Over 6.04 billion people around the world use the internet, making up 73.2% of the global population.
Among all countries, China has the largest number of internet users, with over 1.3 billion people connected online. This rapid growth in internet adoption is driven by several factors, including the increasing affordability of smartphones and mobile data, as well as the rising popularity of online services like e-commerce, streaming platforms, and social media.
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at internet usage worldwide, breaking it down by country, user demographics, and other key insights.
Top Internet User Statistics 2026
- 6.04 billion people use the internet worldwide.
- Approximately 73.2% of the global population has internet access.
- China has the largest number of internet users, with 1.3 billion, followed by India with 1.03 billion.
- In the United States, internet users are projected to reach 327.18 million.
- On average, people spend 6 hours and 36 minutes online each day.
How Many People Use The Internet In The World?
1. More than 6.04 billion people use the internet worldwide.
The global internet user base has grown by 300 million, up from 5.74 billion in October 2024.
Over the past seven years, internet adoption has surged significantly. Back in July 2018, there were 3.85 billion users—meaning 1.8 billion more people have come online since then, reflecting the internet’s continuous global expansion.
Here is a table displaying the number of internet users by year:
| Year | Number of Internet Users |
|---|---|
| October 2015 | 2.99 billion |
| October 2016 | 3.25 billion |
| October 2017 | 3.67 billion |
| October 2018 | 3.94 billion |
| October 2019 | 4.29 billion |
| October 2020 | 4.62 billion |
| October 2021 | 4.93 billion |
| October 2022 | 5.26 billion |
| October 2023 | 5.38 billion |
| October 2024 | 5.74 billion |
| October 2025 | 6.04 billion |
Source: Date Reportal, Statista.
What Percent Of The World Uses The Internet?
2. As per the latest data, 73.2% of the global population uses the Internet.
This marks a significant rise in global connectivity, especially considering that back in 2017, only 50% of people had access to the internet. The digital world has grown rapidly, bringing billions more into the online space over the years.
The following table displays the share of the world population using the internet over the year:
| Year | Percentage of the World Population Using The Internet |
|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 73.2% |
| July 2025 | 68.7% |
| July 2024 | 67.1% |
| Apr 2024 | 67.1% |
| Jan 2024 | 66.2% |
| Oct 2023 | 65.7% |
| Jul 2023 | 64.5% |
| 2022 | 62.5% |
| 2021 | 59.5% |
| 2020 | 59% |
| 2019 | 57% |
| 2018 | 53% |
| 2017 | 50% |
| 2016 | 46% |
Source: Statista
How Many People Use The Internet In The United States?
3. As of the latest estimates, 327.18 million people in the United States will use the Internet, covering 94.44% of the population.
Internet usage has been steadily increasing, with 324.16 million users in 2024 and 320.93 million in 2023.
Looking ahead, this number is expected to rise further, reaching approximately 337.67 million users by the end of 2029
Here is a table showing the number of internet users in the United States by Year:
| Year | Number of Internet Users In The US |
|---|---|
| 2029* | 337.67 million |
| 2028* | 335.23 million |
| 2027* | 332.68 million |
| 2026* | 330.01 million |
| 2025 | 327.18 million |
| 2024 | 324.16 million |
| 2023 | 320.93 million |
| 2022 | 317.52 million |
| 2021 | 314.39 million |
| 2020 | 311.62 million |
*Projected numbers
Source: Statista
Number Of Internet Users By Country
4. China, with 1.3 billion, has the highest number of Internet users worldwide currently.
According to the latest data recorded in 2025, India follows China with 1.03 billion internet users.
Meanwhile, the United States has the third-highest number of Internet users worldwide.
The following table displays the countries with the highest number of internet users by country:
| Country | Number of Internet Users |
|---|---|
| China | 1,300 million |
| India | 1,030 million |
| United States | 324 million |
| Indonesia | 230 million |
| Brazil | 185 million |
| Russia | 136 million |
| Pakistan | 117 million |
| Mexico | 110 million |
| Nigeria | 109 million |
| Japan | 107 million |
Source: Statista
Global Internet Penetration
5. The global internet penetration rate is 67.9% (data as of February 2025).
As per the latest data, the internet penetration rate was highest in Northern Europe, with 97.9% of the population using the internet.
On the other hand, Eastern Africa has the lowest internet penetration rate worldwide. Just 28.5% of the population in the region used the Internet.
Here are further details about the global internet penetration rate by region:
| Region | Internet Penetration Rate |
|---|---|
| Northern Europe | 97.5% |
| Western Europe | 95.1% |
| Northern America | 93.3% |
| Southern Europe | 91.6% |
| Eastern Europe | 90.6% |
| Southern America | 83.2% |
| Central Asia | 80.8% |
| Central America | 79.2% |
| Eastern Asia | 78.5% |
| South-Eastern Asia | 78.2% |
| Oceania | 77.5% |
| Southern Africa | 77.0% |
| Western Asia | 75.9% |
| Northern Africa | 73.0% |
| Caribbean | 69.8% |
| Southern Asia | 53.8% |
| Western Africa | 42.5% |
| Middle Africa | 33.6% |
| Eastern Africa | 28.5% |
Internet Usage Statistics
6. The typical internet user spends around 6 hours and 36 minutes online each day.
That is an increase of 5 minutes spent online compared to 6 hours and 31 minutes spent online by internet users in the past quarter.
The time spent on the internet worldwide peaked during the COVID period. However, it has decreased in the past quarters.
The following table displays the average time spent online by internet users worldwide:
| Quarter | Average Time Spent Using The Internet |
|---|---|
| Q2 2024 | 6 hours 36 minutes |
| Q1 2024 | 6 hours 31 minutes |
| Q4 2023 | 6 hours 35 minutes |
| Q3 2023 | 6 hours 40 minutes |
| Q2 2023 | 6 hours 41 minutes |
| Q1 2023 | 6 hours 40 minutes |
| Q4 2022 | 6 hours 35 minutes |
| Q3 2022 | 6 hours 36 minutes |
| Q2 2022 | 6 hours 37 minutes |
| Q1 2022 | 6 hours 49 minutes |
Source: Data Reportal
7. Over 95.9% of internet users worldwide access the internet through mobile phones.
In comparison, 62.2% of internet users worldwide used laptops or desktops to access the internet.
Meanwhile, just 27.6% of the users access the internet through their tablets.
The following table displays the share of internet users worldwide accessing the internet by device:
| Device | Share of Internet Users |
|---|---|
| Mobile phone (any) | 95.9% |
| Smartphone | 93.7% |
| Laptop or desktop (any) | 62.2% |
| Personal laptop or desktop | 54% |
| Connected television | 31.6% |
| Work laptop or desktop | 27.7% |
| Tablet device | 27.6% |
| Smart home device | 18.1% |
| Games console | 11.5% |
| Feature phone | 4.5% |
| Virtual reality device | 4.4% |
Source: Statista, Data Reportal
Internet User Gender Demographics
8. Nearly 64.4% of the female population worldwide uses the internet. Meanwhile, 69.8% of the male population worldwide uses the internet.
That’s a 5% YoY increase in the percentage of the female population using the internet and a 4.3% YoY increase in the percentage of the male population using the internet.
Source: Data Reportal
Did You Know? More than 73% of Gen Alpha users use the internet. To learn more about this generation, refer to our article on Gen Alpha Statistics.
9. Around 97% of women and 96% of men in the United States use the internet.
Here is a table showing the distribution of internet users in the U.S. by gender:
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 96% | 97% |
| 2023 | 94% | 96% |
| 2021 | 94% | 93% |
| 2019 | 90% | 91% |
| 2018 | 89% | 88% |
| 2016 | 89% | 86% |
Source: Pew Research, Statista
Internet User Age Demographics
10. 98% of adults aged 30 to 49 years access the internet in the United States.
The majority of adults in this age group have access to the internet.
Conversely, just 88% of people over 65 years old access the internet in the United States.
The following table displays the share of adults in different age groups accessing the Internet in the United States.
| Age Group | Share of Internet Users |
|---|---|
| 18-29 years | 97% |
| 30-49 years | 98% |
| 50-64 years | 96% |
| Over 65 years | 88% |
Source: Pew Research
Mobile Internet Usage
11. Over 95.9% of internet users use a mobile phone to access the internet.
That’s a decline of 0.3 percentage points compared to the number of mobile internet users recorded in Q2 2024, but a decline of 0.1 percentage points compared to 96.3% of the users recorded at the end of 2023.
Here are further details about the percentage of internet users using mobile phones to access the internet:
- Q2 2025: 95.9%
- Q2 2024: 96.2%
- Q1 2024: 95.9%
- Q4 2023: 96.3%
- Q3 2023: 96.5%
- Q2 2023: 95.8%
- Q1 2023: 95.3%
Source: Data Reportal
12. 308.67 million people in the United States are estimated to use mobile phones to access the internet.
That’s a YoY increase of 4.79% compared to 294.55 million mobile internet users recorded in the United States in 2023.
Further, the number of mobile internet users in the United States is estimated to reach 324.25 million by 2029.
The following table displays the number of mobile internet users in the United States by year.
| Year | Number of Mobile Internet Users |
|---|---|
| 2029* | 324.25 million |
| 2028* | 321.85 million |
| 2027* | 319.35 million |
| 2026* | 316.74 million |
| 2025 | 314.01 million |
| 2024 | 308.67 million |
| 2023 | 294.55 million |
| 2022 | 279.85 million |
| 2021 | 264.75 million |
| 2020 | 255.95 million |
*Projected numbers
Source: Statista
13. An average person spends 4 hours and 49 minutes per day using the internet on their mobile phone.
This totals to 33 hours 42 minutes per week. Meanwhile, people spend 18 hours 46 minutes on social media every week.
Source: Data Reportal.
14. 54.67% of web traffic originates from mobile devices.
Since early 2017, traffic from mobiles and smartphones has remained steady around the 50% mark, eventually exceeding it in 2020.
Source: Statista
Search Engine Statistics
15. Each month, 81.8% of internet users turn to search engines.
The share of internet users using search engines has been stable between 80% and 83% since Q1 2022.
Source: Data Reportal
16. Google dominates the global search engine market with a 90.48% share, maintaining the top spot.
Bing follows in second place with 3.93%, while Yandex holds 1.95%. Baidu and DuckDuckGo account for just 0.79% and 0.64% of the global search engine market, respectively.
This stability of Google highlights the enduring role of search engines as the go-to resource for information among internet users.
Source: StatCounter
Google holds 94.69% of the global mobile search engine market, solidifying its dominance.
Yandex ranks second, making it the world’s second-most-used mobile search engine.
Baidu accounts for 0.88%, while Bing captures 0.75% of the mobile market. Meanwhile, Yahoo and DuckDuckGo hold smaller shares at 0.6% and 0.54%, respectively.
Source: StatCounter.
Additional Search Engine Statistics
17. 16.4 billion searches take place on Google every single day. That converts to 190K searches per second.
18. More than 1 billion voice searches take place every month.
19. Google Lens is used for 8 billion visual searches per month.
Social Media Usage Statistics
20. 95.9% of the internet users worldwide use social media.
5.41 billion people worldwide use social media, accounting for 66.4% of the total worldwide population.
21. Besides, users typically spend an average of 2 hours and 40 minutes each day on social media platforms.
Here is a table displaying the number of social media users recorded over the years:
| Year | Number of Social Media Users |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 5.41 billion |
| 2024 | 5.22 billion |
| 2023 | 4.90 billion |
| 2022 | 4.59 billion |
| 2021 | 4.26 billion |
| 2020 | 3.9 billion |
| 2019 | 3.51 billion |
| 2018 | 3.1 billion |
| 2017 | 2.73 billion |
Source: Data reportal, Statista
Facebook was the first social media platform to surpass more than one billion account registrations. Today, it holds the position as the #1 social media platform in terms of users, too, with 3.07 billion users.
Here is a table representing the active users on different social media platforms:
| Social Media Platform | Number of Users |
|---|---|
| 3.07 billion | |
| Youtube | 2.50 billion |
| 2 billion | |
| 2 billion | |
| TikTok | 1.60 billion |
| 1.36 billion | |
| Facebook Messenger | 977 million |
| Telegram | 900 million |
| Snapchat | 800 million |
Source: Data Reportal
22. The United States has approximately 253 million social media users.
This figure represents 70.1% of the total internet users in the country.
Source: Data Reportal
Conclusion: 6.04 Billion People Worldwide Use The Internet
That’s 68.7% of the population worldwide. Besides, 327.18 million people in the United States are estimated to use the Internet, accounting for 94.44% of the country’s population.
Mobile devices account for the highest internet usage worldwide, whereas desktops account for the third-highest share.
The global share of internet users has surged significantly in recent years, driven by the widespread availability of the internet, increased smartphone adoption, and global digitalization.
