A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is the latest miracle that can keep your browsing habits completely hidden from your internet provider, marketers, and even the government. The latest VPN statistics show that a VPN is used globally, and around 35% of people are online with their VPNs.
What’s more, the overall VPN industry is growing as more individuals and businesses realize how crucial their private information is. Unfortunately, not all VPN services are the same, and some may get you exposed, especially when you use a public network. Keep reading to learn more about the importance of VPNs.
VPN Facts (Editor’s Choice)
- North America held a 25% revenue share of the VPN market in 2020
- The consumer VPN market is projected to reach $834.1 million by 2024
- Approximately 35% of the global population uses a VPN every day or almost every day
- Slovakia is the fastest-growing location for VPN use
- About 20 million people who used a free VPN service suffered a data breach
- A total of 32% of all internet VPN users are between 16 and 34
- Approximately 50% of VPN users claim they use it to access better entertainment content
- Desktop computers are used to connect to a VPN in 62% of cases
VPN Market Size
The latest data shows that the global VPN market will grow in the future. By 2027, the VPN service market is expected to hit $92.6 billion. Moreover, the biggest players in the industry are Canada, the UK, China, Germany, and the US.
1. A Virtual Private Network market size surpassed $30 billion in 2020.
(GMI)
According to the latest global VPN market statistics, the expected CAGR from 2021 to 2027 is bigger than 15%. This growth will likely happen due to the increased need to protect enterprise resources and endpoint devices that access the enterprise network. Moreover, the value projection for 2027 is $120 billion.
2. North America held a 25% revenue share of the VPN market in 2020.
(Gminsight)
When it comes to regional VPN market revenue share, North America held about a quarter of it in 2020. When the COVID-19 outbreak happened, the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency issued instructions on the usage of VPN solutions to prevent cyber attacks. This could be one of the reasons for such a high market revenue share in the US.
3. By 2027, the overall VPN service market is estimated to hit $92.6 billion.
(GWR)
Increased concerns over cybersecurity will lead to the growth of the VPN market’s worth. What’s more, internet censorship and access to restricted content will also positively affect this growth. The market was worth $25.65 billion in 2019 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 17.4%.
4. By 2024, the consumer VPN market is projected to reach $834.1 million.
(MarketResearch)
The increase started from a $492.0 million market in 2019 and is projected to grow at a five-year compound annual growth rate of 11.1%.
VPN Usage by Country and Globally
A VPN is used globally, as both businesses and individuals understand its importance. At the moment, Qatar has the highest percentage of VPN users. Regionally, Asia Pacific is the leader in VPN usage.
5. About 26% of internet users rely on VPN services.
(LinkedIn)
About half of the global population uses the internet every day. According to the global VPN usage trends, there are 4.1 billion internet users, and about one-quarter of them use VPN services. Unfortunately, not all VPN services can provide the same level of anonymity and security, especially when it comes to keeping organizations safe.
6. Qatar has the most VPN users, with 69.69% of people using it.
(AtlasVPN)
When it comes to the country with the highest VPN usage statistics, Qatar is in the first place. UAE is right behind with 59.52%, and Singapore is third, with approximately 49.14% of people who use a VPN.
7. Approximately 44% of Indonesians use a VPN.
(vpnMentor)
Indonesia is also among the countries with high numbers of VPN users. In second place is India with 37%, and in third Malaysia with 32%.
8. Asia Pacific has the highest percentage of VPN users—a total of 30%.
(GeoSurf)
Latin America has 23%, and the Middle East and Africa have 20%. Moreover, both North America and Europe have 18% of VPN users.
9. Slovakia is the fastest-growing location for VPN use.
(vpnMentor)
VPN trends show that the country had more than a 300% increase in interest in the service last year. Spain, South Africa, Costa Rica, and the Dominican Republic follow along with the increase of 200–300%. Island and Japan are right behind with slightly over 200%.
10. The countries with the lowest number of VPN users are Germany, the US, the UK, and Australia.
(GeoSurf)
VPN facts show that Germany has only 6% of people using a VPN, while the US and the UK have 5% each. Moreover, Australia has only 4% of VPN users.
11. A total of 68% of adults in the US use free or paid VPNs for personal or business needs.
(NSTEC)
Adult Americans use VPNs for business and private browsing, and they use both free and paid VPN tools. Moreover, this percentage translates to 142 million VPN users.
Cybersecurity and VPN Breach Statistics
VPN services are supposed to bring peace of mind to their users by hiding their personal information.
However, not all VPN services are the same. Unfortunately, some may do the opposite—cause the data leak.
12. The FBI reported a 300% increase in cybercrime from the beginning of the pandemic.
(Imcgrupo)
Once the pandemic started, cybercriminals focused on expanding their operations. VPN cybersecurity statistics show there was a major increase in cyber security complaints daily, from 1,000 to over 3,000–4,000 complaints.
13. About 21 million people who used a free VPN service have suffered a data breach.
(Malwarebytes)
The data included randomly generated password strings, email addresses, device IDs, and payment information. Moreover, three VPN apps were used—GeckoVPN, SuperVPN, and ChatVPN.
14. Small businesses suffer from about 43% of cyber attacks.
(Embroker)
VPN statistics show that a VPN is often used to help businesses cope with cyber attacks. However, they are becoming more frequent, targeted, and complex, especially attacks on small to medium-sized businesses. Unfortunately, only 14% are capable of defending themselves. These attacks disrupt normal operations and may damage important IT infrastructure and assets.
15. Cybercrime costs have increased by 15% annually in the last 5 years.
(sumologic)
The cost of cybercrimes was around $133,000 in 2020. That represents the total average of cyber attacks of all types. Cybercrime is affecting every business in the world, especially since many organizations have moved their workforce to remote online positions.
16. In 2020, 59% of Canadian organizations used VPN to fight against cyber attacks.
(AtlasVPN)
One of the best VPN uses is to fight cyber attacks. Out of the total number of surveyed organizations, 65% were private, while 35% were public or non-profit.
VPN Users Statistics
At the moment, more men than women use a VPN, and about 35% of people who use these services belong to the 16–24 age group. More than half use it for entertainment, 77% pay for digital content, and 62% use it on desktop computers.
17. A total of 35% of all internet VPN users are aged 16 to 24.
(GoGlobe)
VPN use statistics show a total of 33% of them are aged 25 to 34, while 19% belong to the 35–44 age group. Moreover, only 9% are aged 45–54.
18. When it comes to gender, 62% of all VPN users are male.
(GoGlobe)
There’s also a drastic difference regarding the gender of VPN users. On the other hand, 38% of women use this service, VPN analytics show.
19. A total of 50% of VPN users claim they’re using it to access better entertainment content.
(TheBestVPN)
Regarding the reason for VPN usage, 50% of users claim they’re using the service for better entertainment. In addition, 34% say they use it to get on social networks, and 31% to browse anonymously.
20. About 33% of VPN users pay for downloading music content.
(TheBestVPN)
VPN stats also show that a total of 77% of VPN users buy digital content each month. An additional 27% pay for music streaming services, while the same number of people pay for movie or TV streaming services and mobile apps. Moreover, 26% of users pay for movie or TV download.
21. More than 54% of VPN users think they have little control over who can discover their location.
(EarthWeb)
Personal data security statistics show that 54% of VPN users use it on desktops to protect themselves on public networks. Moreover, about 57% of mobile owners use VPNs for the same purpose.
22. 62% of VPN users use it on desktop computers.
(VPNwelt)
On the other hand, using a VPN on a mobile device seems handy for 64% of mobile VPN users, meaning that the benefits of a VPN are there for mobile users as well. This is important for mobile users who tend to connect to public networks.
Conclusion
A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a useful tool to keep you anonymous while online. It’s especially powerful in preventing potential cyberattacks when you’re connected to public Wi-Fi networks by making it difficult for third parties to track your online activities.
Still, VPN statistics show that people will most likely use VPNs to get on social media, see restricted content, or even pay for some services.
However, many companies recognize what VPN can do and work on utilizing it to prevent cyber attacks. Canada is one example, and chances are other countries will follow in its footsteps. One thing is certain—the VPN industry will grow in years to come.
People Also Ask
According to the latest data, about 35% of the global population uses VPN services daily or almost every day. When it comes to the US, about 68% of people utilize VPNs for personal or business use.
Many people also use VPNs when they travel or have to connect to some public network. The VPN service helps them keep their information private, regardless of who else is using the network.
At the moment, Qatar has the highest percentage of VPN users—69.69%. UAE holds second place with 59.52%, and Singapore is third with 49.74%. The US has about 68% of adult VPN users, and Asia Pacific holds the highest percentage of VPN users regionally.
On the other hand, South Africa, Japan, and Madagascar have the lowest percentage of people using VPN, at 3.96%, 1.56%, and 0.79%, respectively.
Many people use a VPN to hide their sensitive data if they need to connect to a public Wi-Fi network. Others use it to access social media, download fun content, or get access to sites that are banned in their country.
Most people are aware that the VPN hides their identity from their internet provider and keeps them protected when they use various apps.
Whether you can or can’t be tracked while using a VPN depends on the quality of service. If you use a premium VPN service, chances are you will remain completely anonymous while browsing the web.
On the other hand, if you download a random free VPN, your data may still be visible, and you can be tracked online. What’s more, some free VPNs will monitor and log your connection information.
Even though a VPN is often recognized as the ultimate solution for accessing the internet while securing your information, it’s also very limited. For example, it can’t change your cookie settings or prevent the social network from using your data if you willingly solve a quiz.
Additionally, VPNs can also be compromised by malware. Many free VPN services sell their users’ data or run ads that can infect your device with a virus. This is why learning more about VPN statistics is crucial for using the service correctly.
