TikTok’s US growth is stalling

The Covid-era routine of many Americans: wake up, check-in on Slack/Zoom/Google Classroom, then open TikTok to kill an hour or two (or nine).

But those pandemic days are just like when Hollywood actually made original movies – behind us. And now, for the first time in its history, TikTok’s user growth and engagement in the US is stagnating, according to a recent report from the Wall Street Journal.

By the numbers: TikTok says it has ~170 million US app users, up from ~150 million last year. These latest numbers indicate that ~50% of America is on TikTok, compared to ~68% who use Facebook and ~47% who use Instagram.

But at this point, TikTok’s churn is outpacing growth, especially among young people.

• In Q4 2023, TikTok lagged Snapchat, YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook when it came to the growth rate of daily active users.
• Average monthly users ages 18 to 24 declined by ~9% from 2022 to 2023, according to mobile analytics firm Data.ai.
• Some users in their 20s say they’ve gotten off the app entirely to focus more on life and work. The advent and continuous promotion of TikTok Shop has also alienated many Tokkers.

The app’s issues don’t stop there. TikTok is currently locked in a contract dispute with Universal Music Group, the world’s biggest music label – and Congress is also debating a bill that, if enacted, would force China-based ByteDance, TikTok’s current owner, to sell the app or face a full-on ban in the US.