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Facebook Messenger is one of the most recognizable messaging products in the world. It began as Facebook chat, evolved into a standalone app, and later became an important channel for voice and video calls, business messaging, customer service, and chatbot interactions.
Quick Answer (2026): Messenger’s best-known public user figure remains 1.3 billion users. Meta also said 20 billion messages per month were exchanged between people and businesses on Messenger, and the platform later shifted to end-to-end encryption by default.
Messenger key statistics
| Metric | Figure | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Users | 1.3 billion | 2019 |
| Active businesses | 40 million | 2019 |
| Messages per month between people and businesses | 20 billion | 2019 |
| People using audio/video calling monthly | 410 million | 2019 |
| Daily video calls | 150 million | 2020 |
| Photos sent monthly | 17 billion | 2019 |
How many people use Messenger?
The most widely cited public figure for Messenger is 1.3 billion users, a number Meta highlighted in 2019. More recent public reporting tends to focus on features, privacy, and business messaging rather than updated standalone MAU totals.
Messenger for businesses
Messenger has also been a major business communication platform. Meta said 20 billion messages per month were being exchanged between people and businesses on Messenger in 2019.
At around the same time, TechCrunch reported 40 million active businesses on Messenger.
Messenger calling and media usage
- 410 million people used Messenger audio and video calling monthly in 2019
- 150 million video calls happened daily in 2020
- 17 billion photos were sent per month in 2019
Messenger privacy and encryption
One of the biggest modern changes to Messenger is privacy architecture. Meta explained in 2024 that end-to-end encryption protects Messenger messages and calls so that message content cannot be read by Meta during delivery.
That shift is more important in 2026 than many older novelty stats because it changes how Messenger is positioned against other major chat apps.
Messenger history timeline
- 2011: Standalone Messenger app launches
- 2013: Voice calling added
- 2015: Payments, video calling, and business features expanded
- 2016: Messenger Lite and bots introduced
- 2023–2024: End-to-end encryption rolled out by default
FAQ
How many users does Messenger have?
The most commonly cited public figure is 1.3 billion users.
How many businesses use Messenger?
Messenger had about 40 million active businesses in 2019.
How many business messages are sent on Messenger?
Meta said about 20 billion messages per month were exchanged between people and businesses.
Is Messenger encrypted?
Yes. Meta says Messenger now uses end-to-end encryption for personal messages and calls.
Sources / References
