New study reveals the most addictive social media apps in 2025

New research has revealed the most addictive social media apps in 2025, with TikTok topping the ranking.

Social media experts at Media Mister analysed which social media apps have amassed the highest online search volumes for key terms relating to screen time reduction, such as “How to limit screen time on Instagram” and “How to quit doomscrolling on TikTok.”

The apps with the highest total search volumes then determined the final ranking.

The study reveals that TikTok is the most time-consuming app, accounting for 2,482.50 monthly searches on ways to limit screen time on the app. Recent studies have shown that the average person now spends 58.4 minutes per day on TikTok, which is a 31-minute increase from when the app was first released back in 2019. Popular online searches relating to TikTok screen time include “Why do I scroll on TikTok for hours” and “How to turn off screen time on TikTok.”

Instagram is identified as the second most time-consuming app, totaling an average of 1,422.50 online searches on ways to reduce screen time. Recent studies have shown that the average person spends an average of 33 minutes on Instagram every day. “How to limit screen time on Instagram” and “How to turn off screen time on Instagram” are both popular searches relating to the app’s screen time.

YouTube is in third place, with an average online search volume of 987.50 relating to the app’s screen time. As of 2024, the average person spends an average of 48.7 minutes per day on YouTube, which is almost a ten-minute increase compared to 2019.

Snapchat is identified as the fourth most time-consuming app, amassing an online monthly search volume of 838.33 on ways to limit screen time on the app. The average person tends to spend around 30 minutes per day on Snapchat.

Facebook is in fifth place, with an average monthly search volume of 592.50 on ways to reduce screen time on the app. “How to limit screen time on Facebook” and “Facebook time limit” are both popular search terms in relation to the app. According to recent studies, the average person spends around 31 minutes per day on Facebook, which is 20% less time in comparison to 2019.

Next on the list is X (formerly known as Twitter),with an average of 269.17 monthly searches in relation to cutting down screen time on the app. The average amount of time spent on X per day is 34 minutes, with 48% of users reporting that they primarily use the social media site for news updates.

Reddit is identified as the seventh most time-consuming app in the UK, with 268.33 monthly online searches on ways to reduce screen time on the app. “Reddit time limit” and “How to reduce screen time on Reddit” are both popular searches in relation to the app. The average person now spends roughly around 18 minutes per day on Reddit, with this figure increasing every year.

Discord is named as the eighth most time-consuming app, amassing 262.50 online searches in relation to screen time reduction. As of 2024, the average person spends nine minutes a day on the social media site.

John Rampton, the Chief Operating Officer of Media Mister, commented: “In the digital age, the time that we spend on our phones is rapidly becoming a point of concern for many people. It’s important to emphasise that apps are designed to have an addictive nature, which is why ‘doomscrolling’ has become such a prevalent phenomenon on apps such as TikTok and Instagram

“Screens have become intertwined with both our working life and leisure time, which is why the average person spends approximately 7 hours and 4 minutes looking at screens each day

“TikTok is becoming a particular point of concern when it comes to excessive screen time, with the average person spending almost an hour per day on the social media site.

“It’s essential to be aware of the early warning signs that you may be spending too much time on your phone. If you’re feeling guilty about your screen time or have trouble concentrating when you’re not on your phone, then it may be worth taking proactive steps to cut down your daily screen time.

“As well as having a significant impact on your mental health, spending too much time on your phone can also result in physical symptoms such as fatigue, frequent eye strain, and headaches

“Some effective ways to reduce your daily screen time involve setting daily screen time limits or reminders, deleting particularly time-consuming apps, and turning off notifications so that you can concentrate on other activities.”

This information was provided by social media experts at Media Mister