Bluesky's Active Users Shrink 27% as AT Proto Strategy Expands
Original: Bluesky’s active user base is shrinking as its focus expands beyond the app
Why This Matters
Bluesky's shift to an AT Proto ecosystem strategy signals a pivot from app growth to open social infrastructure.
Bluesky's mobile monthly active users fell 27.2% year-over-year to 10.4 million in June 2026, per Similarweb. Daily active users also dropped 25.6% in July to ~3 million, marking a 52% decline from the platform's late-2024 peak of 22.1 million monthly active users.
Bluesky, the decentralized social network that surged in popularity following the November 2024 U.S. elections amid user dissatisfaction with Elon Musk's X, is now losing momentum. According to Similarweb, Bluesky's mobile monthly active users stood at 10.4 million in June 2026, down 27.2% year-over-year. Mobile daily active users fell 25.6% in July to approximately 3 million. At its Q4 2024 peak, Bluesky averaged 22.1 million monthly active users — meaning it has lost roughly 52% of that high. Despite declining usage, user stickiness (daily-to-monthly active user ratio) remained around 29% in June, comparable to Meta's Threads. New CEO Toni Schneider has signaled that Bluesky's strategy extends beyond its own app, focusing on growing the AT Protocol (AT Proto) ecosystem. Projects like BlackSky and Eurosky are expanding on the protocol, while Skylight (a video-focused AT Proto app) is gaining early traction. Bluesky has also launched Attie, an AI-powered research tool, and is developing private data support to attract users interested in private networking. Meanwhile, Similarweb data shows X's mobile monthly active users declined ~3% year-over-year in June, with daily active users dropping 7% in July to 123.7 million — suggesting Bluesky's departing users have not necessarily returned to X.