X vs Facebook: Who’s on Top in the Social Media World

X and Facebook: It's a rivalry that had been brewing even before Elon Musk took over what was formerly known as Twitter back in 2022. But since then, Mark Zuckerberg hasn't taken the news lying down, with the two going head-to-head to attract users to their platforms.

These two social media giants are arguably the biggest on the planet, and by the looks of it, there's no stopping either of them. In this comparison guide, we'll take a closer look at X and Facebook and see which one is on top in the social media world right now.

A Closer Look at Facebook

Facebook is considered one of the OG social media platforms. It was first launched by Mark Zuckerberg in 2004, but the name was actually 'TheFacebook.' However, in 2005, he decided to change it to what is now known as Facebook. The original purpose of Facebook was to allow college students from Harvard to connect with each other, as that was the college Zuckerberg himself was attending. But as it broke onto the market, it became a huge platform for everyday people to communicate with each other through messages, statuses, images, and videos.

And What About X?

When we look at X, it was originally established as Twitter back in 2006 by Jack Dorsey, Evan Williams, Noah Glass, and Bizz Stone. That was until Elon Musk came along and bought it in 2022 and renamed the platform 'X' in 2023. X is a little different from Facebook in that the sole focus is for people to log on and express their opinions and views about whatever it is they like. You can discuss whatever you want on there as long as you don't break any guidelines, whether it's politics, sports, that annoying boss you can't stand (that might get you fired), and so on.

How Many Users Do Facebook and X Have?

Next, we're moving on to the statistics. First, let's look at Facebook. At the time of writing this article, the platform's monthly user count is up to 3.065 billion people, with India taking the first place with the most users at more than 375 million. Moving on to X, the network currently has around 600 million monthly users, with the US making up a sizable 21.09% of the platform's base. As you can see, Facebook is miles ahead of X when it comes to monthly users, but only time will tell who will come out on top, as it's still early days for Elon Musk and his new endeavor.

Features of Facebook and X

When you sign up to Facebook or X, you'll get access to all the same features as everyone else. But these are two different platforms, so the ability you're given with one will not be the same as the other.

Facebook

• Option to send friend requests to anybody else who uses the platform.

• Access to a newsfeed that displays activity from your friends on your account.

• Ability to comment on anything published by another person.

• A profile that displays all of your recent activity and essential information about yourself.

• An inbox to send and receive messages from your friends.

• Notifications are sent every time someone interacts with something related to your profile.

• Like and reaction features that allow you to show your feelings towards a certain post by someone else.

• You can set up groups to discuss different topics or share information with other users.

• Marketplace where users are able to buy and sell products.

X

• Users have a section where they can post their feelings or thoughts about anything.

• All users can follow each other's profiles to stay up to date with their posts.

• The 'For You' tab is where you'll be shown posts from other accounts that share the same interests as you. This can also be switched to the 'Following' tab, which displays posts from the people you follow.

• Reshare option that allows you to repost anything you've found interesting on our feed. You'll also have the ability to quote the reshare if you like.

• The 'Spaces' feature allows you to have live conversations with other users.

• Like option to express your interest in a post.

• Add hashtags to your post to reach a certain audience.

• A message box where you can send a direct message to anyone you want on the platform.

How Do X and Facebook Make Money?

Now we're on to the juicy stuff: money, money, money. The average person probably doesn't have a clue how these companies make money or even care for that matter. As long as they're able to stay connected, why should they focus on that kind of thing? Well, they should because they're making money off them. Most social media platforms nowadays, including Facebook and X, make a good chunk of their revenue from advertisements. To keep it simple, the big companies come in, negotiate a deal with the networks, and then allow them to display ads on their user's feeds to those who are most likely to buy their products. So, next time you're liking your friend's pictures on Facebook or venting your feelings about the bad weather on X, remember that you're not getting that luxury for free. You've knowingly or unknowingly agreed to be shown advertisements whenever you registered on either platform.

So, What’s the Bottom Line? Who’s on Top?

After a brief rundown of X and Facebook, you can clearly see they're both incredible tools that allow people to connect with others worldwide, even if Zuckerburg and Musk are profiting off you. If we were to talk numbers alone, Facebook is the clear winner, as its user base is the biggest in the world. However, if it's a personal opinion, it really depends on your style; do you like having your own bubble with your nearest and dearest? Then Facebook is for you. But if you're someone who loves a debate and discussing all kinds of topics with people you've never met, X will be your cup of tea.