VPN Statistics, Trends & Facts

From being a luxury for professionals to a necessity for browsing the web, VPNs have come a long way in the past decade. These security-centric services have also become affordable. How do you think these years have changed the way people use VPNs?

We shall take a look at those statistics and facts in this guide. Our idea? This is to show you how big the kingdom of VPNs is. We shall talk about VPN usage patterns, device preferences, market forecasts, and performance-centric metrics. Shall we start?

How Are People Using VPN?

We shall first look at some statistics on the everyday use cases of VPNs.

Common Use Cases

• When VPNs first became popular, enterprise customers were relying on this technology. However, as of 2024, there are more personal VPN users than enterprise ones.
• Most people use VPNs for two primary purposes: a) as an additional layer of security and b) to access geo-restricted content such as streaming services.
• According to a large-scale survey by Forbes Advisor, 66% of VPN subscribers use the service to keep their data protected.
• While 33% of respondents use a VPN connection to mask their identity online, 16% are compelled to use it due to employer regulations.
• 50% of these respondents acknowledged the use of VPNs while connecting to public Wi-Fi.

• Out of the surveyed, 6% use VPNs to protect employer data, whereas another 6% find VPNs useful for avoiding advertisements and tracking.
• The Forbes Advisor survey also concludes that unlocking geo-blocked streaming services and content is the most common use of personal VPN subscriptions.
• However, a substantial number of VPN subscribers use it for torrenting and additional security.
• Surveys indicate that, on average, 68 out of 100 internet users have a free/paid VPN subscription. Out of these, 15% use VPNs for both business and personal use.
• In many countries, including Belarus, North Korea, Oman, and Iraq, using VPNs is illegal, and defaulters may face severe punishment.

Trends in VPN Usage Over Time

• According to the statistics from 2022, there were around 1.2 billion VPN users. However, the market has substantially grown since.
• In 2023, the global VPN market had reached a valuation of $44.6 billion. The growth is expected to have a substantial CAGR, reaching the $75 billion limit by 2027.
• Even though VPNs became popular among desktop users in the beginning, mobile users are now using the services more. As of 2022, 72% of global instances of VPN use were from smartphones and tablet PCs.

• Following the post-COVID increase of online threats and the booming status of remote work, the VPN market has grown exponentially in the past five years.
• This period has also seen personal VPN services overtaking corporate ones in terms of user number and revenue.

Geographical Statistics for VPN

Not all regions across the world see an equal number of VPN customers. Here are some interesting facts.

Global VPN Usage Statistics

• The global VPN usage witnessed a growth of 27.1% in 2021 compared to 2020.
• It is estimated that there are 1.6 billion VPN users across the globe, putting the global average at 31%.

• Globally, one out of three VPN users rely on free VPNs, which offer limited features and customization options compared to paid options.
• As per global trends, an average VPN subscription would cost $6.50 but can vary depending on the feature set and device support.
• The global market consists of VPN service providers who have servers in six continents,

Regional Differences in VPN Adoption

• Many countries have either imposed restrictions or banned the use of VPNs for cultural and political motivations.
• Asia-Pacific has witnessed significant growth in the adoption rate of VPN services. Indonesia has the highest number of VPN users. One out of two Indonesian internet users relies on VPNs.
• Trends in VPN adoption indicate a relationship between internet censorship and reliance on free and paid VPN services.
• In places like Indonesia, where the internet is heavily restricted, VPNs have become quite popular in the past five years.
• India and the United Arab Emirates are two other prominent places where people flock to VPN services.
• VPN adoption rates are the lowest in countries like Japan, Kenya, and South Africa. It is recorded that only 1.92% of Japan’s population has downloaded a VPN app.
• China, India, Egypt, Turkey, and Russia have imposed control over VPNs. In some countries, the use of VPNs is punishable, and services are blocked.
• The United States remains at one of the top positions when it comes to the number of VPN users on average.
• In Europe, the adoption rates for VPNs are moderate, but the use of services is consistent. In the UK, 25%-30% of internet users have a VPN subscription.

• Latin America has also witnessed an increasing adoption rate of VPNs in the past decade.

VPN Usage by Device

Here are some insights on which devices VPNs are the most used.

Breakdown of VPN Usage Across Devices

• Mobile devices dominate the device-based ranking of devices where VPNs are used. This is also due to the increasing number of people who access the internet via mobile devices.
• Mobile users are more attracted to VPNs because they need protection while connecting to public Wi-Fi and other shared resources.
• Even though mobile devices drive the VPN market, 28% of VPN customers have it set up on their desktop devices. However, these users also have VPN apps installed on their smartphones.

• VPNs find moderate usage among tablet users. Among those who use a VPN on mobile devices, most do it for content consumption and public Wi-Fi security.
• While the VPN setup process on these devices is cumbersome, smart TVs and streaming services are also leaning towards the use of VPNs.
• Even though it is still in the niche category, VPNs are now offering solutions for Wi-Fi routers as well. This feature is being used to enable network-wide security and protection.
• Among those who set up VPNs across their network, most are concerned about privacy, streaming access, and ad-blocking.
• Among mobile devices, more Android users rely on a VPN than iPhone users. This also has to do with the relative availability and pricing of these two platforms.
• Advanced VPN services are now bundling additional features like static IP addresses and full support for multiple connection protocols.
• Overall, the world of VPN services now witnesses a mobile-first domination, with most VPN providers focusing on mobile solutions.

VPN Market Statistics – Paid vs. Free VPNs

Check out some numbers on how the VPN market finds popularity from paid and free VPN services.

Market Share of Paid vs. Free VPNs

• Surveys indicate that out of 100, 64% of users tend to go for paid VPN subscriptions, regardless of whether they are paying for it.
• However, out of the respondents, 30% always go for free VPN services despite their limited features.
• Among those who choose paid VPN services, 26% pay for VPNs out of their pocket.
• For others, VPN services are provided by their employer, or they go for a co-payment system.
• Most customers upgrade from free to paid VPNs due to the lower speed, which can be a hindrance to content streaming.

Growth in Subscription-Based VPN Services

• The freemium model has been successful in the VPN market as well. Paid subscriptions have become the most common revenue source for VPN service providers.
• This market is heavily dominated by subscription-based services such as NordVPN, ExpressVPN, and Private Internet Access.
• Most of these companies offer frequent discounts and promotional offers, especially when the VPN services are purchased for a year or two.
• Subscription-based VPN providers have also started offering add-ons such as password managers, secure cloud storage, antivirus protection, etc.
• VPN services now tend to become an all-in-one security system, claiming to protect different aspects of internet activities.

VPN Service Provider Statistics

Leading VPN Service Providers

• As mentioned, NordVPN, Surfshark, CyberGhost, ExpressVPN, and Private Internet Access are the five leading VPN service providers across the globe.
• Instead of creating a generic market, these companies cater to different user bases. For instance, ExpressVPN’s VPN service is known for its speed and ease of use.
• On the other hand, Private Internet Access and CyberGhost focus more on privacy-centric features, making them a suitable option for those who need maximum protection.
• All the leading VPN service providers have more than 2000 servers spread across the globe, with PIA having a total of 35,000 servers.

• In the global market, however, ExpressVPN and NordVPN have become the go-to option for users from different socioeconomic backgrounds.

VPN Performance and Security Statistics

Performance Metrics

• As mentioned earlier, multiple VPN service providers have different focus points. However, there are some go-to options in terms of performance.
• ExpressVPN is currently the fastest VPN service out there. It uses RAM-only servers to provide best-in-class speed and security.
• VPN service providers are consistent in terms of uptime, with most having close to 99.9% uptime.

• ExpressVPN and NordVPN have received the highest customer satisfaction ratings, with the others on the top list behind.
• All VPN service providers in the top list offer a no-logs policy, meaning that the browsing history is not kept.

Security and Privacy Features

•  Staying faithful to their promises, popular VPN service providers use AES-256 encryption for all traffic that is tunneled through the VPN servers.
• Some advanced VPN services, like Private Internet Access (PIA), allow users to choose between encryption technology and speed and security based on their preferences.
• To better address the privacy concerns, most VPN providers are headquartered in places where the privacy laws are strong. For instance, ExpressVPN and NordVPN are located in the British Virgin Islands and Panama, respectively.
• However, regardless of the jurisdictional privileges, VPN providers find a way to enforce the no-logs policy, without which VPNs would defeat their primary purpose.
• 75% of VPN subscribers feel that they are safer when connected to a VPN service.

Conclusion

What do you think about these exciting numbers and trends about VPNs? Considering the possibility that half of the people who read this might already be using a VPN, the growth of the VPN market does not come as a surprise.

On the other hand, one can confidently estimate that the VPN market is set to grow. As new threats emerge and people become protective of their digital lives, VPNs offer a solution. While it is not without its flaws and restrictions, some layers of protection are better than nothing.