WhatsApp Crosses 1 Billion Users

A few weeks ago, Facebook Inc FB’s popular messaging app, WhatsApp announced it would no longer charge subscription fees as it nears 1 billion users.

The app used to charge users $0.99 per year after a free trial period of one year – or so they said, although they were not charging a lot of users. Now, they have promised not only a forever-free app, but also an ad-free app.

“Starting this year, we will test tools that allow you to use WhatsApp to communicate with businesses and organizations that you want [emphasis omitted] to hear from. That could mean communicating with your bank about whether a recent transaction was fraudulent, or with an airline about a delayed flight. We all get these messages elsewhere today – through text messages and phone calls – so we want to test new tools to make this easier to do on WhatsApp, while still giving you an experience without third-party ads and spam,” an official blog post explained.

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However, more interesting than the gratuity of the app is its popularity. Although a lot of people in the U.S. might be unfamiliar with WhatsApp, the messaging service is extremely popular in South America, Europe and some parts of Asia, and is about to (or probably has already) hit a billion users. As of January 18, CEO Jan Korum said the app counted with 990 million users around the world. Out of them, 70 percent use it daily.

Below is a chart that illustrates WhatsApp’s path to 1 billion users.

On Monday afternoon, WhatsApp wrote in a blog post that it officially crossed 1 billion users.

"We are proud of this milestone, and we're humbled by the extraordinary ways all of you have used WhatsApp. Whether it's sharing vital information during natural disasters or health emergencies, finding a date, growing a small business, buying an engagement ring, or seeking a better life – we're honored to be a small part of what people are doing to make their lives and the lives of those around them better."

Disclosure: Javier Hasse holds no positions in any of the securities mentioned above.

Image Credit: Public Domain