7 ms·

Keep in mind: 1) Most Facebook users use the app, not the website, which Alexa doesn't track (Which is also why Facebook doesn't fear commonly used ad blockers

by cm2012 8y ago

Keep in mind: 1) Most Facebook users use the app, not the website, which Alexa doesn't track (Which is also why Facebook doesn't fear commonly used ad blockers). 2) Alexa uses a number of metrics to rank sites, including pages visited. Reddit users load many more individual pages than FB users. In reality, Reddit is nowhere near close to the traffic and engagement leviathan that is Facebook.

devy 8y ago
I agree. The amount of the network, data center engineering resources between facebook and reddit aren't even on the same magnitude.
- Vogtinator 8y ago
  That's not really comparable. Facebook needs much more computation while reddit is basically just a database full of text.
  - skeletonjelly 8y ago
    Each user has their own view of the frontpage though, which is computationally pretty expensive. Trees of comments similarly can get data heavy. Hard to compare IMO
bpicolo 8y ago
It's quite possible that Reddit has many more mobile users than desktop users, but I can't say whether the official app is the most-used of the bunch
kkarp 8y ago
plus a lot of Facebook users concerned about their privacy installed some third party script blockers. They are probably now below Alexa's radar
- baby 8y ago
  There's no way this amount to a significant number.
- thinkling 8y ago
  I would hazard a guess that percentage-wise more of Reddit's users are savvy enough to install script blockers than Facebook users are.
davedx 8y ago
> Most Facebook users use the app, not the website Source?
- barryduffman 8y ago
  "90% of Facebook’s daily active users access it via mobile" - https://thenextweb.com/facebook/2016/01/27/90-of-facebooks-daily-and-monthly-active-users-access-it-via-mobile/ https://thenextweb.com/facebook/2016/01/27/90-of-facebooks-d... And before you suggest that those users might still be using it on desktop more than on mobile: "Mobile advertising revenue represented approximately 91% of advertising revenue for the first quarter of 2018, up from approximately 85% of advertising revenue in the first quarter of 2017." - https://investor.fb.com/investor-news/press-release-details/2018/Facebook-Reports-First-Quarter-2018-Results/default.aspx https://investor.fb.com/investor-news/press-release-details/...
  - philipkglass 8y ago
    That doesn't say whether they are using an app on mobile or just a mobile browser. The app is (was? I haven't used it in ages) a notorious energy-hog that will drain your battery.
    - barryduffman 8y ago
      Unfortunately I can't find numbers that break down mobile site vs. native app use. Judging by how poorly maintained and how rarely updated the mobile site is, I think it's safe to assume that the vast majority of people are using the native apps, not the mobile site. Major features like the marketplace and video tabs are nowhere to be seen on the mobile site, for example. If the mobile sites were getting the bulk of users, Facebook would surely prioritize it.
      - askvictor 8y ago
        I don't think that's safe to assume at all. A lot of phone users (think mostly older people) still don't really know what an app store is. I don't have any numbers, but from seeing how 'ordinary' people use their phones, I wouldn't make any assumptions about preferring apps. As for facebook's priorities - they could surely also be neglecting the mobile site with the aim of getting people to install and use their app. Again, I don't know if this is the case, but it's certainly plausible.
Viper007Bond 8y ago
An absolute ton of Reddit users browse the site via apps too. Something to keep in mind. I still agree that Facebook is larger though.
- jlpom 8y ago
  I don't know the usage stats, but I think the app/website ratio is nowhere near the one of facebook. Some probable reasons for this (unbacked) claim: 1) Long sessions are more suitable on a laptop/desktop than on a smartphone (the average session time is ~15mn). 2) There is still a nerdy userbase (mostly early users) who prefer to use the website with all the features. 3) The app is relatively recent (April 2016 vs 2012 for Facebook). 4) The official app is not really good IMO (e.g. scrolling is laggy and the UI could be better).
  - xxorlak 8y ago
    Nobody uses the official reddit apps. I've been using third party reddit apps (which are amazing) since 2010 (Galaxy S1).
    - deleted 8y ago
      [deleted]
    - lordvigm 8y ago
      Well I use the official app. I tried redditisfun but it was pretty much the same. Do you suggest any other app?
      - jasonjs 8y ago
        Relay is quite good, I have (shamefully) used it for hour-long browsing sessions.
        i_cant_speel 8y ago
        I'll second this. I've tried other ones but I always end up coming back to Relay.
rhacker 8y ago
Thanks for noting this, as I am not a reddit or facebook user, the headline and alexa page said nothing of actual usage trends.
wuliwong 8y ago
While this maybe true, none of what you mention has changed recently but this ranking did. This ranking change at least points to a trend. Maybe the percentage of mobile use is increasing at faster rate on FB vs Reddit, recently. But according to the nextweb link someone shared in this thread, FB had nearly 90% of their traffic via mobile already in 2016.
- gcb0 8y ago
  what changed recently: craigslist and all other sex classifieds closing because of new US legislation and camwhoring going mainstream. both of those thing converged into reddit.
zymhan 8y ago
Remember when people thought Facebook wasn't going to be able to pivot to mobile ads and make money there?

by cm2012 8y ago

devy 8y ago

I agree. The amount of the network, data center engineering resources between facebook and reddit aren't even on the same magnitude.

Vogtinator 8y ago
That's not really comparable. Facebook needs much more computation while reddit is basically just a database full of text.
- skeletonjelly 8y ago
  Each user has their own view of the frontpage though, which is computationally pretty expensive. Trees of comments similarly can get data heavy. Hard to compare IMO

bpicolo 8y ago

It's quite possible that Reddit has many more mobile users than desktop users, but I can't say whether the official app is the most-used of the bunch

kkarp 8y ago

plus a lot of Facebook users concerned about their privacy installed some third party script blockers. They are probably now below Alexa's radar

baby 8y ago
There's no way this amount to a significant number.
thinkling 8y ago
I would hazard a guess that percentage-wise more of Reddit's users are savvy enough to install script blockers than Facebook users are.

davedx 8y ago

> Most Facebook users use the app, not the website Source?

barryduffman 8y ago
"90% of Facebook’s daily active users access it via mobile" - https://thenextweb.com/facebook/2016/01/27/90-of-facebooks-daily-and-monthly-active-users-access-it-via-mobile/ https://thenextweb.com/facebook/2016/01/27/90-of-facebooks-d... And before you suggest that those users might still be using it on desktop more than on mobile: "Mobile advertising revenue represented approximately 91% of advertising revenue for the first quarter of 2018, up from approximately 85% of advertising revenue in the first quarter of 2017." - https://investor.fb.com/investor-news/press-release-details/2018/Facebook-Reports-First-Quarter-2018-Results/default.aspx https://investor.fb.com/investor-news/press-release-details/...
- philipkglass 8y ago
  That doesn't say whether they are using an app on mobile or just a mobile browser. The app is (was? I haven't used it in ages) a notorious energy-hog that will drain your battery.
  - barryduffman 8y ago
    Unfortunately I can't find numbers that break down mobile site vs. native app use. Judging by how poorly maintained and how rarely updated the mobile site is, I think it's safe to assume that the vast majority of people are using the native apps, not the mobile site. Major features like the marketplace and video tabs are nowhere to be seen on the mobile site, for example. If the mobile sites were getting the bulk of users, Facebook would surely prioritize it.
    - askvictor 8y ago
      I don't think that's safe to assume at all. A lot of phone users (think mostly older people) still don't really know what an app store is. I don't have any numbers, but from seeing how 'ordinary' people use their phones, I wouldn't make any assumptions about preferring apps. As for facebook's priorities - they could surely also be neglecting the mobile site with the aim of getting people to install and use their app. Again, I don't know if this is the case, but it's certainly plausible.

Viper007Bond 8y ago

An absolute ton of Reddit users browse the site via apps too. Something to keep in mind. I still agree that Facebook is larger though.

jlpom 8y ago
I don't know the usage stats, but I think the app/website ratio is nowhere near the one of facebook. Some probable reasons for this (unbacked) claim: 1) Long sessions are more suitable on a laptop/desktop than on a smartphone (the average session time is ~15mn). 2) There is still a nerdy userbase (mostly early users) who prefer to use the website with all the features. 3) The app is relatively recent (April 2016 vs 2012 for Facebook). 4) The official app is not really good IMO (e.g. scrolling is laggy and the UI could be better).
- xxorlak 8y ago
  Nobody uses the official reddit apps. I've been using third party reddit apps (which are amazing) since 2010 (Galaxy S1).
  - deleted 8y ago
    [deleted]
  - lordvigm 8y ago
    Well I use the official app. I tried redditisfun but it was pretty much the same. Do you suggest any other app?
    - jasonjs 8y ago
      Relay is quite good, I have (shamefully) used it for hour-long browsing sessions.
      - i_cant_speel 8y ago
        I'll second this. I've tried other ones but I always end up coming back to Relay.

rhacker 8y ago

Thanks for noting this, as I am not a reddit or facebook user, the headline and alexa page said nothing of actual usage trends.

wuliwong 8y ago

While this maybe true, none of what you mention has changed recently but this ranking did. This ranking change at least points to a trend. Maybe the percentage of mobile use is increasing at faster rate on FB vs Reddit, recently. But according to the nextweb link someone shared in this thread, FB had nearly 90% of their traffic via mobile already in 2016.

gcb0 8y ago
what changed recently: craigslist and all other sex classifieds closing because of new US legislation and camwhoring going mainstream. both of those thing converged into reddit.

zymhan 8y ago

Remember when people thought Facebook wasn't going to be able to pivot to mobile ads and make money there?