15 Essential TikTok Statistics for Marketers in 2026

If your business is trying to reach people aged 34 and younger, chances are you’re already using TikTok. If not, it’s time to consider how this social media platform could fit into your marketing strategy. 

One of the fastest-growing and most-downloaded social apps on the planet, TikTok is the place where trends are born, stars are made, and the hottest products sell out in minutes. Brands that understand TikTok trends and the unique content that succeeds on the platform can achieve positive return on ad spend (ROAS) and—better yet—virality with their organic content. 

Not sure if TikTok is right for you or your brand? Dive into the latest TikTok usage statistics to understand the platform’s audience, average time spent on the app, and why partnering with TikTok creators can be a smart influencer marketing tactic. 

TikTok statistics for brands and marketers

1. How many people are on TikTok?
2. What is the total number of TikTok downloads?
3. How much is TikTok expected to grow?
4. What are the age demographics of TikTok users?
5. What are TikTok’s gender demographics?
6. In which countries is TikTok mot popular?
7. How popular is TikTok compared to other social media?
8. How much time do TikTok users spend on the platform by age group?
9. How popular is TikTok for ecommerce?
10. What countries have the most TikTok shops?
11. What is TikTok Shop’s gross merchandise value?
12. How much money does TikTok make?
13. Who are the most popular TikTok creators?
14. Does TikTok marketing have good ROI?
15. What’s TikTok’s engagement rate?

The following TikTok statistics cover a number of topics, including TikTok audience demographics statistics, TikTok for ecommerce, TikTok ads and ROI, and how the social media platform stacks up against rivals: 

1. How many people are on TikTok?

As of 2025, TikTok has reached more than 1.59 billion global users. The platform joins a handful of other social media apps that have crossed a billion users.

TikTok’s ascent to this milestone was faster than most—the company reached the 1 billion mark in 2021, less than five years after its 2016 launch. In total time to reach 1 billion, the TikTok app takes second place by a slim margin, behind Meta’s Facebook Messenger app. Competitors like WeChat, Instagram, and YouTube each took seven or more years to achieve the same numbers. 

2. What is the total number of TikTok downloads?

The total number of TikTok downloads is more than 6.1 billion cumulative downloads. 

Launched in 2017 as the international version of Chinese-developed social media Douyin, TikTok’s popularity skyrocketed in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns, reaching a peak of approximately 313.5 million downloads during the first quarter of the year. Since then, the app has experienced steady growth, with more than 1.3 billion downloads combined in 2024 and 2025.

Here’s how it grew in the most recently reported quarters, in millions: 

• Q2 2025: 192.3
• Q1 2025: 244.1
• Q4 2024: 186.26
• Q3 2024: 207.02
• Q2 2024: 249.45
• Q1 2024: 232.94

3. How much is TikTok expected to grow?

The popular social media platform is forecasted to reach approximately 1.9 billion users by 2029.

4. What are the age demographics of TikTok users?

TikTok has high adoption among Gen Z and younger, but other demographics are also increasingly using the platform. 

The majority of TikTok users are 18 and older, which is important to note because these are the TikTok users brands can advertise to (the minimum user age is 13, but TikTok ads can only be shown to users over 18).

But how does the user age breakdown look among those over 18? TikTok users over 18 fell into the following age brackets. 

• 18 to 24: 30.7% of TikTok users over 18 
• 25 to 34: 35.3% of TikTok users over 18 
• 35 to 44: 16.4% of TikTok users over 18 
• 45 to 54: 9.2% of TikTok users over 18 
• 55 and older: 8.4% of TikTok users over 18 

While it’s clear Gen Z users dominate the platform, there is increasing usage among older generations. Over the course of a year, usage rose from 7.9% to 9.2% for 45- to 54-year-olds and 6.2% to 8.4% for those 55 and older. This could be a signal that brands with older target audiences should consider the platform when developing their TikTok marketing strategies.

5. What are TikTok’s gender demographics?

As of October 2025, TikTok’s distribution of gender identification among users was as follows:

• 45.5% of TikTok users identified as female
• 54.5% of TikTok users identified as male

This points to an opportunity for brands with a male target audience to advertise on TikTok. 

This study did not include other gender representations, such as nonbinary. According to the most recent available surveying, around 5% of young adults (under 30) in the US identify as trans or nonbinary, compared to 1.6% of the general US adult population. Mapping this data against TikTok’s own user demographics indicates the gender data above may be incomplete.

That said, TikTok has attempted to position itself as a safe space for queer expression and gender expression, banning misgendering and deadnaming from TikTok videos and comments in 2022. If your brand aims to connect with a younger LGBTQ+ community, TikTok may be the place to reach them.

6. In which countries is TikTok most popular?

Although 19 countries have banned TikTok, the app has gained global traction. As of 2025, the countries with the most active TikTok users (over 18) are as follows: 

1. Indonesia: 180.11 million

2. United States: 153.12 million

3. Brazil: 130.84 million

Note: While China doesn’t make this list, it’s only because TikTok goes by a different name for Chinese users. There, the Douyin app (also owned by parent company ByteDance) boasts more than 766.5 million daily active users. 

7. How popular is TikTok compared to other social media? 

Although TikTok has enjoyed rapid growth, it still has a way to go to catch up with many of the other social media giants. As of 2025, TikTok is the fifth-most-popular social network globally (beating out WeChat), ranked by number of active users:

• Facebook: 3.070 billion users
• Instagram: 3 billion users
• WhatsApp: 3 billion users
• YouTube: 2.580 billion users
• TikTok: 1.990 billion users
• WeChat: 1.410 billion users

Given TikTok’s rate of growth, it could overtake competitors in the coming years.

8. How much time do TikTok users spend on the platform by age group?

Here’s how much time TikTok users spend on TikTok per day, according to their age group:

• 18- to 24-year-olds: 76 minutes
• 25- to 34-year-olds: 50 minutes
• 35- to 44-year-olds: 47 minutes
• 45- to 54-year-olds: 45 minutes
• 55- to 64-year-olds: 37 minutes
• 65 and older: 29 minutes

Users of all ages, except for those aged 55 and older, spent more time on TikTok than other social media platforms. 

9. How popular is TikTok for ecommerce?

TikTok Shop is the third fastest-growing brand. 

TikTok shop allows users to browse and purchase products without leaving the app, combining the entertainment of social media with shopping experiences. 

10. What countries have the most TikTok shops? 

TikTok’s ecommerce platform is a global phenomenon. Here is the distribution of TikTok Shops worldwide by country, as of 2024:

• Indonesia: 20.5%
• Thailand: 18.3%
• Vietnam: 17%
• United States: 11.8%
• United Kingdom: 6.19%

11. What is TikTok Shop’s gross merchandise value?

TikTok Shop’s gross merchandise value was $33 billion in 2024, more than double the year before. 

For brands selling on TikTok, the process is simple, due to the platform’s native tools and powerful integrations with ecommerce platforms like Shopify. Product links embedded in Live content, shoppable TikTok videos, and a storefront tab on your brand’s profile are just some of the ways to convert fans to buyers. 

12. How much money does TikTok make?

In 2024, TikTok made $23 billion in revenue. Most of its revenue (80%) came from advertising, followed by in-app purchases and commerce. In Q2 of 2025, in-app purchases totaled more than $1 billion. 

13. Who are the most popular TikTok creators?

The most popular TikTok creators are: 

• Khabane Lame: 161 million followers
• Charli D’Amelio: 156.2 million followers
• Mr. Beast: 122.8 million followers

14. Does TikTok marketing have good ROI?

In one survey of small business owners, of the companies investing in TikTok advertising, 51% report a positive return on investment (ROI). An additional 45% of brands running paid ads on the platform reported achieving a break-even point on their ad spend.

15. What’s TikTok’s engagement rate?

With a median engagement rate of 1.73%, TikTok dominated against social media giants like Facebook (0.046%), Instagram (0.36%), and X (0.015%). 

But certain content performs better on the platform, and some industries and topics demonstrate above average engagement rates. 

• Higher ed: 7.36% 
• Nonprofits: 3.04%
• Travel: 2.73%
• Sports teams: 2.68%
• Food and beverage: 2.04%
• Alcohol: 1.76%