Threads hits 150 million daily users as Meta ramps up ads and explores personalization

Meta announced that Threads has reached 150 million daily active users, a milestone shared during the company’s Q3 earnings call. CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the app is “on track to become the leader in its category,” and Instagram chief Adam Mosseri confirmed the company is testing algorithm personalization controls for the platform.

Meta also reported a 10% increase in time spent on Threads, which the company attributes to improvements in its AI recommendation systems. At the same time, monetization is accelerating: Meta CFO Susan Li said ads are now running globally in Threads, and the company plans to expand ad formats to include video.

Key points

• 150 million daily active users (Q3 update).
• Time spent on the app up 10% — Meta credits AI recommendation tweaks.
• Ads are now live globally on Threads; new formats (including video ads) will be introduced.
• Meta is exploring user controls for algorithm personalization, similar to tests on Instagram.

Why this matters

Hitting 150M daily users marks a significant growth step for Threads, following the 400M+ monthly user figure reported earlier. The combination of stronger engagement metrics and global ad rollouts suggests Meta is moving quickly to monetize the service while refining recommendations to keep users engaged.

However, the ad expansion raises questions for users who prefer ad-light social experiences, and the company will need to balance monetization with features that maintain trust and long-term engagement. Personalization controls could help by giving users more say over what they see in their feeds.

What to watch next

• How effective personalization controls prove to be and whether they become widely available.
• Impact of video and expanded ad formats on user retention and sentiment.
• Any regulatory scrutiny as Meta increases ad targeting and data use on a rapidly growing platform.

For more context, check Meta’s earnings materials and statements from company leadership for the full breakdown of metrics and plans.

Discussion: Will you keep using Threads as it adds more ads and expands personalization — or will monetization push you elsewhere?