WhatsApp continues to hold its position as Russia’s most popular messaging application, despite the government’s efforts to promote its domestic competitor, Max. According to a report by the business newspaper Kommersant, the Meta-owned platform boasted 97 million unique monthly users in August, reflecting a modest increase from the previous year.
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In comparison, VK, the state-affiliated developer of the Max app, reported 93.5 million monthly users across its various platforms last month. Telegram, another significant player in the market, secured third place with 91 million users. Launched in March, Max is rapidly gaining traction, yet it still lags behind its more established rivals. The app recorded 32.2 million monthly users in August, but saw over 34 million downloads in the first half of September, as reported by Kommersant.
However, daily engagement remains a challenge for Max. WhatsApp recorded 82 million daily users, while Telegram approached 68 million. In contrast, Max’s daily user count stood at just 7 million in August, which surged to 16.4 million by early September.
Analysts suggest that the recent spike in downloads for Max can be attributed to aggressive state promotion, although many Russians have yet to adopt it as their primary messaging platform. WhatsApp remains deeply integrated into personal and professional communications, while VK and Telegram have successfully attracted users by offering features that encompass news, payments, and entertainment.
In August, the Russian government initiated restrictions on voice calls via WhatsApp and Telegram, framing these measures as anti-fraud initiatives. This development coincided with a concerted push to promote Max, which is now mandated to be pre-installed on all personal devices sold within the country and is being actively marketed in educational institutions and government agencies for work-related communications.
Looking ahead, analysts project that Max’s user base could expand by as much as 25% by the end of 2025, in stark contrast to the anticipated growth of just 1-9% for the established leaders in the messaging app sector.
