Threads went live on 5 July 2023 and exploded out of the gate with 100 million sign-ups in five days. That made it one of the fastest consumer app launches ever.
A full web app arrived on 22 August 2023, which quietly turned Threads from phone-only to something you can work in all day.
Europe got access on 14 December 2023 after Meta cleared local privacy questions.
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By mid-2025, the audience had grown large enough to matter. Similarweb data reported by major outlets shows 115.1 million daily mobile users in June 2025, closing the gap with X on mobile. More recently, Meta leaders said Threads crossed 400 million monthly active users.
Posts support up to 500 characters plus links, photos, and videos up to five minutes. That is straight from Meta’s own launch spec.
How Threads works
Your feeds
There are two main views.
- For You shows a ranked blend of accounts you follow and recommended posts.
- Following shows only the people you follow in time order. Meta has also shipped more control, including the ability to make Following or a custom feed your default, and to limit replies or quotes to followers for cleaner conversations.
Discovery and Tags
Threads uses Tags rather than classic hashtags. They rolled out globally in December 2023. You add a topic, and it becomes a blue link, which helps intent and cuts spam.
Search
Search started as keywords in 2023 and continued to improve through 2024 and 2025, alongside a TweetDeck-style multi-column web layout that lets you pin searches, notifications, saved posts, and more.
Formats that pull views
In September 2024, Threads expanded carousels so a single post can carry up to 20 photos or videos. Great for tutorials and step-by-step explainers that people save.
Open-web reach
Threads is piloting the fediverse. Turn it on, and people on ActivityPub servers like Mastodon can follow your profile and like your posts. Meta has been widening that beta.
In 2025, scheduling became widely visible, Insights matured, and creators got quality-of-life controls such as topics in bio and follower-only replies. Threads has also been testing a dedicated DMs inbox in select markets, a hint at brand and community chats moving in-app.
The Threads Bonus Program
Meta ran a limited, invite-only Bonus Program to jump-start creator activity. Invites went to US creators during the 2024 testing.
Requirements varied by account and often included minimum views per post and a minimum earnings threshold before payout.
Watermarked or brand-partnership posts did not qualify. Creators tracked progress in the Professional Dashboard.
How people got in
You did not apply in public. Eligible creators received an invitation in their dashboard, which required them to maintain a public Threads profile and adhere to Meta’s creator incentive terms.
In 2025, Meta ended the program. If you are hearing about bonuses from older posts, that is why you cannot find a sign-up today.
Threads moved into an ads era. Meta began testing ads in the United States and Japan in January 2025. Ads expanded after that initial phase. There is no public revenue share for creators on Threads as of now.
How to set up and get rolling
Sign in with your Instagram account. Your handle carries over, and you can customize your Threads profile separately. Meta’s help pages confirm you can delete a Threads profile on its own, which resolved the early tie-off issue.
Program your week
- Draft in batches on the desktop using multiple drafts.
- Schedule your week so you spend weekdays replying and building relationships rather than writing under pressure.
- Build one save-worthy asset each week, such as a 20-card carousel or a short explainer video.
Discovery habits that work
- Add one or two high-intent Tags that match the topic.
- Mix For You for reach and Following for relationships.
- Keep a pinned column for the searches you care about on the web app.
Making money now that bonuses are gone
There is no built-in creator payout on Threads today. Your revenue will come from your own offers and from brands. Treat Threads as the engine that fills the top of your funnel.
Show up daily with original posts and visible replies in your niche. Tags help people find you. Carousels and concise videos tend to earn saves and follows, which lift future reach.
Move attention to things you own. That can be a newsletter, a course, a membership, or a shop. Set a single call to action per post so people know the next step.
Cross-promote to Instagram Stories to pull in people who missed the post. When working with brands, consider letting them run Partnership Ads, Meta’s term for boosting creator posts from the creator’s handle. These often perform better than brand-handle ads because they look and feel native.
Use Insights to track reach, replies, and follows per post. Compare formats each week and make sequels to the winners. That is the creative rhythm most consistent accounts follow once scheduling and drafts are in place.
If you do sponsorships or affiliate, label them properly with Meta’s branded content tools and follow Meta’s Partner Monetization Policies. Also, follow the US Federal Trade Commission’s Endorsement Guides, which require clear and conspicuous disclosure, such as Ad or Paid partnership with the brand, placed where people will not miss it.
Creator FAQ
Do I need Instagram to join
Yes. You log in with Instagram, then customize your Threads profile as needed.
Can I delete my Threads profile without deleting Instagram
Yes. You can delete or deactivate your Threads profile separately through the help center.
What are the current post limits?
Up to 500 characters and videos up to five minutes. Carousels can include as many as 20 photos or videos.
Does Threads still pay bonuses?
No. The invite-only Bonus Program ended in 2025.
Are there ads on Threads now
Yes. Meta started testing ads in the United States and Japan in January 2025, with broader availability afterward. There is no platform revenue share for creators yet.
Are DMs coming
Threads has been testing a dedicated inbox in certain markets. Watch for rollouts if you handle brand deals or community support.
Conclusion
Threads started fast, stumbled for a moment, then did the boring, important work of shipping a web app, analytics, drafts, and scheduling.
It now moves culture at scale, with a daily mobile audience measured in the hundreds of millions and with controls that let creators steer conversations.
The play is simple. Post consistently. Reply generously. Use Insights to see what converts. Focus the attention you earn on the offers you own. When Meta eventually opens a broader payout model, you will already be the account people trust.
