TikTok vs. Instagram – Comparison of Users and Statistics for 2026
A recent study of TikTok statistics shows that it has the best average session length (10.85 minutes) compared to other social networking apps.
Between 2017 and 2019, it achieved an engagement rate of 1,533 percent in the USA. Instagram only gained a 6 percent engagement rate during that time.
The average TikTok user in America opens the app more than 8 times a day.
On the other hand, Instagram is a social media giant that has become popular with almost all kinds of businesses. Nearly 13.15% of the 3.8 billion global social media users are daily Instagram users.
And 11.01 percent of the 4.54 billion global internet users access Instagram daily.
It took Snapchat 6 years to reach 150 million daily users, while Instagram achieved that within 8 months of launching Instagram Stories.
Let’s take a look at the detailed TikTok vs. Instagram statistics.
Key TikTok vs. Instagram Statistics
- Instagram is used by more than 1.3 billion people, while TikTok has 1 billion users.
- Approximately 63% of young people aged 12 to 17 use TikTok every week.
- TikTok’s revenue for the first 11 months of 2021 reached $2 billion.
- TikTok was downloaded 745 million times in 2021, while Instagram was installed 545 million times.
- 76.2% of millennials prefer Instagram, while 44.6% like the TikTok app.
- 89% of marketers prefer Instagram over TikTok for digital marketing.
- Instagram has 30 times more micro-influencers than it has macro-influencers.
- More than 323 million TikTok app downloads were recorded in India in 2019.
- 59% of TikTok users are women, compared to 50.8% of Instagram users.
- The average time spent on TikTok worldwide is 52 minutes, while on Instagram it is 28 minutes.
- The average user opens TikTok 19 times a day.
- Children spend an average of 75 minutes per day on TikTok.
- TikTok is most popular among younger generations.
Detailed TikTok vs. Instagram Statistics
1. According to statistics, Instagram is used by more than 1.3 billion people, while TikTok has just under 1 billion users.
A study published in October 2021 found that Instagram has approximately 1.4 billion active users, while TikTok has, according to Google, 834.3 million users, which is a decline compared to 2021–2022 when TikTok was estimated to have around 1 billion active users.
Although Instagram has the lead in the reports, experts believed that TikTok was gaining momentum and would soon overtake Instagram. However, this has not happened yet, and following recent controversies regarding TikTok’s security and the latest statistics, it appears that TikTok is actually losing its strength.
Here we can see that user growth, at least in the USA, on TikTok is slowly coming to a halt:
2. About 63% of young people aged 12 to 17 use TikTok every week
A report published on CNBC in 2021 mentions that approximately 63% of people in the US aged 12 to 17 use TikTok every week.
And 57 percent of the same group used Instagram during the week.
Interestingly, Instagram was the dominant social media platform in 2020, followed by 61 percent of children, while TikTok stood in second place with 50 percent.
On the other hand, YouTube gained an increase of 3 percent and became the favorite social media platform for 72 percent of young Gen Z people in the US in 2021, compared to 69 percent in 2020.
3. TikTok revenue for the first 11 months of 2021 at $2 billion
TikTok’s revenue statistics for 2021 show that it is becoming a very successful social media platform.
Although the app ranks fourth in App Store terms, it was considered the most profitable app worldwide in 2021.
During this period, TikTok achieved a 67% year-over-year increase. According to Sensor Tower, TikTok earns $2.3 per spend and will reach a total of $3.8 billion.
Instagram reached revenues of $24 billion during 2020.
4. TikTok was downloaded 745 million times in 2021, while Instagram was installed 545 million times
TikTok was the leading downloaded social media app in 2021 with 745 million installs.
Moneycontrol statistics show that Instagram was downloaded 545 million times during the same period.
The top five includes Facebook, WhatsApp, and Telegram respectively. In the US, TikTok is popular with 94 million installs during 2021, followed by Instagram with 64 million downloads.
In which countries do people spend the most time on TikTok in 2022
6. 76.2% of millennials prefer Instagram, while 44.6% like the TikTok app
People aged 25 to 34 reported spending more time on Instagram than on TikTok.
Instagram is liked by 52.4% of people aged 35 to 44, while TikTok is liked by 29.50%. About 9.6 percent of people aged 65 said that Instagram is more entertaining than TikTok.
However, statistics show that young people aged 12 to 24 prefer using TikTok over Instagram.
7. 89% of marketers prefer Instagram over TikTok for digital marketing
When TikTok and Instagram are compared on the basis of marketing, it is clear that Instagram leads.
Statistics show that Instagram earned more than $26 billion from advertising in 2021. Influencer Marketing Hub states that nearly 96% of brands use Instagram for their campaigns, while TikTok is used by 6.8%.
Creating quality content on Instagram is not easy compared to TikTok, where plenty of filters and supporting apps are available for publishing content.
Nevertheless, Instagram is the first choice of all digital marketing agencies.
8. Instagram Has Thirty Times More Micro-Influencers Compared to Its Macro-Influencers
Instagram is considered the best social media app for influencer marketing. There are millions of influencers on Instagram, which shows why it generates greater advertising revenue.
On TikTok, there may be 5,000–50,000 accounts with 1,000 or more followers, while on Instagram, 2–37 million influencers have 1,000 or more followers.
According to statistics, Instagram has more than 113 times higher revenue than TikTok.
However, recent statistical data shows a 17.96% micro-influencer engagement rate on TikTok compared to 3.86% on Instagram.
8. India Recorded More Than 323 Million TikTok Downloads in 2019
Approximately 43.76% of worldwide TikTok installations in 2019 came from India. To date, approximately 611 million TikTok downloads have been recorded from India.
In the case of Instagram, there are 140 million Indian and American users, followed by Brazil with 99 million. Approximately 196.6 million TikTok downloads were made in China.
9. 59% of TikTok Users Are Women, While 50.8% of Instagram Users Are Women.
Both social media apps are dominated by women, with TikTok showing a higher representation. Approximately 49.2% of Instagram’s followers are men, while on TikTok it is 39%.
Instagram and TikTok provide the latest fashion trends and updates about their favorite brands, which are some of the reasons for female dominance on both platforms.
10. The Average Time Spent on TikTok Worldwide Is 52 Minutes, While on Instagram It Is 28 Minutes.
According to statistics, 90% of users access the TikTok app daily. In the USA, TikTok is used for 68 minutes per day, and in the UK for approximately 60 minutes.
Approximately 10.8 minutes is the average session time spent on TikTok, making it one of the most engaging social media apps.
The average time spent on TikTok worldwide is 52 minutes, while on Instagram it is 28 minutes.
People under the age of 24 spent more than 32 minutes using Instagram, while for people aged 25 and older it is 24 minutes.
11. The Average User Opens TikTok 19 Times a Day
Given that we have social media apps at our fingertips, it is no surprise that we access them multiple times a day and often do not even think about it. Data shows that the average user opens the TikTok app 19 times a day. How does that compare to your usage?
12. Children Spend an Average of 75 Minutes a Day on TikTok
It is no secret that children today spend a lot of time on their mobile devices. Many of them turn to TikTok for entertainment, which can lead to endless scrolling on the FYP (For You Page).
Global data from Qustodio shows that children spend an average of 75 minutes a day on TikTok, making it the social media platform they use most frequently.
13. TikTok is most popular among younger generations
Younger age groups can’t get enough of browsing TikTok. In the United States, people aged 10-19 make up 25% of active TikTok users. Here is the breakdown by age group:
- Ages 10-19 make up 25% of users.
- Ages 20-29 make up 22.4% of users.
- Ages 30-39 make up 21.7% of users.
- Ages 40-49 make up 20.3% of users.
- Ages 50+ make up 11% of users.
Data from the United Kingdom is similar. Statista reported the percentage of internet users in the UK who also use TikTok. Since 2020, 24% of people aged 15-25 have been using the platform to create and consume videos.
Frequently Asked Questions FAQ
Which social media app do Millennials prefer?
People aged 25 to 34 reported spending more time on Instagram than on TikTok.
Instagram is liked by 52.4% of people aged 35 to 44, while TikTok is liked by 29.50%.
About 9.6 percent of people aged 65 reported that Instagram is more entertaining than TikTok. However, statistics show that young people aged 12 to 24 prefer using TikTok over Instagram.
How many people use TikTok and Instagram?
According to statistics, more than 1.3 billion people use Instagram, while TikTok has 1 billion users.
Which social media app between Instagram and TikTok was the most downloaded in 2021?
TikTok was downloaded 745 million times in 2021, while Instagram was installed 545 million times.
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Michal Záruba je specialista na digitální marketing a konzultant v oblasti sociálních médií a SEO. Více než 8 let pomáhá značkám růst online prostřednictvím strategického obsahu, optimalizace pro vyhledávače a efektivní komunikace na platformách jako LinkedIn, Instagram a YouTube.
Na svém blogu sdílí praktické tipy o tom, jak propojit SEO, sociální sítě a brand building do jedné funkční strategie. Zaměřuje se na to, jak firmy mohou využít moderní nástroje a algoritmy k tomu, aby jejich značka nezískala jen dosah, ale i důvěru.
Když zrovna netvoří obsah, přednáší o digitálním marketingu, školí týmy a sleduje nové trendy v AI a vyhledávání.