Rumors of a Tumblr comeback have been bubbling for a couple of yearsthink a pair of Doc Martens here, a splash of pastel hair dye there. Now, Gen Z is embracing the platform as a refuge from an internet saturated with influencers and algorithm fatigue.
Launched in 2007, just ahead of Instagrams 2010 debut, Tumblr, with its blog-style format, encouraged users to craft personal aesthetics and immerse themselves in niche communitieswhere American Apparel tennis skirts, oversize flannels, and black wire chokers once reigned supreme. At its peak in early 2014, the platform had more than 100 million users and was often mentioned in the same breath as Facebook and other rising social media giants.
But Tumblr struggled to monetize, even after Yahoos $1.1 billion acquisition in 2013. As competitors leaned into the creator economy with sponsored posts and digital storefronts, Tumblr faded into millennial nostalgia.
Thanks to Gen Z, the site has found new life. As of 2025, Gen Z makes up 50% of Tumblrs active monthly users and accounts for 60% of new sign-ups, according to data shared with Business Insiders Amanda Hoover, who recently reported on the platforms resurgence.
User numbers spiked in January during the near-ban of TikTok and jumped again last year when Brazil temporarily banned X. In response, Tumblr users launched dedicated communities to archive and share their favorite TikToks. Meanwhile, progressives disillusioned with the political shifts of Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk are fleeing Facebook and X in favor of Tumblrs more independent, chaotic charm.
To keep up with the momentum, Tumblr introduced Reddit-style Communities in December, letting users connect over shared interests like photography and video games. In January, it debuted Tumblr TVa TikTok-like feature that serves as both a GIF search engine and a short-form video platform.
But perhaps Tumblrs greatest strength is that it isnt TikTok or Facebook. Currently the 10th most popular social platform in the U.S., according to analytics firm Similarweb, Tumblr is dwarfed by giants like Instagram and X. For its users, though, thats part of the appeal.
