Bluesky, a social networking startup, has seen a massive surge in growth over the past day, with an increase of half a million users. This rapid growth has propelled Bluesky into the top five apps on the U.S. App Store and made it the No. 2 app in the Social Networking category, up from No. 181 just a week ago, according to data from app intelligence firm Appfigures.
Growth is Organic and Global
The growth of Bluesky is entirely organic, as confirmed by Appfigures, which stated that the company is not running any App Store Search Ads. This means that the increase in users is due to word-of-mouth and online buzz rather than paid advertising.
Moreover, the growth of Bluesky is not limited to the U.S. market alone. A number of countries are showing four-digit growth in downloads compared to last Wednesday, leading Bluesky to enter the top 10 in countries like Japan, Thailand, and Taiwan, where it’s No. 1; Hong Kong, where it’s No. 2; Canada and South Korea, where it’s No. 4; and Singapore, where it’s No. 8.
While data on the app’s growth on Google Play is delayed, early indications suggest that Bluesky is rising there as well. At 4 a.m. EST, the app moved from No. 100 on the Android app store to No. 5 in the Social Networking category and continues to climb.
Appfigures’ Estimates Confirm Massive Growth
Appfigures has confirmed a massive growth spurt for Bluesky, with an estimated 197,000 new installs on the App Store on Thursday, up from just 3,400 the day prior. The majority of those – 80,000 or 40% – came from the U.S., while Japan contributed with 53,000 installs (27%). Downloads have grown by four digits in around 90 total countries.
What’s Driving the Surge?
There are likely several factors contributing to Bluesky’s surge. One possible reason is that users are unhappy with X’s decision to change how the block function operates. Soon, users with public accounts can have their X posts viewed by anyone, including those they’ve blocked, unlike before. Blocked users will only be prevented from engaging with those posts by liking, replying, and reposting.
This change introduces a safety issue for many who use the platform but face harassment and abuse, and for some, it was the final straw. Additionally, X updated its Terms of Service and Privacy policy this week, giving it the right to share X user data with third parties, including those companies developing AI models.
X may also still be feeling the effects from the earlier Brazil ban, which saw some active users from that region making the shift to Bluesky, possibly pulling their followers with them. Furthermore, Bluesky could be benefiting from moderation issues plaguing Threads, which saw users getting their accounts banned or their posts downranked for no reason.
X’s Growth is Slowing Down
In contrast, X isn’t yet feeling the impacts of these changes, adding 17,000 downloads between Tuesday and Thursday. However, the app is slowing down in growth, with a decrease in new installs compared to previous days.
Conclusion
Bluesky’s massive growth over the past day has propelled it into the top five apps on the U.S. App Store and made it the No. 2 app in the Social Networking category. While the reasons for this surge are complex, it’s likely that a combination of factors is contributing to its success. As the social media landscape continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how Bluesky and X compete with each other.
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