Naver’s social platform Band is rapidly expanding in the U.S. social media market, driven by its success in targeting after-school activity groups and attracting Gen Z users.
According to data from Sensor Tower, Band ranked 14th in monthly active user (MAU) growth among U.S. social applications in 2024 and claimed the top spot among business and productivity apps.
Band has reached approximately 17 million monthly active users (MAU) globally, with South Korea accounting for the largest share followed by the United States. According to data released by Naver in January, Band’s U.S. MAU has now surpassed 6 million users.
The platform’s rise in the U.S. began in 2020, and by April 2022, its U.S. downloads exceeded those in South Korea. Sensor Tower noted that downloads peak in March in Korea and August in the U.S., reflecting differences in academic calendars.
Band’s growth in the U.S. is attributed to its localization strategy, which aligns with American cultural trends. After-school activities like sports, cheerleading, and dance teams are deeply embedded in U.S. communities, creating demand for a private, group-oriented social platform that connects students, parents, and teachers. To cater to this, Naver enhanced Band with features like community boards, shared calendars, private chats, and file sharing.
An analysis of Band users showed they frequently use apps such as Tonal Energy Tuner & Metronome for music practice, Bark for parental monitoring, RoadReady for teen driver education, and BigFuture School for college admissions. The platform has particularly resonated with Gen Z, with users aged 18–24 making up 33.6% of its U.S. user base. Other age groups include 25–34 (19%), 35–44 (24.2%), 45–54 (17.2%), and 55+ (6.1%).
Naver stated that after-school groups like sports teams, cheerleading squads, and dance teams are core users, and the company focused on improving their experience after observing rapid organic growth.
Sensor Tower added that Band’s success highlights its differentiation from traditional social networking and messaging platforms, strengthening its position as a group communication and collaboration tool.
