Significant Increase in Social Media App Downloads in Indonesia in 2024

Sensor Tower's *State of Mobile 2025* report reveals a significant increase in downloads of social networking and social messaging apps in Indonesia during 2024.

Last year, download volume reached 534 million, a 35.5% year-on-year (YoY) increase.

However, over a four-year trend, social app downloads had declined for two consecutive years.

In 2021, there were 519 million downloads, falling 11% YoY to 462 million in 2022. This figure dropped again by 14.7% YoY to 394 million in 2023.

The research team notes that iOS and Android users spent a total of three trillion hours on social media and social messaging apps throughout 2024, a 6% YoY increase from 2.8 trillion hours in 2023.

"India is one of the main contributors to this growth, with social app usage in the country increasing by 16% year-on-year," Sensor Tower wrote, as quoted on Tuesday (20/5/2025).

Sensor Tower also reports that social apps are diversifying their monetization strategies. While previously social media giants heavily relied on advertising as their primary revenue source, social media apps are now generating profit from in-app purchases (IAP).

"TikTok's success with in-app purchases (IAP) is encouraging other apps like Instagram and Snapchat to add IAP as an additional revenue stream—especially as new regulations make the advertising market increasingly challenging," Sensor Tower wrote.

The research team adds that download numbers remain high despite a relatively stable market. However, opportunities still exist for new players to enter.

"For example, the major changes at the X (Twitter) platform after its acquisition by Elon Musk have opened up space for several new microblogging apps to enter the market," Sensor Tower wrote.