Your follower count can really affect how people see your Insta profile. Major celebrities manage to sustain hundreds of millions of dedicated fans, after all. The more you have, the better you’ll perform in your niche. In this post, we’ll show you who has the most followers on Instagram right now.
Who Has the Most Followers on Instagram in 2024?
Instagram’s top account isn’t a person at all. In fact, it’s the social media platform itself. IG’s own Insta profile currently boasts 677 million followers. But why exactly is this the case? After all, do hundreds of millions of users want to keep up with Instagram’s updates?
It’s true that a big chunk of Insta’s followers are people wanting to see news about the app. That being said, many will likely follow it by default. When making an IG account, Instagram asks you to follow a few accounts. Their own brand page is naturally going to be at the top of this list.
Beyond this, it has also been an active IG profile since 2010. This was when Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger created Instagram. Its sheer longevity will be a major reason for the high follower count. Many of the followers it has gained in this time may no longer use the platform.
Who Has the Most IG Followers? (Male)
As for who on Instagram has the most followers in terms of actual people, it’s Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portuguese footballer has 640 million fans, not too far behind IG’s account. This also makes him the most-followed man and European on the platform.
It’s impossible to overstate just how popular football is worldwide. In this sport, Ronaldo has won UEFA’s Player of the Year award three times. This is more than any other footballer. He plays for Portugal’s national team, as well as the Saudi Arabian Al Nassr club.
Ronaldo’s Instagram has over 3,700 posts, with him posting several times a week. This is a mix of football content and insights into his personal life. Regarding the latter, his account has many pictures with his partner and children.
Who Has the Most Followers on Instagram? (Female)
Selena Gomez is currently the most-followed woman on Instagram. The American musician and actress currently has 424 million fans. This puts her behind IG, Ronaldo, and footballer Messi. It also makes her the most-followed person from the USA.
As a massive Disney star through the 2000s, Selena is a good fit for Instagram’s audience. The site has over 517 million users aged 18-24, according to DataReportal. Many of these will likely have seen her shows. Her past relationship with Justin Bieber might also be a factor.
Selena has over 2,000 posts. She posts roughly once or twice a week. This is mostly to promote upcoming projects and events she’s attending. Her personal posts are much rarer. These mainly revolve around her relationship with Benny Blanco.
Who Has the Biggest Following on Instagram in South America?
More than half of Instagram’s top 50 accounts are in North America. Almost all of these are from the United States. However, Argentinian footballer Lionel Messi surpasses them all — except for Instagram’s brand account.
This makes him the highest-profile Instagrammer from South America, with 504 million fans. His football career is a storied one that easily rivals Ronaldo’s. In fact, he has two UEFA Player of the Year awards. He could win a third within the next few years.
Messi’s posts focus mainly on football. However, there are some behind-the-scenes glimpses of his family life. He shares pictures and videos several times per week, mostly posting in Spanish. In addition, quite a few of his posts are paid partnerships.
Who Has the Most Followers on Instagram? (India)
Virat Kohli, an Indian cricketer, has the most followers in India and Asia as a whole. His account currently has 270 million fans. After Ronaldo, Messi, and the Rock, he’s the fourth most-followed sports figure worldwide. As with those three, people regard him as among the best in his sport.
DataReportal’s numbers show that India has over 326 million active users on Instagram. Cricket is also the most popular sport in the country. This means that a lot of his IG followers will be fans supporting their country’s team.
Kohli doesn’t post often, usually around once a week. When he does show parts of his daily life, it’s mostly of his wife, actress Anushka Sharma. He also frequently shares his paid partnerships.
Top 20 Instagram Celebrities (Most Followers)
Finding out who has the most followers in Instagram’s eyes says a lot about who users gravitate toward. For example, there’s quite a harsh divide between the Kardashian sisters. Here are the top 20 IG users, not counting brands or organizations:
- Cristiano Ronaldo (640 million)
- Lionel Messi (504 million)
- Selena Gomez (424 million)
- Kylie Jenner (396 million)
- Dwayne Johnson (395 million)
- Ariana Grande (376 million)
- Kim Kardashian (360 million)
- Beyoncé (315 million)
- Khloé Kardashian (306 million)
- Justin Bieber (295 million)
- Kendall Jenner (291 million)
- Taylor Swift (283 million)
- Virat Kohli (270 million)
- Jennifer Lopez (251 million)
- Nicki Minaj (227 million)
- Neymar (224 million)
- Kourtney Kardashian (221 million)
- Miley Cyrus (214 million)
- Katy Perry (205 million)
- Zendaya (181 million)
We can spot a few interesting details from this alone. For example, there are 175 million followers between Kylie Jenner and her half-sister Kourtney Kardashian. There are also a few close calls; this order could change within the year. Zendaya, for example, is rapidly rising in fame.
Why Are These People the Most Famous on Instagram?
When looking at who has the most followers on Instagram in the world, a big question is, “Why?” In particular, why these people over others? For example, Shakira boasts the sixth most popular page on Facebook. On Instagram, however, she’s number 44.
Demographics could be a big factor. Shakira has been popular for decades. This means a lot of her fans will be from before IG even existed. People of all ages appreciate her songs and music videos. However, they may follow newer musicians on Insta.
How someone decides to use their platforms is also a major consideration. Some celebrities are able to build a thriving fandom, especially via “stan” culture. This is a hyper-engaged community that focuses exclusively on one celebrity, often dismissing their rivals.
Instagram also offers a more direct insight into a celebrity’s life. The most-followed people don’t share too much, but what they do share is quite personal. They may also post stories that show their day-to-day lives.
Top 10 Brand Accounts on Instagram
Businesses and organizations also have quite a large presence on IG. In fact, the most-followed account on the platform is itself a brand. Here are the top ten organizations on Insta:
- Instagram (676 million)
- Nike (303 million)
- National Geographic (281 million)
- Real Madrid Club de Fútbol (167 million)
- Fútbol Club Barcelona (130 million)
- UEFA Champions League (116 million)
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration (97 million)
- National Basketball Association (88 million)
- Victoria’s Secret (76 million)
- Premier League (75 million)
Over half of these relate to sports in some way, mainly football. This might even point toward it being the app’s most popular sport. The gulf between Nike and Instagram suggests that people do simply follow Instagram when signing up.
Do These Accounts Have Fake Followers?
IG accounts with a lot of followers may set off alarm bells, even if they’re celebrities. They might still use bots to boost their profile even further. This could be an attempt to beat out a rival or to earn more from sponsorships.
It’s likely that these profiles do have a lot of bots. However, this is probably not by design. All IG accounts get bot followers at one point. They may even target accounts with a big social media presence. This is because they can find a lot of “targets” in the celebrity’s comment sections.
But, on Instagram, who has the most followers without bots? It’s possible this would change the site’s ranking. If Ronaldo has enough bot followers, an overnight purge could put Messi on top.
How Buying Followers Helps Your Instagram
Only celebrities seem able to get on Instagram’s most-followed list. By following the right steps, however, you can still become a big name in your niche. You could even buy IG followers to give yourself a boost in the app’s algorithm.
If you do this, make sure you avoid buying bots. They’ll stick out when your posts don’t get a lot of engagement. Instagram can also get rid of them overnight. They may even ban you for trying to get ahead with fake accounts.
Real accounts from reputable online services will offer organic engagement. You’ll then connect with more people who fit your target audience via Instagram’s algorithm. However, you still need to post high-quality content to keep attracting new fans.
Get the Instagram Follower Growth You Need
Wondering who has the most followers on Instagram may make you wonder how to get more. If you’re looking to grow on IG, you need real fans who keep up with your content.
GoRead.io can help you with this. Our team will boost your posts and connect them with people who fit your target audience. Try our services today, and get ready to grow in your niche.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the most-followed person on all social media?
Ronaldo once again takes the top spot here. He’s the most-followed person on both Instagram and Facebook. On X, he’s the third-biggest account, behind Elon Musk and Barack Obama.
Why does Instagram have so many IG followers?
Insta recommends its accounts to new users. Plenty of people will also choose to follow it to get updates on the app’s new features. Many of its followers are likely old accounts.
Who is the most-followed musician on Instagram?
Selena Gomez, with 423 million followers, is IG’s biggest musician. Ariana Grande takes second place here, with 376 million. Beyoncé, Justin Bieber, and Taylor Swift, are also in the platform’s top 15 accounts.
How do celebrities monetize their followers?
Brands see celebrities with many followers as prime targets for sponsorship deals. Securing this for a popular IG profile will cost the brand a lot of money. Some celebs could make hundreds of thousands of dollars per deal, as Instagram influencers.