https://mmo-population.com/r/bladeandsoul
The folks over at MMO Population have a "method" of calculating player population. No clue on how accurate their methods are.
Honestly, people place a little too much importance on player population. In Blade and Soul roughly 80% of the content involves groups of 4 or 6 people. Having 3,000 or 30,000 players won't change that.
From my perspective I would say more, but that's entirely anecdotal. Since Soul Boost II, I've encountered more new and returning players than in prior events.
Something is drawing in new players and enticing past players to return.
Are you having fun? Only thing that really matters. Enjoying the game, keep playing. Dreading the grind, then move on.
IMHO, this is the only REAL issue when folks ask about player populations. Players try to base "active players" based on Faction chat or F8 recruitment. Unfortunately, neither has been true for years.
Active players aren't in Faction chat. Faction chat is the dribble you watch and/or participate in while waiting for your friends/clan members. While you are not actvely doing content. The majority of content requires you to go in F8, where you can no longer see Faction chat.
F8 Lobby locks you out of Faction Chat, DMs from anyone not in F8, most clan functions, crafting, ect. While in F8 Lobby all you can do is sit there. Not surpriingly, no one sits in F8 and recruits. Most recruiting is down outside of F8.
Regardless of how robust or anemic BnS population is, in game chat and recruiting is outdated and inadequate for the active players.