Social Media Apps Usage in KSA 2026.
SCOP's fifth annual study finds Saudis using fewer apps overall, with WhatsApp, Snapchat and TikTok still on top and YouTube and Telegram falling fastest.
By Saudi Center for Opinion Polling (SCOP) · Aug 6, 2026
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For the fifth year running, the Saudi Center for Opinion Polling surveyed how people in the Kingdom use social media apps: which ones they know, use and prefer, why they use them, and what good and harm they feel the apps do. The fieldwork ran in July 2026 with 1,266 respondents and a margin of error of ±2.8%.
Key findings
- WhatsApp is still the most used app at 87%, followed by Snapchat (77%) and TikTok (68%). YouTube dropped to 57% from the high 70s a year earlier, and Telegram fell to 37%.
- Usage of almost every app declined compared with 2025, which the study reads as a shift toward instant messaging and short video.
- Snapchat leads on top-of-mind (31% name it first) and on preference (30%), ahead of WhatsApp (24%) and TikTok (22%).
- Women over-index on Instagram (57% vs 41%) and TikTok (73% vs 64%); men use X more (41% vs 35%).
- Among 18–34s, Snapchat (85%) edges out WhatsApp (84%), with TikTok at 74%. For people over 50, it is WhatsApp (91%) and TikTok (58%).
- 78% say social media has a positive effect on them, mainly easier communication (29%) and self-learning (21%). 45% also see a negative effect, and two-thirds of those name wasted time.
Why it matters
Snapchat and TikTok remain the Kingdom's attention platforms for younger audiences, while YouTube's sharp drop is a signal to re-check video plans built on last year's reach assumptions.
About this report
Published by Saudi Center for Opinion Polling (SCOP), August 2026. Free to download. Get the full report from Saudi Center for Opinion Polling (SCOP)