X (formerly Twitter) might still dominate headlines, but Bluesky is dominating user sentiment, innovation, and platform growth. In 2025, the narrative is shifting. This isn’t just a social media trend — it’s a structural shift toward decentralization, user ownership, and transparent moderation.
Below, we break down why Bluesky’s explosive growth isn’t a fluke — and what it means for developers, creators, and anyone tired of Elon Musk’s vision of public discourse.
1. Explosive User Growth
Bluesky has gone from a niche experiment to a legitimate contender in record time:
- Aug 2025: 38.5M registered users
- Apr 2025: 35M
- Jan 2025: 30M
- Nov 2024: 20M
- Sep 2024: 10M
(Source: Wikipedia)
Other notable stats:
- 519% increase in app usage in the US at end-2024
- 2.6M new users from Brazil after the government banned X
- 41.3M unique monthly visitors (Exploding Topics)
- Bluesky ranks Top 3 on US App Store in Social Networking
Compared to X, which has plateaued at around 500M MAUs (Monthly Active Users), Bluesky is rapidly closing the relevance gap — especially among digital-first audiences.
2. Engagement and Activity
What about active users?
While Bluesky has over 38M registered users, Reddit data suggests around 13M active users in the last 90 days. That's a strong retention figure for a platform that was invite-only for much of 2024.
Meanwhile, engagement on X is declining:
- Average engagement on posts from smaller accounts (<10k followers) dropped by 38% in 2025
- Major advertisers pulled out due to controversial content moderation and brand safety risks
- Bots, spam, and coordinated harassment remain widespread
Bluesky is not immune to spam, but moderation tooling and algorithm customization are built into the protocol itself — not just the app.
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3. The Power of the AT Protocol
Bluesky isn't just a Twitter clone — it's a protocol-first platform.
- AT Protocol enables account portability, feed customization, and decentralized moderation
- Users can create or subscribe to custom feeds (e.g., tech-only, no-politics, verified-only)
- App developers can build their own frontends using Bluesky's ecosystem
- Public APIs available for open-source developers and tool builders
This is not possible on X. Everything is centralized, monetized, and optimized for engagement — even when it damages discourse.
In short: Bluesky gives users agency, while X gives users ads.
4. Creator Adoption and Public Figures
Influencers and celebrities are waking up:
- Mark Hamill, Stephen King, Barbra Streisand, Ben Stiller, Gabrielle Union, Lizzo, and even Mark Cuban joined Bluesky in 2024–2025
- Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is the most-followed user with over 2.1M followers
- Bluesky’s top creators boast over 1M followers — without paid boosts or ads
Meanwhile, on X:
- Creators complain about unpredictable revenue from ad-sharing
- Verified “Premium” accounts spread conspiracy content for visibility
- Algorithmic exposure favors engagement bait and outrage
Bluesky’s slow-but-steady adoption by meaningful voices speaks volumes.
5. Decentralized Moderation Wins
Tired of the same toxic discourse?
Bluesky’s moderation is:
- Federated — different communities can set their own rules
- Customizable — you can subscribe to moderation services
- Transparent — algorithmic feeds are publicly documented
A 2025 arXiv paper showed Bluesky has:
- Higher link shares to reliable sources
- Less toxicity in replies
- Clear left-leaning bias (which could become an echo chamber risk)
Meanwhile, X faces:
- Legal scrutiny over harassment and hate speech
- Widespread bot armies influencing trending topics
- Mass impersonation scandals due to pay-for-verification
Bluesky has fewer tools — but better trust.
6. Monetization: Who’s Really Paying?
X makes money through:
- Ad revenue
- Premium Blue subscriptions
- API access (now paywalled and restricted)
Bluesky makes money through:
- Grants (originally funded by Twitter)
- Optional domain fees (for custom handles)
- Upcoming paid federation and app store models
But here’s the twist:
X monetizes you.
Bluesky empowers you to monetize.
With open APIs and custom clients, devs are building:
- Tools for creators
- Indie moderation bots
- Analytics dashboards
- Verified federation hosts
Bluesky might eventually become a developer-first, protocol-layer app store.
7. Feature Comparison: Bluesky vs X
| Feature | Bluesky | X (formerly Twitter) |
|---|---|---|
| Decentralized Protocol | ✅ AT Protocol | ❌ Centralized |
| Custom Feeds | ✅ User-controlled algorithms | ❌ One feed to rule them all |
| Moderation | ✅ Federated, transparent | ❌ Centralized, inconsistent |
| API Access | ✅ Free and open | ❌ Restricted, paywalled |
| Creator Tools | 🔄 In development | ✅ But opaque & ad-driven |
| Verified Accounts | ✅ Through trusted verifiers | ❌ Pay-for-verification abuse |
| App Ecosystem | ✅ Open ecosystem with clients | ❌ X only |
8. Risks: Bluesky Isn’t Perfect
Let’s be honest:
- Echo chambers may emerge — moderation defaults left-leaning
- Active user base is still small compared to X
- No DMs as of August 2025
- Limited video support (max 3 min)
- Public perception still sees Bluesky as “niche”
Still, the momentum is real — and structural.
9. What Comes Next?
By 2026, Bluesky could:
- Launch a native monetization model for creators
- Support full federation (multiple apps running on same protocol)
- Expand to web3-like governance models without tokens
- Integrate AI moderation tools on the protocol level
Meanwhile, X will likely:
- Increase paywalls
- Introduce more Musk-branded features
- Face ongoing user churn in key demographics (developers, journalists, academics)
10. Final Verdict
Bluesky isn't just beating X in features — it's redefining the rules of the game.
- Built on protocol, not product
- Driven by trust, not outrage
- Focused on ownership, not engagement bait
It’s still early. But make no mistake: if Bluesky stays the course, it won't just replace X — it will replace the centralized social model altogether.
What Do You Think?
Are you switching to Bluesky?
Have you built anything on top of the AT Protocol?
Share your experience in the comments.
Bluesky isn’t the Twitter killer — it’s the decentralization blueprint we’ve been waiting for.
Top comments (14)
Bluesky still feels like a platform for devs and journalists. Any sign that normal users are jumping in?
That’s starting to change. The Brazil migration after X got banned shows how fast Bluesky can absorb general audiences in crisis moments. As creator tools mature and mobile UX improves, broader adoption will follow just like early Twitter before 2010.
It depends on your choice. I've seen many travel/lifestyle/car posts/profiles, which were super active.
As I can see, global brands are also utilizing it. In the Web3 field, for example.
Isn’t this just another Mastodon hype cycle? Everyone got excited, then faded out.
The difference is architectural and UX-focused. Mastodon pushed decentralization but lacked user-friendly onboarding and algorithmic flexibility. Bluesky learned from that the AT Protocol gives devs control, while Bluesky as a product stays approachable. The rapid growth proves it’s crossing that chasm.
I also want to mention the team behind BlueSky, as it all started before Twitter was sold.
Interesting article! I've been using both X and BlueSky for the last year.
I really like it, but it's worth mentioning that it's challenging to grow there.
Appreciate the feedback and totally agree. Growth on Bluesky is very different from X. Without algorithmic boosts or trending hacks, it’s slower and more organic. That said, the trade-off is a healthier discourse and more meaningful engagement over time.
I’ve seen some users grow faster by posting in community-curated feeds, cross-sharing from X or Mastodon, and joining topical discussions early. Still a work in progress, but definitely improving.
Great! Thank you!
You mentioned the left-leaning bias on Bluesky. Do you think that limits its potential as a mainstream platform?
Great question. Bias can limit reach if not balanced by diverse community tooling. But since Bluesky’s moderation and algorithm layers are modular, it’s technically possible to build more politically neutral (or even right-leaning) experiences on top. Adoption will depend on whether such communities invest in federation.
Thank you, very informative. Perhaps I'll give Bluesky a second try :)
🙌 🙌
Thank you!
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