- Bluesky, an app teased as an alternative to X (formerly Twitter) experienced an increase in the number of new users after Elon Musk announced that X users might be charged for using the app.
Bluesky, a decentralized social media platform positioned as an alternative to X, experienced a 100% surge in new users last week, after billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk proposed a “small monthly payment” for X users during a livestream with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Bluesky saw over 42,000 new users sign up on Tuesday, its biggest signup day since it launched as an invite-only platform earlier this year. As of Thursday morning, Bluesky had a total user base of 1,113,820.
The surge in new users was tracked by Bluesky Stats, a third-party website that monitors Bluesky’s signup statistics. Bluesky typically sees around 10,000 to 20,000 new users sign up per day, but Musk’s announcement doubled that number.
Bluesky is a direct rival to X, and it is financially supported by Twitter’s co-founder and former CEO, Jack Dorsey. Dorsey is on the board of directors of Bluesky, but the day-to-day operations are led by CEO Jay Graber.
It is difficult to say for sure whether Musk’s announcement about potential charges for X users caused the surge in Bluesky signups, but it is highly likely that it played a significant role. Bluesky’s previous record for signup numbers was set on July 3, with 32,325 new users joining the platform. This surge coincided with the July 4th weekend in the U.S., when Musk implemented changes to Twitter that were not well-received by users.
Musk had previously hinted at the idea of charging X users for posting on the platform late last year, but this recent reiteration has evidently caught the attention of many. Whether Musk will indeed move forward with charging all X users remains uncertain, but for Bluesky, the positive effect on growth is undeniable.
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The surge in new users on Bluesky is a significant development for the platform. Bluesky is still in development, and it is not yet clear when it will be available to the public. However, the surge in new users suggests that there is a strong demand for a decentralized social media platform that is not controlled by a single company.
If Musk does move forward with charging all X users, it could further boost Bluesky’s growth. Many X users are unhappy with the platform’s current state, and they may be willing to switch to Bluesky if it offers a better alternative.
