Indians are spending more time on Instagram than any other app, according to a new report by BofA Global Research. The research found that the average user spends nearly 50 hours every month on the Meta-owned platform, with YouTube and Garena Free Fire following close behind. The figures have sparked a debate online about screen time and digital habits.
The statistics went viral after they were shared on X by the account Indian Tech & Infra, prompting many users to weigh in. The viral post highlighted the average monthly time spent by Indians across leading apps.
Instagram topped the list with 49 hours and 42 minutes, followed by YouTube at 47 hours and 23 minutes. Mobile battle royale game Garena Free Fire secured the third spot with 41 hours and 12
minutes, indicating the continued popularity of online gaming in the country.
Other apps on the list included Facebook (24 hours and 45 minutes), JioHotstar (22 hours and 13 minutes), Netflix (19 hours and 22 minutes), MX Player (19 hours and 19 minutes), WhatsApp Messenger (18 hours and 49 minutes), PLAYit (17 hours and 59 minutes), Kuku TV (17 hours and 5 minutes), Moj (15 hours and 40 minutes).
Zoom Workplace (14 hours and 1 minute), Amazon Prime Video (13 hours and 44 minutes), Ludo King (13 hours and 39 minutes), X (formerly Twitter) (13 hours and 30 minutes), WhatsApp Business (13 hours and 18 minutes), Carrom Pool (13 hours and 5 minutes), Reddit (12 hours and 13 minutes), Google Chrome (11 hours and 37 minutes), and ZEE5 (10 hours and 44 minutes).
The post cited BofA Global Research as the source of the data and quickly gained traction across social media platforms, with many users expressing surprise over the sheer amount of time people spend on entertainment and social networking apps.
One user wrote, “49 hours a month on Instagram and yet everyone still claims they “don’t have time to read,”
Another commented, “49 hrs on Instagram a month = 2 full days of your life. Every. Single. Month. And we still call it just scrolling.”
A third user observed, “Almost 50 hours a month on Instagram is wild. That’s roughly 1 hour and 40 minutes every single day. It really shows how short-form content has become the biggest competitor for people’s time and attention.”
🚨 The time spent by the average Indian on top apps each month.
Instagram – 49 Hr, 42 Min
YouTube – 47 Hr, 23 Min
Garena Free Fire – 41 Hr, 12 Min
Facebook – 24 Hr, 45 Min
JioHotstar – 22 Hr, 13 Min
Netflix – 19 Hr, 22 Min
MX Player – 19 Hr, 19 Min
WhatsApp Messenger – 18 Hr,…— Indian Tech & Infra (@IndianTechGuide) August 1, 2026
Highlighting how much time the average user spends on the platform, another person said, “Average Instagram user is spending more than a full working week there every month. ‘Just checking one Reel’ has become a part-time job 🫠”
The popularity of mobile gaming also caught the attention of many users. Reacting to Garena Free Fire’s position on the list, one user wrote, “Free Fire at No. 3 is actually crazy 😭 Instagram & YouTube make sense… but 41 hours on Free Fire means some people are living their second life inside the game 🔥Meanwhile WhatsApp is only 18 hours… Indian parents would be shocked 😂”
