At a Glance
- Meta will start showing ads to all Threads users worldwide next week
- The rollout is gradual and could take months to finish
- Threads has rocketed to 400 million monthly active users since its July 2023 launch
- Why it matters: Users who joined the ad-free X rival will now encounter sponsored posts as Meta races toward its 1-billion-user goal
Meta is cranking open the ad spigot on Threads. Starting next week, every person scrolling the 400-million-user app will begin seeing paid posts, the company confirmed Wednesday. The global expansion follows limited tests in the U.S. and Japan and will unfold slowly, with Meta warning it “may take months” before the last user sees their first ad.
From Zero to 400 Million in Under Two Years
Threads has posted hockey-stick growth since its debut in July 2023:
- 200 million users by mid-2024
- 320 million by January 2025
- 400 million as of April 2025
CEO Mark Zuckerberg has told investors the app has “a good chance” of hitting the coveted 1-billion-user mark within a few years.
How Ads Will Work
Advertisers who already run campaigns on Facebook, Instagram, or WhatsApp can flip a switch and include Threads in their mix. Both automated Advantage+ buys and manual campaigns support:
- Image ads
- Video ads
- Carousel ads
- 4:5 aspect ratio creatives
All creative, targeting, and reporting live in the same Business Settings dashboard marketers already use for Meta’s other properties.
Brand Safety Play
Meta is importing third-party verification tools from Facebook and Instagram to Threads. Partners in the Meta Business Partners program can now provide independent brand-safety and suitability scoring for the Threads feed, a move the company frames as critical while rival X wrestles with deepfake controversies.
Ad Load Kept Low-For Now
Meta refused to specify how frequently users will see ads, saying only that delivery will remain “low” during the initial global ramp-up.
Key Takeaways
- Every Threads user worldwide will start seeing ads within days
- Advertisers can extend existing Meta campaigns to Threads instantly
- Brand-safety verification is already live through Meta’s partner network
- No word on final ad frequency, but early volumes will stay light
