Imagine scrolling through a social media feed that actually feels... human. No algorithm-fueled chaos, no relentless ads sandwiched between arguments, and—best of all—no bots trying to sell you sketchy crypto. Just thoughtful posts, quirky memes, and the occasional political hot take. Welcome to Bluesky, the platform that’s quietly (well, not so quietly anymore) taking off as an alternative to X, formerly Twitter. And that brings us to the question everyone’s curious about: how many users does Bluesky have?

Well, the numbers might catch you off guard. As of mid-2025, Bluesky boasts over 35 million registered users. That’s not just some niche experiment anymore—it’s a digital community that’s growing faster than a meme about Elon Musk’s latest X policy twist.

But before we get too deep into the stats, let’s rewind for a moment.

Bluesky isn’t just another social media app trying to piggyback on Twitter’s legacy. It was actually born inside Twitter back in 2019, conceptualized as a separate project by then-CEO Jack Dorsey. The vision? A decentralized protocol that gives users—not corporations—control over their data, content, and even their timelines. Today, Bluesky runs independently, helmed by CEO Jay Graber, and operates on the AT Protocol: an open-source system that lets people customize their own feeds, set moderation preferences, and even use custom domain handles like @yourname.com.

To put it another way, if traditional social media platforms are like mega-malls with loudspeakers blaring ads and tight security watching your every move, Bluesky is more like an open-air farmers' market. You wander at your own pace, chat with vendors, maybe even bump into someone who shares your oddly specific obsession with vintage cereal boxes. There’s a sense of community and personal space—something that’s been missing from the digital world for a while.

So, how exactly did Bluesky go from a whisper of an idea to a platform used by tens of millions?

It all really kicked off with its invite-only beta in 2023. The exclusivity gave it a kind of underground charm. By September of that year, Bluesky had hit a million users. Then came the public launch in February 2024—and over three million people signed up almost immediately. But the real accelerant? What many affectionately call “Elon Musk Events.”

Whenever X made a controversial move—say, altering the block feature or changing how user data could be scraped for AI training—people jumped ship. One particularly wild example: in October 2024, Bluesky saw 1.2 million new users in just two days after a block feature change on X. Then came the post-election chaos in November 2024, which added millions more, especially from the U.S., U.K., and Canada. By that point, Bluesky had doubled to 20 million users, with that number soaring past 30 million by early 2025.

Today, the count sits somewhere around 34 to 36 million, depending on the source. Not all of them are active, of course—recent reports suggest about 13 million have been active in the past 90 days—but the momentum is unmistakable. Think of it like a rocket mid-launch: it’s not quite in orbit, but you can’t deny the trajectory.

And who exactly is using Bluesky? Interestingly, it’s skewing young and slightly male-dominated. About 62% of users are under 35, and roughly the same percentage identify as male. The U.S. still leads the charge in terms of user numbers, but Brazil, Japan, and the U.K. are major players too. It’s a truly global shift.

Culturally, Bluesky has caught on in some unexpected ways. Influencers and celebrities like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (with over 2.1 million followers), Mark Hamill, and Lizzo helped inject some star power, while niche communities—from digital artists to political wonks—have found homes on the platform. Even memes have their own flavor here. One fan favorite? The pin emoji trend, where users started bookmarking posts with 🧷—not because it was planned, but because it just felt... right.

So, where does Bluesky go from here?

The platform’s team has big ambitions. They’re working toward full decentralization, including end-to-end encrypted direct messages (a feature many privacy-conscious users have been eagerly waiting for). Higher-quality video uploads are in the pipeline, and there's talk of premium subscriptions that could offer perks without selling user data or pushing ads.

But let’s not sugarcoat things—Bluesky still faces hurdles. Moderation, for one. In November 2024 alone, the platform fielded over 42,000 content reports in a single day. That kind of volume would stress even the most seasoned tech teams. Then there’s the challenge of retaining momentum without falling into the same traps that soured users on X—like ideological bubbles, content fatigue, or corporate overreach.

In terms of competition, Bluesky is still a small fish compared to X’s 500 million users or Threads’ 275 million. And yet, it’s not trying to be the next massive ad machine. Instead, it’s aiming for something more... human. Whether that’s enough to fuel its continued rise remains to be seen.

But here’s the thing—social media fatigue is real. People are tired of being the product. They want spaces that feel intentional, thoughtful, and—dare we say it—fun again. Bluesky, with all its quirks and aspirations, just might be the breath of fresh air we didn’t know we needed.

So, how many users does Bluesky have? More than 35 million and counting. But the more interesting question might be: how many of us are ready for a social media platform that finally puts people first?

Only time will tell if Bluesky becomes the new digital town square or just a temporary hideout from the noise. Either way, it’s already reshaping the conversation—and that’s something worth paying attention to.