shouldiuse.io

VERDICT

Should I use Threads?

Meta's text-based social network, an X/Twitter alternative tied to Instagram - threads.net

Depends. Worth using if you're a brand or creator riding Instagram's audience and want free extra reach. Skip it if you need proven engagement, privacy, or a serious business channel.

Confidence

Medium. Based on ~12 usable public sources. Many 'Threads' search results referenced a 1984 film, cosmetic thread lifts, or unrelated products and were excluded.

Ratings

  • Value for money
  • Ease of use
  • Feature depth
  • Support qualityNo evidence in sources reviewed
  • Security posture

Pricing

$0

Free

ModelNot disclosed
Monthly fees400M+
HardwareNot disclosed
Free tierYes

Best for

  • Brands already on Instagram
  • Creators wanting an X alternative
  • Marketers testing Meta's ad reach

Not for

  • Privacy-sensitive users and regulated industries
  • B2B teams needing lead gen, not broadcast reach
  • Small teams wanting a measurable support channel
  • Anyone refusing Meta/Instagram account lock-in

Gotchas - check before you buy

high

Privacy policy spans sensitive categories (health, financial, location) — audit before linking a brand account

medium

Ads rolled out to all users; organic posts now compete with paid content

medium

Scammers have used Threads to circulate stolen credit card info — expect spam and impersonation

medium

Early users urged adjusting privacy settings immediately; defaults lean open

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Free with massive reach: 400M+ monthly users
  • Backed by Meta; one of the fastest-growing apps ever
  • Ads now reach all users — a buyable channel for marketers
  • Simpler text-posting alternative to X

Cons

  • Users openly doubt engagement: 'Does anyone actually use Threads successfully?'
  • 400M users, but critics see little cultural relevance
  • Some users find it more toxic and negative than Reddit
  • Privacy reviewers flag collection of health, financial, location data
  • Trustpilot reviewers are scathing: 'Absolute pile of crap'

Sources & method

Analyzed 9/24/2026 - 12 sources - No product vulnerabilities found in sources reviewed; privacy breadth is the main concern.

official x2review x4security x2news x4
  • Broad personal data collection, Privacy reviewers flag Threads collecting categories spanning health, financial, and location data.
  • Criminal misuse of the platform, Malicious actors have circulated stolen credit card information via Threads posts.

Key stats

  • Value for money: 5/5

    Rating

  • $0

    Starting price

  • 12

    Sources

  • Analyzed

  • Value for money: 5/5. Free; you pay with data, not dollars
  • Ease of use: 4/5. Simple, familiar Instagram-style feed
  • Feature depth: 2/5. Sparse compared with X and Bluesky
  • Support quality. No evidence in sources reviewed
  • Security posture: 2/5. Broad personal data collection flagged by privacy reviewers
  • 400M+ Monthly users Meta reported 500M by June 2026
  • $0 Price Free; ad-supported, ads now reach all users
  • Yes Free tier No paid tier offered
  • 2023 Launched One of the fastest-growing apps ever (Time)

Pricing

Free

$0

  • Full consumer app
  • Ad-supported; ads now shown to all users
  • No paid tier available

Security

No product vulnerabilities found in sources reviewed; privacy breadth is the main concern.

  • Broad personal data collectionPrivacy reviewers flag Threads collecting categories spanning health, financial, and location data.⁹
  • Criminal misuse of the platformMalicious actors have circulated stolen credit card information via Threads posts.10

What users say

Users are split: they like the free, simple format but many doubt real engagement and some call the tone more toxic than Reddit.

“Threads is way more toxic and negative than Reddit.”
Reddit, r/The10thDentist
“Does anyone actually use Threads successfully?”
Reddit, r/socialmedia
“Absolute pile of crap, T…”
Trustpilot reviewer

Alternatives

Compare Threads with each alternative.

  • Bluesky

    Decentralized X alternative with portable accounts and calmer vibe

  • Mastodon

    Guess: federated, ad-free microblogging with more privacy control

  • X (Twitter)

    Largest real-time audience if reach matters more than privacy

Full analysis

Based on ~12 usable public sources. Many 'Threads' search results referenced a 1984 film, cosmetic thread lifts, or unrelated products and were excluded.

Free Meta social app, 400M+ users, thin engagement proof, broad data collection. Good for brands, not privacy fans.

Methodology

Based on ~12 usable public sources. Many 'Threads' search results referenced a 1984 film, cosmetic thread lifts, or unrelated products and were excluded.

Sources

  1. An honest review of Meta's new Threads appvogue.sg
    review
  2. Trustpilot reviews of www.threads.nettrustpilot.com
    review
  3. Does anyone actually use Threads successfully?reddit.com
    review
  4. Threads is way more toxic and negative than Redditreddit.com
    review
  5. Threads has 400 million monthly users — but no cultural relevancemashable.com
    news
  6. New features to celebrate 500 million monthly usersabout.fb.com
    official
  7. Ads on Threads: one year infacebook.com
    official
  8. How Threads became one of the fastest growing apps evertime.com
    news
  9. Meta's Threads and privacy concernshalock.com
    security
  10. Meta's Threads used to circulate stolen credit card infochannele2e.com
    security
  11. Bluesky vs. Threads: which X alternative is right for you?pcworld.com
    news
  12. What is Threads? What you need to know in 2026socialbee.com
    news

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