WhatsApp now has more than 3 billion users a month

Tech Crunch - May 1st, 2025
Open on Tech Crunch

WhatsApp has surpassed 3 billion monthly active users, marking a significant milestone for Meta, as highlighted by CEO Mark Zuckerberg during the company's Q1 results call. Acquired by Facebook in 2014, WhatsApp remains ad-free and is now one of the few apps to cross this user threshold, alongside Facebook itself. This growth underscores WhatsApp's importance to Meta, especially with its focus on AI. CFO Susan Li noted the app's crucial role in distributing Meta AI services, with most interactions occurring in one-on-one chats.

The achievement positions WhatsApp as a cornerstone in Meta's AI strategy, pivotal to its business operations. In contrast to global markets, Meta faces challenges in the U.S., where traditional messaging apps dominate. To address this, Meta introduced a standalone Meta AI app, aiming to capture the U.S. market. Additionally, WhatsApp Business is expanding, contributing significantly to Meta's revenue. Meta is testing AI tools for businesses, including a new interface to train AI with business-specific data, enhancing customer interactions through AI chatbots.

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RATING

7.8
Fair Story
Consider it well-founded

The article provides a comprehensive overview of WhatsApp's user growth and its strategic importance to Meta, supported by credible sources and clear factual claims. It effectively communicates the significance of WhatsApp's achievements and its role in Meta's AI strategy, making it relevant and timely. However, the piece could benefit from a more balanced perspective by addressing potential challenges and controversies, such as privacy concerns or competition in the messaging market. Enhancing source diversity and transparency would further strengthen the article's credibility. Overall, the article is informative and well-structured, with room for improvement in engaging readers through interactive elements and exploring the broader implications of the discussed developments.

RATING DETAILS

9
Accuracy

The article presents several factual claims about WhatsApp's user base and its strategic role within Meta, most of which align well with verified data. For instance, the claim that WhatsApp has surpassed 3 billion monthly users is corroborated by statements from Meta's CEO, Mark Zuckerberg. The historical context regarding WhatsApp's founding in 2009 and its acquisition by Facebook in 2014 for $19 billion is consistent with widely available public records. Additionally, the article accurately notes that WhatsApp remains ad-free, a detail supported by several sources.

There are no significant inaccuracies detected in the article. However, the piece could benefit from more detailed attribution of sources, particularly for statements made during the conference call, to enhance verifiability. Overall, the article's factual accuracy is high, supported by both historical data and current statements from credible sources.

7
Balance

The article primarily focuses on WhatsApp's growth and its strategic importance to Meta, offering insights into both its global success and challenges in the U.S. market. While it provides a comprehensive view of WhatsApp's achievements, the piece could be more balanced by including perspectives on potential downsides or criticisms of WhatsApp's business model, such as privacy concerns or competition from other messaging apps.

The article does not overtly favor Meta or WhatsApp, but it does present a predominantly positive outlook on their strategies and achievements. Including counterpoints or challenges faced by WhatsApp, such as regulatory issues or user privacy concerns, would provide a more nuanced perspective and enhance the article's balance.

8
Clarity

The article is well-structured and uses clear, straightforward language to convey its points. The logical flow from discussing WhatsApp's user growth to its strategic importance within Meta is easy to follow. The tone is neutral and informative, making the content accessible to a broad audience.

However, the article could enhance clarity by providing more background on some technical terms, such as 'Meta AI,' for readers who may not be familiar with Meta's product lineup. Additionally, breaking down complex ideas, like the strategic implications of WhatsApp's user base, into simpler terms could further improve understanding.

8
Source quality

The article's primary sources are statements from Meta's CEO and CFO, which are highly credible given their authoritative positions within the company. These sources provide direct insights into WhatsApp's user metrics and strategic direction. However, the article could be strengthened by incorporating independent expert analysis or third-party data to provide additional context and verify claims made by Meta executives.

The reliance on internal company sources means the article presents a perspective closely aligned with Meta's corporate communications. While these sources are reliable, diversifying the source base with external viewpoints would enhance the article's credibility and provide a more rounded picture of the situation.

7
Transparency

The article provides a clear presentation of claims and attributes them to specific individuals within Meta, such as Mark Zuckerberg and Susan Li. However, the piece could improve transparency by offering more explicit citations or references to the conference call or other public sources where these statements were made.

While the article does not disclose any conflicts of interest, it would benefit from a clearer explanation of its methodology, particularly how it obtained and verified the information presented. This would help readers understand the basis of the claims and assess the article's impartiality more effectively.

Sources

  1. https://techcrunch.com/2025/05/01/whatsapp-now-has-more-than-3-billion-users/
  2. https://backlinko.com/whatsapp-users
  3. https://www.sammyfans.com/2025/05/01/whatsapp-quietly-builds-a-3-billion-user-empire/
  4. https://nairametrics.com/2025/05/01/whatsapp-crosses-3-billion-monthly-users-as-meta-doubles-down-on-ai-strategy/
  5. https://analyzify.com/statsup/whatsapp