The Russian messenger market is undergoing a period of active transformation. While users previously migrated en masse to Telegram, there is now an explosive growth in interest in alternative platforms. According to analysts, demand for foreign messengers remains high, although the growth rate has slowed slightly compared to the first quarter. However, it is precisely in the segment of alternative solutions that the most impressive figures are being recorded.
Turkish BiP: Phenomenal Growth
The leader in audience growth rates in Russia is the Turkish messenger BiP. From April to July, the number of monthly active users of the app from Russia grew by 120% compared to the previous quarter. The absolute numbers are even more impressive: the audience reached 4.3 million people. For comparison, a year ago this figure was only 6,600 users.
BiP's success is confirmed by data from telecom operators. MTS recorded a 32% increase in the number of service users, while T2 reported that the BiP audience increased 5-fold. Experts note that the app is actively used to communicate with relatives abroad, as well as by those seeking an alternative to main communication channels.
Dynamics of Other Services
The market is not limited to a single leader. The South Korean messenger KakaoTalk also showed impressive dynamics, increasing its audience by 80% to 1.26 million users. T2 data indicates a 3.5-fold growth for KakaoTalk. The Chinese WeChat grew by 10–17%, and Gem Space by 11%.
The most in-demand in absolute numbers remains the American messenger Imo, with 12.2 million users. However, its dynamics have practically stalled, showing growth of only 1% for the quarter. At the same time, apps blocked in Russia, such as SimpleX and Discord, are losing their audience — by 41% and 8% respectively.
User Behavior and the Future of the Market
An analysis of the age structure shows that Russians aged 35 to 44 (30% of the market) and users aged 25 to 34 (21%) use foreign messengers the most actively. Experts note that for most Russians, these apps are auxiliary tools for communicating with loved ones abroad or testing new technologies, rather than the primary means of communication.
The situation with the alternative Telegram client is also interesting: in the first quarter, its audience grew by 160% to 7.5 million people, however, after the app was removed from the App Store and the platform ceased operations in July, this trend was interrupted.
In the long term, the market will become fragmented. Users will increasingly use several messengers simultaneously for different tasks. The fate of alternative solutions will depend on their willingness to operate within the framework of Russian legislation, however, in the short term, they have already formed a stable segment.
