“Threads vs Bluesky vs X: which should I post on?”
Threads vs Bluesky vs X: which should I post on?
Short answer
Threads allows 500 characters a post, X 280 and Bluesky 300 graphemes. Pick the network where your buyers already talk, and run two, not three. Threadgehog writes posts for Threads and X. For the fit of Threads against X for founders, see our founder guide.
Side by side
Post text limits from Meta's Threads API docs, X's developer docs and Bluesky's post lexicon, checked October 2026.
| Feature | Threads | X | Bluesky |
|---|---|---|---|
| Characters per post | 500 | 280 for a standard post | 300 graphemes |
| How the count works | Through the API, emojis count as their UTF-8 bytes | Most characters count 1, emojis and CJK count 2, links count 23 | Graphemes, so one emoji is one; the text is also capped at 3,000 bytes |
| Longer text | Text attachment, up to 10,000 characters on a text-only post | See X Premium long posts | Not covered here |
| Written by Threadgehog | Yes | Yes | No |
The limits, in one place
The table above shows the one number that changes how you write: how much text fits. The same sentence fits on Threads and gets cut on X. A 500 character Threads post is almost two X posts.
The counts work differently too. Bluesky counts graphemes, the characters a reader sees, so one emoji is one. Threads counts emojis as bytes when you post through its API, so emojis use more room. X weights emojis and CJK characters at 2 and shortens every link to 23. Our Threads character counter shows all of these for a draft.
Reach and feeds
We only repeat what the platforms say. For Threads, Meta describes a ranked For You feed and a chronological Following feed, covered in how the Threads algorithm works. We do not compare reach between networks, because none of the three publishes numbers that make that fair.
Audience size is the part most comparisons lean on. We left user counts out on purpose: each platform publishes its own figures, and they move.
Posting pace
Each network has its own ceilings. Threads limits API publishing, covered in Threads API posting limits, and X limits posts per day for some accounts, covered in the X daily post limit. Most people never reach either. The real limit is how much you can write in your own voice every day.
Posting the same thing on more than one
A post written for 500 characters rarely fits 280, and one written for 280 looks thin at 500. Threadgehog writes a Threads version and an X version of each post, so each reads right on its network. See cross-posting Threads and X.
Who should pick which
This part is our view, not a platform statement. Go where the people who buy from you already talk. If you cannot tell, post on two networks for a month and compare replies. Running three means three voices to keep up, and that is where most people stall.
For founders weighing Threads against X, read Threads vs X for founders.
Questions
How many characters can I post on each?
Threads 500, X 280 for a standard post, and Bluesky 300 graphemes. Each figure comes from the platform's own documentation.
Why does Bluesky count graphemes?
Its post lexicon caps the text at 300 graphemes and 3,000 bytes. A grapheme is what a reader sees as one character, so an emoji counts as one.
Can I post to all three?
You can post the same idea on all three, but the limits differ, so the text needs to be cut or expanded for each. Threadgehog does that for Threads and X.
Which is best for a small business?
The one where your buyers already talk. We do not rank the networks, because none of them publishes numbers that allow a fair comparison.
Do emojis count the same everywhere?
No. Bluesky counts one per emoji. X counts two. Threads counts UTF-8 bytes when you post through the API, which is usually four for an emoji.
Sources
- Meta: Threads API, create posts (checked 2026-10-18)
- Meta: Threads API overview and specifications (checked 2026-10-18)
- X Developer docs: Counting characters (checked 2026-10-18)
- Bluesky: app.bsky.feed.post lexicon (checked 2026-10-18)
- Bluesky docs: Posts (checked 2026-10-18)
- Threadgehog FAQ (checked 2026-10-18)