Instagram Reels Statistics 2026
The most comprehensive collection of Instagram Reels data — daily plays, engagement rates, ad revenue, creator adoption, algorithm reach, and platform comparisons with verified sources.
200B+
Daily Reels plays across Instagram and Facebook
Source: Meta Q2 2023 Earnings
Last updated: 2026-02-01
Reels Reach & Daily Views
Instagram Reels dominate reach on the platform, outperforming every other content format by a wide margin.
200B+
Reels played per day across Instagram and Facebook combined.
Source: Meta Earnings 2023
2B
Monthly active users interacting with Instagram Reels.
Source: Backlinko 2025
4.5B
Daily Reels reshares through Instagram Direct Messages.
Source: DemandSage 2025
36%
More reach than carousels — Reels outperform every other format.
Source: Socialinsider 2025
125%
More reach than static photo posts (2.25x multiplier).
Source: Socialinsider 2025
55%
Of Reel views come from users who do not follow the creator.
Source: Zebracat 2025
22%
More interaction than standard video posts on Instagram.
Source: Socialinsider 2025
Reels Reach Advantage Over Other Instagram Formats
Percentage of additional reach Reels deliver compared to other content types.
Reels Engagement Rates
Engagement rates vary significantly by account size — smaller accounts consistently outperform larger ones on Reels.
1.23%
Average engagement rate per Reel, compared to 0.70% for photos and 0.99% for carousels.
Source: Metricool 2025
5.53%
Average engagement rate across 1.6M+ Reels analyzed, down 20% year-over-year.
Source: Metricool 2025
20%
View rate for small accounts (1K–5K followers) — the highest tier.
Source: Socialinsider 2025
10.2%
View rate for accounts with 5K–10K followers.
Source: Socialinsider 2025
4%
View rate for large accounts (100K–1M followers) — drops significantly with scale.
Source: Socialinsider 2025
243
Average likes per Reel, with 8 comments and 28 saves.
Source: Statista 2025
70%+
Impression rate for accounts with 1K–5K followers.
Source: Socialinsider 2025
Reels View Rate by Account Size
Smaller accounts achieve dramatically higher view rates on Reels.
$50B+
Annual revenue run rate for Reels across Instagram and Facebook, announced October 2025.
Reels have become Meta's fastest-growing ad format, with over 50% of all Instagram ads running in Reels in 2025.
Source: Meta Q3 2025 Earnings
Reels Ad Revenue & Performance
50%+
Of all Instagram ads ran in Reels in 2025, up from 35% in 2024.
Source: CNBC / Sensor Tower 2026
726.8M
Reels ad audience — 55.1% of Instagram's total ad reach.
Source: DataReportal 2025
$4.29
Average CPM for Reels ads — the lowest among Instagram ad placements.
Source: WebFX 2025
27%
Higher engagement for Reels ads compared to static feed advertisements.
Source: Loopex Digital 2025
$67.27B
Instagram total ad revenue in 2025, with Reels driving growing share.
Source: eMarketer 2025
53.1%
Instagram overtook Facebook for the first time, generating over 53% of Meta's US ad revenue.
Source: eMarketer 2025
Meta Total Revenue Growth (Billions USD)
Meta's overall revenue trajectory, driven in part by Reels ad growth.
Reels Watch Time & Session Data
46%
Of US Instagram time spent on Reels in 2025, up from 37% in 2024.
Source: CNBC / Sensor Tower 2026
30%+
Year-over-year watch time increase for Reels in the US in Q4 2025.
Source: Meta Q4 2025 Earnings
33m
Average daily time spent on Instagram, with Reels consuming the dominant share.
Source: DataReportal 2025
38.5%
Of the average Instagram user's feed is Reels content.
Source: Teleprompter 2025
41%
Of total Reel views come within the first 24 hours of posting.
Source: Teleprompter 2025
Reels Completion Rate by Duration
Shorter Reels dramatically outperform longer ones in completion rates.
Creator & Business Adoption
59%
Of all Instagram creator content is Reels — the dominant format.
Source: Socialinsider 2025
57.4%
Year-over-year increase in business Reels usage.
Source: Sprout Social 2025
53%
Of US marketers used Reels for influencer marketing campaigns.
Source: Sprout Social 2025
68%
Of brands significantly increased Reels investment in the past 12 months.
Source: Loopex Digital 2025
57%
Of businesses report increased brand awareness after regularly posting Reels.
Source: Zebracat 2025
29%
Average ROI increase for businesses integrating Reels into their marketing.
Source: Loopex Digital 2025
Reels Algorithm & Discovery
47%
Of all Reel views come from Instagram's Explore page.
Source: TrueFuture Media 2026
64%
Of users discover new creators primarily through the Reels tab.
Source: TrueFuture Media 2026
45%
More Explore placements for accounts that consistently post Reels.
Source: TrueFuture Media 2026
3–5x
DM shares weighted more heavily than likes by Instagram's algorithm for distributing Reels.
Source: DataSlayer / Mosseri 2026
14x
More reach for Reels scoring above 7.5 on Dash Hudson's Entertainment Score vs below 2.5.
Source: Dash Hudson 2025
60%+
3-second hold rate threshold — Reels above this outperform weak holds by 5–10x in reach.
Source: Teleprompter 2025
Reels vs TikTok vs YouTube Shorts
Head-to-head comparison of the three major short-form video platforms.
| Metric | Metric | Instagram Reels | TikTok | YouTube Shorts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly Active Users | Monthly Active Users | 2B | 1.9B | 2B |
| Daily Views | Daily Views | 200B+ | N/A | 200B+ |
| Avg Engagement Rate | Avg Engagement Rate | 1.48% | 2.34% | 0.91% |
| Avg Viewer Retention | Avg Viewer Retention | 65% | 78% | 73% |
| Creator Revenue Share | Creator Revenue Share | Bonuses + Ads | $0.40–$1 RPM | 45% rev share |
| Avg Session Time | Avg Session Time | 33m (total app) | 95m | N/A |
| Ad Revenue Run Rate | Ad Revenue Run Rate | $50B+ (combined) | $33.1B | ~$3B est. |
Engagement Rate: Reels vs TikTok vs YouTube Shorts
Instagram User Demographics
Age and gender breakdown of Instagram's global user base — the audience consuming Reels.
| Metric | Demographic | Share | Notable Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18–24 | 18–24 | 31.3% | Largest Reels-consuming segment |
| 25–34 | 25–34 | 31.0% | Second-largest, highest purchasing power |
| Under 35 | Under 35 | 70%+ | Reels-native audience dominates |
| Male | Male | 50.6% | Most balanced gender split in social |
| Female | Female | 49.4% | Near-equal gender distribution |
Instagram Users by Age Group
Meta Earnings & Reels Impact
$201B
Meta full-year 2025 revenue, up 22% YoY, with Reels as a key growth driver.
Source: Meta Q4 2025 Earnings
$59.89B
Meta Q4 2025 revenue, up 24% year-over-year.
Source: Meta Q4 2025 Earnings
3.54B
Daily active people across Meta's family of apps in Q3 2025, up 8% YoY.
Source: Meta Q3 2025 Earnings
472.6M
Instagram users in India — the largest market globally, followed by the US (179.9M).
Source: Statista 2025
Instagram Reels Key Milestones
Instagram launches Reels in 50+ countries as a TikTok competitor.
Reels expands globally; Instagram shifts full-screen feed to prioritize Reels.
Reels reach 2 billion daily plays; Meta reports Reels is the fastest-growing content format.
2B daily plays
Reels surpass 200 billion daily plays across Instagram and Facebook.
200B daily plays
Reels account for 37% of US Instagram time; 35% of all Instagram ads run in Reels.
37% of time spent
Reels reach $50B+ annual revenue run rate; 50%+ of Instagram ads are now Reels; 46% of US time on Reels.
$50B+ revenue run rate
Frequently Asked Questions
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Sources
- Meta Q2 2023 Earnings — 200B Daily Reels Plays
- Meta Q3 2025 Earnings — $50B Reels Revenue Run Rate
- Meta Q4 2025 Earnings Report
- CNBC — Meta Q4 2025 Earnings
- CNBC — Most Instagram Ads Ran on Reels in 2025
- Socialinsider — Instagram Benchmarks 2025
- Socialinsider — TikTok vs Reels vs Shorts
- Backlinko — Instagram Users
- DemandSage — Instagram Reel Statistics
- Teleprompter — 2025 Instagram Reels Statistics
- Zebracat — Instagram Reels Statistics
- Blogging Wizard — Instagram Reels Statistics
- Sprout Social — Instagram Statistics 2025
- eMarketer — Instagram Ad Revenue
- WebFX — Meta Ad Benchmarks
- Loopex Digital — Instagram Reels Statistics
- Buffer — Instagram Statistics 2025
- Dash Hudson — Trend Report
- DataSlayer — Instagram Algorithm Guide
- TrueFuture Media — Instagram Reels Reach 2026
- Statista — Instagram Age Demographics
- Statista — Instagram Users by Country
- That Random Agency — Video Watch Time 2026
- OpusClip — Ideal Instagram Reels Length
- Yaguara — Short-Form Video Statistics
- Baltic Times — TikTok vs Reels vs Shorts 2025
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