Snapchat has lost UK users to subscription - based rival Instagram for the first time in eight years , according to eMarketer . Snapchat 's 2017 growth and its advertising formats were cited as some of the reasons for the decline . However , parent company Snap disputed the figures and said it was " pleased with the trajectory " of its UK growth . Snapchat 's 2019 users are expected to reach 14.5 million , according to eMarketer , 2.3 % lower than 2018 and far below its October 2018 forecast of 17 million . Instagram users are forecast to grow 8 % to 21 million .
Snapchat has lost UK users to Facebook-owned rival Instagram for the first time in eight years, according to eMarketer. Snapchat's 2017 redesign and its advertising formats were cited as two of the reasons for the decline. However, parent company Snap disputed the figures and said it was "pleased with the trajectory" of its UK growth. Snapchat's 2019 users are expected to reach 14.5 million, according to eMarketer, 2.3% lower than 2018 and far below its October 2018 forecast of 17 million. Instagram users are forecast to grow 8% to 21 million.