Meta announces arrival of ads to Threads globally by next week

Meta announced that Threads will start showing ads worldwide next week. The rollout ends the platform’s ad-free period.

Ads will appear gradually, starting at a low level before scaling to full availability over the coming months. The system uses the same AI-powered personalization engine behind Facebook and Instagram ads. Placements will be tailored to user activity.

Threads first tested ads in select markets last year. The platform opened to advertisers in spring 2025. The expansion makes Threads part of Meta’s core advertising ecosystem. Sponsored posts will mix in with regular content.

The timing comes as competition intensifies among social and AI platforms. OpenAI recently announced ads for ChatGPT’s free and Go tiers. Google said Gemini will remain ad-free.

Meta’s move shows its intent to monetize Threads as the user base grows. Recent reports indicate Threads has overtaken X in daily active users on iOS and Android.