X has witnessed a significant increase in consumer spending despite a decline in daily active users. The platform, which boasted more than 313 million worldwide mobile app monthly active users (MAUs) in the fourth quarter of 2024, continued to maintain a robust user base with over 300 million MAUs through January 2025. However, the year-over-year growth in MAUs showed a slight dip, and daily active users experienced a 13% decline compared to January 2024. Notably, competing apps Instagram Threads and Bluesky saw a dramatic increase in daily active users, with rises of over 170% and 495%, respectively.
Despite these challenges, X’s global consumer spending on iOS and Android has surged. In December 2024, the platform recorded its highest total spending at $25.6 million. This growth momentum continued into January 2025, where global mobile consumer spending increased by 76.3% year-over-year compared to a similar period in January 2024. Specifically, spending reached $13.4 million for the first 20 days of January 2025, up from $7.6 million during the same duration in the previous year.
Subscription Models and In-app Purchases
X offers a range of subscription models to cater to diverse user preferences, contributing to its financial success. These include X Premium Basic Monthly for $4 per month, X Premium Plus Monthly for $30 per month, and X Premium’s Annual Subscription priced at $114.99 per year. Additionally, the platform provides a free version of its app with options for in-app purchases. In January 2025, the top in-app purchase on the X iOS app was the X Premium Monthly subscription at $11 per month.
The lowest month for consumer spending on X occurred in February 2025, with expenditures totaling $9.6 million across both iOS and Android platforms. Despite this dip, the overall trend remains positive. In the United States alone, X experienced a remarkable 61.4% growth in year-over-year consumer spending on iOS and Android.
One of the key strategies that have contributed to X’s rising consumer spending is the introduction of additional features aimed at enhancing user engagement. In late November 2024, X added an NFL portal to its app to boost sports-related interactions among users. Moreover, the integration of xAI’s Grok AI chatbot is believed to be a driving factor behind the increase in consumer spending as it offers interactive and engaging experiences for app users.
What The Author Thinks
Despite the ebb in daily active users, X’s strategic focus on varied subscription options and innovative features, like the NFL portal and AI chatbot, illustrates how apps can maintain financial growth by enhancing user engagement and providing value. The platform’s ability to pivot and adapt to user preferences and market demands sets a commendable example for others in the digital space.
