s expansion was happening right when Facebook was working on establishing itself as a mobile-first company with a messaging focus. A data analysis tool used by Facebook revealed WhatsApp was becoming Facebook’s major competitor, especially in regions outside the US.
The situation presented a complex challenge for Facebook – WhatsApp was both a potential adversary and an incredibly valuable asset.
Breaking Down WhatsApp’s $19 Billion Sale
Facebook decided to buy WhatsApp in February 2014. The price tag? A whopping $19 billion! This was 12 times higher than WhatsApp’s valuation from the previous year and one of the biggest tech acquisitions in Silicon Valley.
- The acquisition was structured with a payout of $4 billion in cash and an additional $12 billion worth of Facebook shares.
- Koum and Acton walked away with $15 billion in Facebook shares.
WhatsApp-Meta: Comparing the Acquisition to Other Tech Deals
The $19 billion astronomical price tag of the WhatsApp acquisition begs the question: how does this deal stack up against other major tech acquisitions?
Among notable tech acquisitions, Microsoft’s purchase of LinkedIn in 2016 for $26.2 billion stands out, reflecting a strategic expansion into professional networking.
Additionally, Facebook’s acquisition of Instagram for approximately $1 billion in 2012 is significant, showcasing an early strategic move to dominate social media interactions.
The WhatsApp-Meta deal stands out not only because of the price tag but also for the fact that WhatsApp, unlike LinkedIn or Instagram, wasn’t generating significant revenue at the time of acquisition. It was a bet on future growth and user base.
Monthly Active Users on WhatsApp
When WhatsApp first launched in 2009, it started as a small messaging service with a modest user base. After Facebook bought WhatsApp in 2014, the messaging platform experienced phenomenal user acquisition. The number of monthly active users jumped by 365%, from 465 million to 2.7 billion monthly users.
This translates to roughly one-third of the world’s population relying on WhatsApp to stay connected with friends, family, and colleagues.
The number of users has been on a steady rise since WhatsApp’s inception, and this growth shows no signs of slowing down, with the app expected to reach 3.14 billion users by 2025.
| Date | WhatsApp Active Users |
| October 2010 | 10 million |
| December 2011 | 50 million |
| July 2012 | 75 million |
| October 2012 | 100 million |
| January 2013 | 133 million |
| August 2013 | 300 million |
| December 2013 | 400 million |
| February 2014 | 465 million |
| April 2014 | 500 million |
| January 2015 | 700 million |
| September 2015 | 900 million |
| February 2016 | 1 billion |
| January 2017 | 1.2 billion |
| December 2017 | 1.5 billion |
| February 2020 | 2 billion |
| September 2021 | 2.16 billion |
| April 2022 | 2.24 billion |
| July 2023 | 2.7 billion |
The massive user base is a testament to WhatsApp’s ability to capitalize on every key trend in modern communication, including privacy, a user-friendly interface, an ad-free experience, group chats, and video calls.
The Messaging Volumes on WhatsApp
The sheer volume of messages exchanged on WhatsApp is another testament to its global impact. Here are some numbers that paint a picture of this app’s massive usage.
How Many Messages Are Sent Every Day on WhatsApp?
Around 100 billion messages are sent on WhatsApp every day. Also, some statistics suggest that almost 140 billion messages were sent daily in 2023. This translates to:
- Nearly 5.83 billion messages being sent every hour
- Nearly 97 million messages are being sent every minute
| Date | Number of Messages Sent per Day |
| October 2011 | 1 billion |
| January 2015 | 30 billion |
| February 2016 | 42 billion |
| July 2017 | 55 billion |
| May 2018 | 65 billion |
| October 2020 | 100 billion |
| July 2023 | 140 billion |
Here are a few other numbers that illustrate WhatsApp usage trends:
- WhatsApp users spend an average of 38 minutes daily using the messaging platform.
- Users are highly engaged, checking the app frequently – between 23 and 25 times a day on average.
- WhatsApp has become a platform for voice and video calls as well, with users accumulating over 2 billion minutes daily on these features.
WhatsApp Gender Demographics
The distribution of WhatsApp users by gender presents a fairly balanced landscape with a slight tilt towards male users. Globally, male users account for 52.4% of WhatsApp’s user base, while female users make up 47.5%.
An exploratory study showed that female users of WhatsApp are generally more active on the platform compared to male users.
Comparing WhatsApp with Other Messaging Apps
There are various messaging apps vying for your attention, each offering unique features and functionalities. To understand the landscape, let’s see how other apps compare to WhatsApp in terms of active monthly users and monthly downloads.
Messaging Apps Monthly Active Users
As of April 2024, WhatsApp is the most popular messaging app, with almost 2.7 billion monthly active users, far outstripping its nearest competitors, Weixin/WeChat and Facebook Messenger.
| Messaging Service | Number of Active Monthly Users |
| 2.7 billion | |
| 1.34 billion | |
| Facebook Messenger | 1.01 billion |
| Telegram | 900 million |
| Snapchat | 800 million |
| 554 million |
Messaging Apps Monthly Downloads
When it comes to monthly downloads, WhatsApp leads the way with almost 50 million each month. Following close were Snapchat and Telegram, with 41.6 and 36.7 million downloads, respectively, showcasing their strong presence in the competitive messaging app market.
Another thing to notice is that WhatsApp Business ranked fourth in global monthly downloads. Combined, WhatsApp Messenger and WhatsApp Business gained more than twice the downloads of any other individual messaging service. This indicates a robust preference for WhatsApp services.
| Messenger App | Monthly Downloads (Millions) |
| WhatsApp Messenger | 51.19 |
| Snapchat | 41.6 |
| Telegram | 36.7 |
| WhatsApp Business | 27.86 |
| Messenger | 21.31 |
| 6.66 | |
| Rakuten Viber Messenger | 3.54 |
| 3.28 | |
| LINE | 3.06 |
| Signal Private Messenger | 2.92 |
Top Countries for WhatsApp Users: Key Markets and Unique Trends
We already know WhatsApp has a massive user base spread across 180 countries. It supports 60 languages on Android and 40 on iOS.
According to GlobalWebIndex, 69% of all internet users, excluding China, use WhatsApp.
India has the largest number of WhatsApp users in the world, with nearly 535.8 million active users, increasing 16.6% every year.
Furthermore, 80% of small and medium businesses in India consider WhatsApp an essential channel for expanding their business operations.
The top 3 countries (India, Brazil, and Indonesia) combined account for more than half a billion users.
| Country | WhatsApp Users (Millions) |
| India | 535.8 |
| Brazil | 139.3 |
| United States | 91.3 |
| Indonesia | 86.9 |
| Mexico | 69.7 |
| Russia | 66.7 |
| Pakistan | 52.3 |
| Germany | 51.9 |
| Philippines | 51.2 |
| Nigeria | 51 |
WhatsApp Usage Around the World
Latin America: WhatsApp holds a dominant position in Latin America, with over 64% of the population using the messaging app. In fact, the usage rates in some Latin American countries, like Brazil and Mexico, surpassed 90% in 2022.
According to the Mobile Growth Association (MGA), this widespread adoption could be due to the high cost of mobile phone plans in the region. WhatsApp offers a more affordable alternative, allowing users to communicate freely through Wi-Fi.
Middle East: A study by Northwestern University in Qatar found that WhatsApp enjoys widespread popularity across several Middle Eastern countries. More than 75% of citizens in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, and the UAE actively use WhatsApp.
Furthermore, data from Statista highlights that WhatsApp’s penetration in the UAE is particularly strong, with more than 80.2% of the population using the platform.
Africa: In Africa, countries like Kenya and South Africa boast exceptionally high user penetration rates, exceeding 95%. The number of WhatsApp users in Africa is expected to keep growing, with estimates suggesting an increase of 43.8 million users (or 47.79%) between 2024 and 2029.
USA: WhatsApp is not as widely used in the US (its birthplace!) as it is in other countries. However, it’s getting more popular, especially among young adults (18-34 years old) – about 3 out of 10 WhatsApp users in the US fall into this age group.
In the company’s latest quarterly report, Mark Zuckerberg announced that 2024 will be the year of WhatsApp in the US, and it looks like this is becoming a reality.
Ethnicity also plays a role in usage patterns. Hispanic Americans use the channel the most (46%), followed by African Americans (23%) and Caucasians (16%).
Europe: WhatsApp currently has 121.93 million users in Europe. A recent report predicts that its user base will grow by 3 million, or 2.52%, to 124.93 million by 2028.
Now. let’s see how WhatsApp Business is faring.
The Change In WhatsApp Business Model After Meta Acquisition
When Facebook bought WhatsApp, there were questions about how they’d make money. Here’s how Facebook’s strategy to monetize WhatsApp took shape:
- Launch of WhatsApp Business (Jan 2018): A separate app designed for businesses to communicate with customers. It offers tools for automation, message sorting, and faster response times.
- Introduction of WhatsApp Business API (Aug 2018): A paid service with advanced features for businesses, including the ability to send marketing messages and promotions through the app.
WhatsApp didn’t become an ad-fest like some people feared. Instead, they found a way to cater to businesses without sacrificing the user experience that made the app so popular in the first place. It’s a balancing act, but for now, it seems to be working.
So, let’s see a few numbers and measure how WhatsApp Business has been doing.
How Many People Message WhatsApp Business Everyday?
More than 50 million businesses use WhatsApp for business communication, and over 175 million people interact with business accounts daily. This significant number indicates a positive response from users towards this channel.
What is the Number of WhatsApp Business Downloads?
The WhatsApp Business app recorded 316 million downloads globally in 2023, a substantial 14% increase year-over-year. The platform enjoys particular dominance in the Asia-Pacific region (800 million users) and Latin America, with key markets like India and Brazil leading the charge.
WhatsApp Business grew quickly, reaching 200 million monthly active users in June 2023 (4 times more than in July 2020).
Here’s what makes WhatsApp Business so compelling:
- With an open rate of 98%, WhatsApp messages have a remarkably high chance of being seen by customers compared to traditional email or text message marketing.
- While email and text messages typically yield conversion rates between a meager of 2-5%, WhatsApp interactions convert at a significantly higher rate, ranging from 45-60%.
- Leveraging the WhatsApp API allows businesses to maintain a delivery rate of approximately 90%, ensuring your messages reach their intended audience.
Since its acquisition by Meta, WhatsApp has transformed into a tool that can significantly benefit businesses.
As Mark Zuckerberg himself stated, “WhatsApp is really going to be the next chapter, with business messaging and commerce being a big thing there.” This vision appears to be unfolding right before our eyes.
WhatsApp: Revenue and Ownership
While WhatsApp isn’t yet a significant source of income for Meta, its business arm, WhatsApp Business, is showing promise. As of now, it generates its revenue from WhatsApp Business API, Click to WhatsApp Ads and Payments.
Key Stats:
- WhatsApp generated $8.7 billion in revenue in 2021.
- In 2023, WhatsApp Business itself is estimated to have brought in over $382 million.
- Medium and Large companies spent around $38.7 million on WhatsApp Business in 2019. That number is expected to jump to $3.6 billion by 2024.
TimelinesAI User Base: A Deeper Dive
The popularity of WhatsApp is undeniable. Global statistics paint a picture of a platform with billions of users. However, we went deeper into our user base. Here are a few numbers that reveal fascinating nuances about how people interact on the app.
Message Activity by Device
| Country | Device | Total Active Users | Avg messages per hour |
| Brazil | Android | 802 | 39.92 |
| Brazil | iOS | 615 | 26.67 |
| India | Android | 921 | 29.17 |
| India | iOS | 609 | 21.42 |
| United States | Android | 602 | 30.79 |
| United States | iOS | 417 | 25.08 |
| United Kingdom | Android | 379 | 28.46 |
| United Kingdom | iOS | 215 | 21.75 |
| Germany | Android | 577 | 32.54 |
| Germany | iOS | 436 | 23.13 |
| Mexico | Android | 532 | 31.42 |
| Mexico | iOS | 489 | 29.58 |
Source: TimelinesAI User Data [as of 01/08/2024]
WhatsApp usage varies widely across countries and devices. Here are some key findings:
- Android users generally send more messages than iOS users across all countries, indicating potential differences in user behavior or device capabilities.
- Brazil and India consistently demonstrate higher average message rates, indicating more intensive WhatsApp usage in these regions. This could be attributed to various factors such as cultural communication styles, SMS rates, ease of use, affordability, and absence of ads.
- The US and Europe (UK and Germany) have a lower average number of messages per hour compared to other regions.
Top Locations for WhatsApp Usage
WhatsApp’s global reach is evident in its high engagement rates across various countries. Let’s look at the average number of messages sent per device in some key regions.
| Country | Avg Messages per Device |
| Brazil | 227 |
| India | 117 |
| United States | 124 |
| United Kingdom | 153 |
| Germany | 157 |
| Mexico | 166 |
Source: TimelinesAI User Data [as of 01/08/2024]
Brazil tops the list with an impressive average of 227 messages sent per device. The presence of both Brazil and Mexico shows how prominent WhatsApp is in Latin America.
Also, the variation in message volume per device across these countries reflects cultural communication preferences and the economic aspects of mobile messaging affordability.
For example, the USA shows lower usage due in part to the prevalence of iPhones, a robust SMS platform, and differing travel habits, as Americans tend not to travel internationally as frequently as Europeans, reducing the need for an app like WhatsApp that excels in international communication.
User Engagement Patterns
At the core of our platform’s insights is a fascinating look into how user engagement on WhatsApp varies significantly between device types. Data highlights a striking disparity: users on Android devices average an impressive 479 messages per day, while those on iOS devices send around 270 messages daily.
Source: TimelinesAI User Data [as of 01/08/2024]
Why the Disparity?
Several factors can contribute to this substantial difference in message volume:
- Accessibility and Market Penetration: Android devices, known for their wide range in affordability and accessibility, dominate markets where WhatsApp is heavily relied upon for both personal and business communication.
- Ecosystem Preferences: iOS users may have access to a variety of integrated messaging services like iMessage, which could reduce their reliance on standalone apps like WhatsApp.
- Cultural Influence: In some regions, Android’s flexibility and lower cost make it the go-to choice for mobile communication, driving up WhatsApp usage on these devices.
Peak Usage Times
Our data reveals intriguing patterns in peak usage hours across various key markets. Understanding peak hours can help businesses optimize their marketing and customer service efforts on WhatsApp.
| Country | Peak Hour (24 hrs) |
| Brazil | 11 |
| India | 13 |
| United States | 14 |
| United Kingdom | 9 |
| Germany | 13 |
| Mexico | 11 |
Source: TimelinesAI User Data [as of 01/08/2024]
The data suggests a general trend of peak WhatsApp usage between 11 AM and 14 PM (11 AM and 2 PM). This indicates that the platform is heavily used during working hours or early afternoon in these countries.
Weekly Usage Trends
The data presented below provides a clear picture of WhatsApp usage patterns across the week. It’s evident that there’s a significant disparity between weekday and weekend usage.
| Day | Avg Messages per Device |
| Monday | 522 |
| Tuesday | 653 |
| Wednesday | 548 |
| Thursday | 495 |
| Friday | 425 |
| Saturday | 78 |
| Sunday | 33 |
Source: TimelinesAI User Data [as of 01/08/2024]
Highest Activity on Tuesday:
- Tuesday sees the highest average number of messages per device, with 653 messages.
Midweek Consistency:
- Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday also show high activity, with averages of 522, 548, and 495 messages, respectively. This indicates a steady level of engagement during the workweek.
Decline Towards the Weekend:
- Messaging activity starts to decline on Friday, with 425 messages, and drops significantly over the weekend, with only 78 messages on Saturday and 33 on Sunday. This pattern suggests that users might be less active on WhatsApp during weekends, possibly due to personal activities or downtime.
Growth Trends
There is a general upward trend in the number of active devices for both Android and iOS throughout the year. This showcases the increasing adoption and reliance on this popular communication tool.
Source: Timelines User Data [as of 01/08/2024]
Android vs iOS: Android consistently shows higher growth in active devices compared to iOS, except for a few months when iOS growth outpaced Android (August and September).
The Future of WhatsApp: What Lies Ahead?
With WhatsApp’s extensive global reach and varying usage patterns, it’s clear that the platform is integral to daily communication for millions worldwide.
WhatsApp shows no signs of slowing down. Here’s a glimpse into what the future holds for WhatsApp based on trends and upcoming features:
Focus on WhatsApp Business
Businesses will likely benefit from a wider range of features like in-app payments and potentially conversational commerce powered by AI-powered chatbots. This could lead to increased adoption of WhatsApp Business, especially in regions like India and Brazil.
Balancing Regulatory Challenges
As governments worldwide tighten regulations on digital platforms, WhatsApp may need to adjust its policies to comply with new legal standards, which could affect the user experience.
Security Enhancements
Despite WhatsApp’s use of end-to-end encryption, user concerns about data privacy are rising. This is especially true due to WhatsApp’s data-sharing practices with Facebook.
Upcoming Features and Updates
WhatsApp is also planning to release new features like integration with third-party chat platforms like Telegram and Discord directly within WhatsApp and the introduction of usernames to log into WhatsApp instead of relying on phone numbers.
With its focus on innovation, integration, and user experience, WhatsApp is poised to remain a leader in the ever-evolving world of communication.
Conclusion: WhatsApp’s Enduring Legacy
WhatsApp’s story is one of innovation, user-centricity, and a relentless pursuit of connection. It has blurred geographical boundaries and fundamentally altered how we communicate.
Today, WhatsApp’s impact extends far beyond personal chats. It has changed how businesses connect with customers. The ability to reach customers directly on their mobile phones, bypassing traditional channels like email, proved to be a game-changer.
As Meta, WhatsApp’s parent company, focuses on developing more business tools, the platform is set to become an even more crucial component of a successful business communication strategy.
