I first signed up to the social network Bluesky around 18 months ago, when the platform saw a small surge in users disaffected by Elon Musk’s approach to what was then still called Twitter.It didn’t stick.

The social network Bluesky has been growing at a rapid rate ever since the US presidential election concluded. And now it shows no signs of anything but continued expansion. Bluesky is currently No. 1 on the free app section of the US iPhone App Store,

Bluesky saw its user count hit and surpass 20 million on Tuesday, a major milestone for a social network that officially launched in February of 2023 on an invite-only basis.

Over the past week, Bluesky’s growth has exploded, more than doubling to 15 million-plus users as people seek alternatives to X, Facebook and Threads. It has rocketed to the top of Apple’s and Google’s app stores as the most downloaded free app. Its ascent has been so rapid that the company has been forced to grow up practically overnight.

On the mobile front, Bluesky's iOS app is currently at the top of the charts among all free apps in Apple's App Store. As Number 1, it's ahead of other popular free apps like Threads, ChatGPT, Google,

Bluesky and Facebook may share the same industry, but their origins could hardly be more different. Facebook, launched by Mark Zuckerberg in 2004, began rather humbly as a networking site for college students but evolved over the next decade into the global phenomenon we know today.

While it remains small compared to established online spaces such as X, it has emerged as an alternative for those looking for a different mood.

As social media users flock to Bluesky for a Twitter/X alternative, find out more about how you can create a perfectly Broadway-themed algorithm. Find out how to create an account, which Broadway stars to follow on Bluesky,