Photo and video sharing social network owned by Meta.
Instagram at a glance
Instagram is a social media website and one of the most visited sites in United States, currently ranked #6 in the country. It was founded in 2010 by Kevin Systrom, Mike Krieger and is headquartered in Menlo Park, California, United States. Today Instagram is owned by Meta Platforms, Inc.. Our estimates put its audience at ≈ 2600 million visits per month. The business earns money mainly through display advertising, sponsored content, shopping commissions. Its closest rivals include tiktok.com, snapchat.com.
Traffic statistics
Traffic history
| Period | Visits | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | ≈ 2444 million / month | +2% |
| Q2 | ≈ 2522 million / month | +3% |
| Q3 | ≈ 2600 million / month | +3% |
| Q4 | ≈ 2756 million / month | +6% |
Traffic sources
- Direct76%
- Organic search13%
- Referral6%
- Paid3%
- Email2%
Audience & demographics
- Men52%
- Women48%
- Age 18-2430%
- Age 25-3429%
- Age 35-4420%
The audience is concentrated in United States, skewing urban and mobile, with usage peaks in the evening hours.
Geographic reach
- United States86%
Home market
- Diaspora and neighbouring markets7%
- Europe3%
- North America2%
- Rest of world2%
SEO profile
- Estimated organic traffic
- ≈ 780 million visits / month
- Branded share of search
- High — brand terms lead the keyword profile
- Indexed pages
- Large — category, listing or article level
- Primary search market
- United States
Top organic keywords
| Keyword | Position | Volume | Traffic share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Very high | Dominant | |
| login | Top 10 | High | — |
| sign up | Top 10 | High | — |
| download app | Top 10 | High | — |
Backlink profile
- Referring domains
- Tens of thousands
- Link profile
- News coverage, directories, blogs and partner sites
- Authority
- High within the United States web
Top referral sources
- News and media31%
- Directories and aggregators24%
- Blogs and forums20%
- Partner sites14%
- Other11%
Technology stack
Website technologies
Advertising & analytics technologies
Stack details are inferred from public front-end signals and engineering communications; internal systems may differ.
Mobile app statistics
Available in the local store
Available in the local store
- App share of traffic
- ≈ 88% mobile
- Position in country
- Among the leading social media apps in United States
Company information
- Website
- instagram.com
- Sector
- Social Media
- Owner
- Meta Platforms, Inc.
- Owner type
- Subsidiary
- Founders
- Kevin Systrom, Mike Krieger
- Founded
- 2010
- Headquarters
- Menlo Park, California, United States
- Employees
- N/A (part of Meta)
- Ownership
- Meta Platforms, Inc. controls the platform. Ownership details are based on public filings and press reporting.
- Revenue
- ≈ $32B annual ad revenue (est.)
- Languages
- English, Spanish, and 30+ languages
- Top traffic sources
- direct, organic search, referral
Financials
- Revenue
- ≈ $32B annual ad revenue (est.)
- Ownership
- Subsidiary
- Reporting
- Figures based on public filings, press reports and market estimates
Business model & revenue
Instagram operates a social platform focused on United States. Photo and video sharing social network owned by Meta. Revenue comes mainly from display advertising, supported by the other lines listed below.
- Display advertising
- Sponsored content
- Shopping commissions
Products & services
International presence
- Primary market
- United States
- Expansion
- Regional and diaspora audiences beyond the home market
Employee statistics
Customer statistics
Website rankings
- Country rank (United States)
- #6 in this index
- Sector rank
- Leading social media site in United States
- Global rank
- 5
Main competitors
Website comparisons
| Website | Monthly visits | Rank | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| tiktok.com | ≈ 1560 million / month | #7 class competitor | — |
| snapchat.com | ≈ 1170 million / month | #8 class competitor | — |
What is Instagram?
Instagram (instagram.com) is a social platform serving users in United States. Photo and video sharing social network owned by Meta. It ranks #6 among the most visited websites in the country in this index, within the social media category.
Who owns Instagram?
The site is operated by Meta Platforms, Inc., founded by Kevin Systrom, Mike Krieger. The company was established in 2010 and is headquartered in Menlo Park, California, United States. It employs around N/A (part of Meta).
Traffic and audience
Traffic estimates place Instagram at roughly 2600 million visits per month, about 86.7 million per day. Around 88% mobile of sessions come from mobile devices, and visitors view about 11.4 pages per visit with an average session of 12 min.
How Instagram makes money
Revenue comes primarily from display advertising, alongside sponsored content, shopping commissions.
Competitors in United States
Its closest rivals include tiktok.com, snapchat.com.
Data and accuracy
Company facts are drawn from public sources. Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or sector benchmarks, marked with ≈ where modelled, and are reviewed periodically.
Company history & milestones
- 2010
Instagram is founded in Menlo Park, California, United States.
- Growth phase
Expands its social media offering and moves to a mobile-first product.
- Today
Ranks #6 among the most visited websites in United States.
User reviews & ratings
| Source | Score | Reviews | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Play | ≈ 4.3 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| App Store | ≈ 4.5 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| Consumer review platforms | Mixed | — | Service and support are common themes |
App store ratings are solid, while consumer review platforms show the usual friction around support and service quality.
Pros & cons
Pros
- Very high daily engagement
- Strong creator and community ecosystem
- Free to use with broad reach
- Self-serve advertising for small businesses
Cons
- Moderation and misinformation criticism
- Privacy and data-use concerns
- Algorithm changes hurt organic reach
- Ad load increases over time
Key statistics
Frequently asked questions
Who owns Instagram?
Instagram is operated by Meta Platforms, Inc.. Subsidiary structure, based on public filings and press reporting.
Where is Instagram headquartered?
Instagram is headquartered in Menlo Park, California, United States.
When was Instagram founded?
Instagram was founded in 2010 by Kevin Systrom, Mike Krieger.
How many employees does Instagram have?
Instagram employs approximately N/A (part of Meta) people.
What is Instagram's revenue?
Instagram's revenue: ≈ $32B annual ad revenue (est.).
Who are Instagram's competitors?
Main competitors in United States include tiktok.com, snapchat.com.
How does Instagram make money?
Mainly display advertising, sponsored content, shopping commissions.
Is Instagram publicly traded?
No — Instagram is not listed as an independent public company; it is operated by Meta Platforms, Inc..
How many visitors does Instagram get?
Third-party estimates place Instagram at roughly 2600 million visits per month, mostly from United States, with 88% mobile traffic.
Is Instagram safe?
Instagram is an established social media site founded in 2010 and ranked #6 in United States; use the official domain instagram.com and HTTPS.
Popular searches
Data sources & confidence
- Company website and public announcementsinstagram.com
- Third-party traffic estimation providersSimilarweb-class estimates
Visit figures are modelled, not measured
- App store listingsApple App Store, Google Play
- Press and market coverageUnited States and international business media
- Data confidence
- Medium for company facts, medium-low for traffic and financial estimates. All modelled figures are rounded and marked with ≈.
- Last updated
- September 2026
Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or derived from sector benchmarks, and are reviewed periodically.
Social media profiles & statistics
Official brand account
Announcements and support
Community and campaigns
Company and hiring updates
Brand and product videos