Bluesky Social Statistics (2026): User Count, Growth, AT Protocol Facts

Bluesky is a social networking app (similar in format to X/Twitter) built on the AT Protocol, a federated, open-source framework for creating interoperable social apps and services. Bluesky began as a Twitter-funded initiative announced in 2019 and later became an independent company in 2021. (Bluesky)

• What is Bluesky?
• What is the AT Protocol?
• Bluesky statistics
• Leadership and company structure
• Sources & references

What is Bluesky?

Bluesky is a social media service for short posts that can include text, images, and video. Unlike a single, closed network, Bluesky is designed around the idea of protocol-first social networking—meaning the underlying standards (AT Protocol) are intended to support multiple apps and services that can interoperate. (Bluesky; Bluesky Docs)

What is the AT Protocol?

The AT Protocol (Authenticated Transfer Protocol) is an open standard intended for public conversation and interoperable social apps. In Bluesky’s documentation, the protocol is described as a framework that standardizes identity, follows, and data so users can move across apps more freely, with a federated architecture that supports account portability. (Bluesky Docs)

Bluesky statistics (2026)

Bluesky total users (network-wide):

41.41 million users (reported for 2025, including accounts hosted on Bluesky infrastructure and other AT Protocol personal data servers). (Bluesky Transparency Report (2025))

Growth in Bluesky users during 2025:

Bluesky reported growth of nearly 60% in 2025, from 25.94M to 41.41M users. (Bluesky Transparency Report (2025))

Bluesky user base (recently cited figure):

24 million users (2024) (WIRED interview reference point)

Growth in Bluesky users from September–December 2024 (commonly cited):

13 million users added (CNET reporting, 2024)

First Bluesky user reported to reach 1 million followers:

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (reported milestone in December 2024). (Engadget)

Leadership and company structure

When was Bluesky formed and when did it become independent?

Twitter announced Bluesky as a project it would fund in 2019, and Bluesky later formed as an independent organization in late 2021. (Bluesky)

Is Bluesky a public benefit corporation?

Yes. Bluesky Social states it is a Public Benefit Corporation, owned by Jay Graber and the Bluesky team, with a board that includes Jay Graber, Jeremie Miller, Mike Masnick, and Kinjal Shah. (Bluesky FAQ)

Will Bluesky have subscriptions?

Bluesky has publicly discussed developing a subscription model for optional features (for example, higher-quality video uploads and profile customization) while stating the service will remain free to use. (Bluesky post (Oct 24, 2024); The Verge)

Sources & references

• Bluesky — Transparency Report (2025): user totals and growth
• Bluesky — Company FAQ: public benefit corporation and board
• Bluesky Docs — The AT Protocol (Authenticated Transfer Protocol)
• Bluesky — “Announcing Bluesky” (background, formation, mission)
• WIRED — Jay Graber interview (2024 user figure reference)
• CNET — Bluesky growth reporting (Sep–Dec 2024)
• Engadget — AOC reported as first to 1M followers (Dec 2024)
• Bluesky profile — aoc.bsky.social