As of October 2025, three billion users were accessing the WhatsApp messenger on a monthly basis. The app’s reach in usage penetration is particularly strong in markets outside the United States, and it is one of the most popular mobile social apps worldwide. WeChat amassed 1.41 billion users, and Facebook Messenger was reported to have a potential ad reach of 942 million users worldwide. Instant messaging is a type of online chat that offers real-time text transmission via the internet. Since the appearance of the smartphone and the subsequent explosion of mobile apps, low-cost or free chat and social messaging apps have proven themselves as a cheap alternative to operator-based text messaging via SMS. Many messenger apps offer features such as group chats, the exchange of graphics, video, and even audio messages, as well as stickers or emoticons.

In March 2025, around ************** of respondents in Russia used WhatsApp, which was the largest share compared to other messenger applications. The share of Russians who used Telegram reached ** percent, while the third-most popular messenger was VKontakte Messenger. Messenger use in Russia Almost ** percent of Russians used instant messaging platforms in 2024, as compared to ** percent in Brazil and ** percent in the United Kingdom (UK). Among internet users, the share of online chat and messenger services consumers in Russia stood at **** percent, same as the global average. WhatsApp in Russia While other social media platforms by Meta Platforms are banned in Russia, WhatsApp can be used in the country. Users aged 25 to 44 years spent the most time on the messenger in the first seven months of 2024. The penetration rate of WhatsApp in Russia stood at around ** percent as of 2022, which was lower than in Brazil and Italy, but higher than in Sweden and Australia.

In 2021, WhatsApp was the most popular social media messenger in Russia, with a usage index of ** percent. The usage index of one of WhatsApp's main competitors in the region - Telegram, was at ** percent. Viber ranked third, used by nearly ******** of Russians who had it installed on their devices.

WhatsApp in Russia

As of August 2021, WhatsApp accounted for the largest volume of monthly active users at nearly ** million users in Russia, which was more than twice as much as the monthly reach of its Russian analog – Telegram. Furthermore, it was the most used messenger application during the self-isolation period in the country exceeding *** million views on March 17, 2020. The number of WhatsApp users was projected to reach **** million by 2025.

Social media usage during the pandemic in Russia

In 2020, significant traffic growth on social media platforms was attributed to the COVID-19 outbreak. As of April 2020, messengers were the most popular means of communication, as per over ** percent of respondents who worked remotely. Of roughly ** percent of Russians who reported more frequent usage of social messengers after the pandemic, nearly ** percent meant to keep the usage levels at the same extent after the abolition of restrictions.