Threads

Threads is a text based social app made by Meta. It launched in July 2023, and Meta built it as a rival to X, formerly Twitter. The app was built by the Instagram team, and people first signed up using their Instagram accounts.

Users write short posts that can include photos, videos and links. Others can like, reply, repost or quote them. The For You feed shows posts picked by an algorithm, and a Following feed shows only accounts a user follows. Topic tags group posts about the same subject, and direct messages were added later. Threads supports the fediverse, so some posts can be followed from Mastodon and other compatible services.

Threads is free and earns money through ads, which Meta began showing in 2025. It runs on iOS and Android and has a web version. The app reached its first 100 million sign ups within days of launch, helped by its link to Instagram. It is used by creators, journalists and brands who also post on Instagram and X, and it is available in the US, the UK, Canada, Australia and the EU.