31 Facebook Live Statistics For 2025 (Latest Data)

Looking for the latest Facebook Live statistics? I’ve got you covered.

Facebook Live was once the second most popular livestreaming platform, but much has changed since then.

In this post, we’ll dive into all the latest facts and figures to uncover the current state of Facebook Live.

We’ll look at how popular it is this year, reveal its share of the livestreaming market, and explore other interesting insights.

Top picks

  • Facebook Live’s daily active users reached 800+ million at its peak (Meta, Facebook3)
  • There have been over 10 billion Facebook Live broadcasts so far (Facebook3)
  • Around 30k people are watching Facebook Lives at any given time, on average (Streamlabs)
  • Facebook Live currently averages around 32.6 million total monthly watch hours… (Stream Hatchet)
  • …which is 55x less than the leading livestreaming platform, Twitch (Stream Hatchet)
  • Facebook Live’s average watch hours have decreased by 94% over 3 years… (Streamlabs)
  • Facebook Live is no longer one of the top-5 streaming platforms, with a <1% share of the market (Streamlabs)

Facebook Live usage statistics

Let’s start with some general Facebook Live statistics that highlight how many people use the platform to stream and view live content.

1. Facebook Live had 800+ million daily active users at its peak

According to data from Meta, over 800 million people were using Facebook Live & Instagram Live every day in 2020, at the peak of its popularity. 

01 facebook live active users

That year, demand for live content was sky-high due to the pandemic, and Facebook Live was the go-to platform for many viewers.

It was so popular, in fact, that it was the second most popular platform for watching livestreams after Twitch, outperforming even YouTube gaming. 

Unfortunately, Facebook Live usage has fallen dramatically since then, and it’s not nearly as popular today as it once was. 

Meta hasn’t released any more up-to-date figures regarding its Facebook Live daily active users (DAUs). However, we know that watch hours on the platform are down by over 90%. So if the same trend is true for user numbers, it seems likely that its current DAUs are under 100 million.

Sources: Meta, Facebook3

2. Over 2 billion people have watched Facebook Live broadcasts

Within just a few years of Facebook Live launching, over 2 billion people had already tuned into at least one live broadcast on the platform. That’s around a quarter of the global population.

02 facebook live broadcasts

At that time, Facebook also claimed that ‘hundreds of millions of people’ had already gone Live on Facebook.

Source: Engadget

3. 10+ billion live broadcasts have been made on Facebook Live

During the pandemic, Meta claimed in a post on Facebook Business that over 10 billion livestreams had been broadcast since they first launched Live video. 

03 broadcasts made on facebook live

That was over 4 years ago, so it’s likely that that figure is significantly higher now. But unfortunately, Meta hasn’t released any more up-to-date data since then for us to go off.

Source: Facebook3

4. Over half a million hours of content was streamed on Facebook Live last quarter

According to Streamlabs’ latest quarterly report (Q3 2024), Facebook Live creators streamed a little over 500k hours of live content in the last quarter.

While that might seem like a lot, it’s actually very small compared to other social networks—and just 2.5% of what it was during Facebook Live’s peak.

04 facebook total hours

To put it into context, in Q2 2021 (when Facebook Live was at the height of its popularity), over 20 million hours of content was streamed on the platform. That’s 40x more than today.

Source: Streamlabs

5. The average concurrent viewership on Facebook Live is around 30,000

That’s the total number of people who are tuned into streams on Facebook Live at any one time, on average, as of Q3 2024.

05 facebook average ccv

Again, it’s down substantially compared to a couple of years ago. In Q3 2021, Facebook Live’s average concurrent viewership was 585,000. That’s almost 20x more than today.

Source: Streamlabs

6. Facebook Live is the most popular platform for live shopping

While Facebook might be losing the battle to be the biggest livestreaming platform, it’s winning in one particular area: live commerce.

According to the stats, 57.8% of surveyed internet users have purchased a product on Facebook during a livestreaming event—that’s more than any other platform and makes Facebook the #1 most popular platform for live shopping.

It’s followed by Instagram (45.8%), TikTok (15.8%), and YouTube (14.4%). Keep in mind, though, that this data is from 2022. Other platforms may have caught up since then.

Source: Facebook3

7. Facebook Live is the second most popular livestreaming platform in the UK

According to survey data published on Statista, 29% of surveyed internet users in the UK said they watch livestream content on Facebook as of November last year, making it the second most popular livestreaming platform in the country after YouTube Live.

29% of those surveyed also said they watch live content on Instagram, making it tied with Facebook in second place. 

07 online streaming platforms uk

Remember though that this is just the results of one survey in one country. It doesn’t reflect the overall trends we’re seeing with Facebook Live globally, which suggest that it’s no longer among the most popular platforms for watching live content.

Source: Statista

8. 1 in 5 Facebook videos were once Live videos

In April 2017, Facebook reported that as many as 1 in 5 videos on the platform were Live videos, which shows just how popular Facebook livestreams were in their heyday

Source: Facebook2

9. Facebook Live’s US audience grew by +50% in one month

From February 2020 to March 2020, Facebook reported a +50% increase in Live viewers in the US. This coincided with the pandemic, which caused consumers around the world to stay at home and seek out online experiences while they were unable to attend in-person events.

Source: Facebook3

Facebook Live watch hour statistics & trends

Let’s explore some statistics that reveal how many hours of content viewers watch on Facebook Live this year, how that’s changed over time, and what it tells us about Facebook’s place in the wider livestreaming market.

10. Facebook Live’s total average monthly watch hours is 32.6 million

Between October 2023 and September 2024, Facebook Live averaged 32.6 million monthly watch hours. 

That’s the average amount of time viewers collectively spent watching livestream content on the platform, and it’s significantly less than many other platforms. 

For comparison, Twitch averaged 1.8 billion monthly hours watched in the same time frame (around 55x more than Facebook Live) And YouTube Gaming averaged 576 million monthly hours watched (around 17x more than Facebook Live).

Source: Stream Hatchet

11. Facebook Live had just 66 million watch hours last quarter

In the last quarter at the time of writing (Q3 2024), Facebook Live had around 66 million total watch hours. 

That’s down by 14.72% compared to the previous quarter (77.97 million), and 71.47% compared to the previous year (233.2 million).

11 facebook total hours watched

This suggests Facebook Live’s popularity is still trending downward. Its average watch hours are getting lower and lower every quarter. If this trend continues, we may see it disappear entirely.

Source: Streamlabs

12. Facebook Live’s watch hours are down -94% compared to 3 years ago

In Q3 2021, Facebook Live achieved over 1.29 billion hours watched—that was at the peak of its popularity. 

It’s been declining rapidly ever since then and is now down to just 66 million, which is just 6% of what it was at its peak. 

Source: Streamlabs

13. Facebook Live no longer ranks in the top 5 most-watched streaming platforms.

With just 66 million watch hours, it’s significantly below Twitch, YouTube Gaming, Kick, Afreeca, and Chzzk. And it only accounts for a small fraction of the 378 million watch hours that go to ‘other’ platforms not in the top 5 list.

13 total hours watched

This is an incredible fall from grace compared to a few years ago when Facebook Live was firmly in the top 3 platforms and a strong competitor to both Twitch and YouTube Gaming.

Top streaming platformsTotal hours watched in Q3 2024
Twitch5.14 million
YouTube Gaming1.94 million
Kick534 million
Afreeca296 million
Chzzk164 million
Other platforms378 million
Facebook Live66 million

Source: Streamlabs

14. Facebook Live has less than a <1% market share of the livestreaming market 

There was a combined total of around 8.46 billion live streaming watch hours in Q3 2024 across all platforms, based on data we extrapolated from Streamlabs’ report.

Facebook Live accounted for just 66 million of those, which is just 0.78% of the total. 

In comparison, Twitch—the market leader—has a 60.8% market share with 5.14 billion watch hours.

Source: Streamlabs

Facebook Live for marketing statistics

Next, let’s look at a few statistics that reveal how (and why) marketers are using Facebook Live this year.

15. 68% of companies have used Facebook Live for video marketing

According to a survey from Wyzowl, 68% of surveyed marketers say their companies have used Facebook Live for video marketing, making it the 8th most popular video marketing channel overall. 

15 video channels companies have used

YouTube ranks first with 90% of surveyed marketers reportedly using it, and Facebook generally comes second at 86%.

Source: Wyzowl

16. 57% of companies say Facebook Live is the most effective video marketing channel

Wyzowl also asked surveyed marketers which video marketing platforms they thought were effective, and 57% pointed to Facebook Live, making it the 8th most effective overall. 

16 most efffective video marketing channels

YouTube ranked top (78%), followed by Facebook (71%) and Instagram (64%).

Source: Wyzowl

17. Only 14% of marketers say they use live video content

HubSpot looked at the different types of video content marketers were using, and found that live content was the least popular with only 14% reporting to use it this year (down -56% year-over-year.)

In comparison, 83% of video marketers said they use short-form video, making this the most popular format. That was followed by long-form video (39%), and then live video (14%).

What’s more, only 6% of marketers think live streaming videos offers the best ROI, compared to 22% long-form and 71% short-form. And only 12% say live video gets most engagements, compared to 22% long-form and 66% short-form.

Source: HubSpot

18. 71% of surveyed Facebook users expect live communication with companies

According to a survey by Facebook, 71% of consumers say they expect companies to communicate with them in real time, and Live broadcasts are a great way to do that.

Source: Facebook3

Facebook Live engagement statistics

Here are some more stats that explore how users engage with Facebook Live broadcasts.

19. Facebook users spend 3x longer watching Live videos

Live content keeps viewers hooked for longer. According to data from Facebook, users watch Live videos for 3x longer than regular non-live videos.

Source: Facebook

20. Facebook Live videos get 10x more comments

According to the data, Facebook Lives gets 10x more comments than regular Facebook videos. What’s more, they also get 10x more shares compared to YouTube videos.

The reason livestreams get so many more engagements is that viewers feel more connected to what they’re watching. When creators go Live, they can respond to their viewers’ likes and comments in real time, which helps to incentivize those interactions.

Source: Blogging Wizard

21. Facebook Live videos that last for an hour have the highest engagement rates

On average, Facebook Live videos that last for around an hour have a 0.46% engagement rate, which is almost x2 higher than those that last just 10-20 minutes (0.26%).

Facebook Live durationAverage engagement rate
10 – 20 minutes0.26%
20 – 30 minutes0.23%
30 – 40 minutes0.25%
40 – 50 minutes0.25%
50 – 60 minutes0.46%

Source: Startup Bonsai

Facebook Live channel & video statistics

22. There are 61,476 unique Facebook Live channels

… making it the fifth most popular live-streaming platform by number of unique channels. It ranks below Twitch (9.2 million), YT gaming (723k), Kick (405k), and Steam (167k). 

But again, the number of unique Facebook Live channels is down substantially over time. At its peak in Q2 2021, there were 1.5 million unique Facebook Live channels, which is around 25x more than today.

Source: Streamlabs

23. The top Facebook Live streamer is Chim Sẻ Đi Nắng

Facebook Live is particularly popular for South East Asian streamers. Vietnamese gamer Chim Sẻ Đi Nắng is the most popular streamer on Facebook Live by hours watched (4.9 million), followed by Filipino creators Akosi Dogie (4.2 million) and Strawhat TV (3 million). 

23 top streamers vs. top games

Source: Stream Hatchet

24. The most viewed Facebook Live video received over 159 million views

According to Guinness World Records (and verified by Facebook), the most viewed Facebook Live video is ‘Chewbacca Mom’ posted by Candace Payne (USA) on 19 May. It racked up 100 million views within its first 48 hours and had reached 159 million by 19 July.

Source: Guinness World Records

Facebook Live facts & timeline

Before we wrap up, here are a handful of interesting facts about Facebook Live and its evolution over time.

25. Facebook started allowing users to livestream video content in August 2015 (but only if they were verified celebrities)…

Facebook first began experimenting with live content in 2015. At first, Live was only available to verified public figures, and streams appeared in users’ News feeds rather than in a dedicated Live tab.

Source: TechCrunch

26. …then began to roll out livestreaming to all mobile users starting in January 2016…

In early 2016, Facebook began letting all mobile users stream to Facebook Live, beginning with iOS app users in the US.

A few months later in April of the same year, Facebook would update its mobile app with a dedicated section for live broadcasts. New features and formats would also be released later in the year, such as Live 360 Video and Live Audio Rooms.

Source: TechCrunch2

27. …and expanded it out to desktop users in March 2017

Facebook extended live-streaming to PC users in March 2017. That month also saw an update that allowed users to add a Donate button to their Live video streams as a simple way to monetize them.

Source: TechCrunch3

28. Facebook began testing native live shopping in 2018…

In 2018, Facebook began experimenting with live commerce by allowing influencers and retailers to livestream shopping events. In early 2021, they would launch a weekly live shopping event where users got the chance to buy products live from beauty and fashion brands.

Source: Business Insider

29. …and shut down live shopping in 2021

Facebook was excited about live shopping at first, but after time, they shifted their focus away from it. In late 2021, Meta said it would be shutting down live shopping to focus instead on Reels as it became clear that consumers viewing behaviors had shifted to short-form video.

Source: Business Insider

30. Facebook Live was wrapped into the Facebook Video tab in 2023

Around July 2023, Facebook announced big changes to the platform’s UI. They rebranded Facebook Watch as Facebook Video and made the Video tab a one-stop shop for all types of video content. 

Users now watch Reels, long-form videos, and Live content from the same tab, rather than in separate interfaces.

30 facebook live video tab

Source: Facebook5

31. Facebook Live viewers earn $0.01 per Facebook Star

Viewers can donate to creators while they’re Live by sending them virtual gifts and Facebook Stars. Creators earn $0.01 per Star. 

However, they can also further monetize their streams through Subscriptions and In-Stream Ads. Subscriptions are membership packages that offer viewers extra benefits like subscriber-only Lives and group access.

Source: Facebook4

Final thoughts

That concludes our roundup of Facebook Live statistics. You can find a list of all our sources below.

The key takeaway is that while Facebook Live continues to be used by millions of viewers, it’s become much less popular over the last few years. 

It’s no longer a serious competitor to other livestreaming platforms like Twitch and YouTube Gaming, and Meta seems to be shifting its focus away from live content towards other video formats.

Check out these Facebook Video statistics for more stats about video content on Facebook, or these live streaming statistics for data on the industry at large.

You might also want to check out these Facebook giveaway ideas that can help you grow your audience.