Using a VPN has become essential to browse the internet safely these days. Their widespread usage has given birth to some really interesting VPN statistics, facts, and insights. Taking a look at them could be useful to protect your privacy and stay safe on the internet. These facts will make you reconsider your security. Some of them may even leave you awestruck.
In this post, we will share the most interesting 51 VPN Statistics, Facts, & Insights collected from all over the web. Just start reading and calm your curiosity down. Going through these can help you in understanding the world of the internet better.
The Most Interesting VPN Statistics, Facts & Insights on the Internet
The Internet has become a basic need around the world now. We all use it regularly for work and other purposes. However, the modern internet world is not so safe as it seems. All the time you browse the web, your privacy and security are at risk. VPN works as a savior for them. It provides you an encrypted connection to roam around the web. Also, it can replace your real IP address with a different one from another region.
This can help you protect your ‘internet-self’ while surfing the web. That’s why VPNs have become so common these days. Every second internet user relies on it to stay safe. This widespread usage has led to some very interesting statistics and insights. We’ll share them here mixed with the interesting facts.
Facts About the History of VPNs
Th history of VPN dates back to 1996 when a Microsoft employee developed PPTP, a technology that aims to create a more private and secure connection between the computer and the internet. This initiative is known as the ‘birth of VPN.’ After this, the development of our modern VPNs started. Let’s take a brief look at the key historical facts about VPNs.
- In 1996, Gurdeep Singh Pall, a Microsoft employee invented a technology known as Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP). It was a method to implement virtual private networks. He did it to allow users to have a secure internet connection and work safely from home.
- In 1999, the specification was published.
- The development and evolution of VPN technologies started in 2002 and the design that we use today came into light in 2005.
- Originally, VPN technology was developed for big companies and organizations.
- The goal for companies was to make communication and file sharing between different offices and employees safe and secure. They didn’t want anyone to steal their sensitive data.
- By 2004, common people understood the benefits of using VPNs.
- StrongVPN is the oldest modern VPN service provider. It was launched in 2005. However, their company has been around since 1994.
- PureVPN came next in 2007.
- AnchorFree launched HotSpot Shield in the USA in 2008.
- In 2009, ExpressVPN and VyprVPN, the two current dominators of the VPN industry came into play.
- By 2018, 1 in every 4 internet users around the world was using a VPN.
VPN has an interesting history. If Microsoft patented their technology when it was first developed, we’d be having things a lot differently than we have them today.
VPN Users & Usage Statistics, Facts & Insights
There are millions of VPN users worldwide now. And, thousands of VPN service providers are serving them. VPN usage has become much widespread now. The number of users is also ever-expanding. Here are some very interesting users and usage stats, facts, and insights.
- Over 28% of internet users worldwide have used a VPN.
- More than 50% of VPN users connect using a VPN to unblock the content.
- 31% of VPN users have the purpose to stay anonymous.
- 27% of VPN users access restricted websites or torrent websites.
- 18% of VPN users have the purpose to prevent being spied on from the government.
- 17% of VPN users access a TOR browser.
Image Source: GlobalWebIndex
- 93% of IT Professionals use a VPN while working.
- Around 29% of VPN users access Netflix every month.
- 45% of the frequent VPN users access it on mobile.
- Desktop computers are the most used device for VPN usage having a 17% share.
- According to Google Trends, the global popularity of the search term ‘VPN’ has risen steadily over the past 10 years.
- 80% of internet users worldwide worry about their privacy and security.
- CyberGhost VPN has the maximum number of servers worldwide. It has over 6300 servers across 89 countries. NordVPN stands 2nd with 5,650+ servers in 59 countries.
- ExpressVPN is the service provider with maximum paid users worldwide.
These facts verify that VPN has become essential for a lot of internet users in 2020.
Demographic VPN Statistics, Facts & Insights
VPN users are present in every region of the globe. Here are some demographic VPN statistics, facts, and insights. These will help you understand the people who are most concerned with their privacy online.
- Males prefer accessing with VPN connected more than females. 62% of all VPN users are men.
- Around 35% of VPN users have age between 16 to 24 years.
Image Source: GlobalWebIndex
- Millennials prefer VPN services for work and entertainment more than anyone else.
- The 5 best countries to connect to with a VPN are Switzerland, Iceland, Malaysia, Romania, and Spain. These countries have the best privacy laws.
- The countries that have either banned or have restrictions on VPN are Belarus, China, Iran, Iraq, Oman, Russia, Turkey, Uganda, UAE, and Venezuela.
- Indonesia is the country with the maximum global VPN usage. 44% of Indonesian internet users connect using a VPN regularly. India stands 2nd with 37% and Malaysia is 3rd with 32%.
- VPN usage is maximum in the Asia-Pacific region with 30%. Latin America stands 2nd with 23%, the Middle East and Africa are 3rd with 19%, Europe and North America rank 4th with 17% usage each.
Image Source: GlobalWebIndex
VPN users are now available in each corner of the world. By these facts, we can conclude that the underdeveloped regions have more VPN users than the developed regions.
Financial VPN Statistics, Facts & Insights
There are hundreds and thousands of companies and more number of services. The VPN Industry has now become huge. You can verify this by going through the stats, insights, and facts below.
- The VPN Industry is one of the best growing industries of the last decade. In 2020, the industry worths over $24 billion.
- In 2016, the industry was worth $15.64 billion.
- By 2024, it is expected to cross the $50 billion mark according to the current growth rate.
- The VPN Industry has a yearly increase rate of $4.5 billion.
- 90% of the VPN services that are active in 2020 are owned by the companies founded after 2005.
- A lot of VPN services that show themselves as competitors are owned by a single parent company. An example of this is Hotspot Shield and JustVPN are both owned by AnchorFree.
- The cost of cybersecurity experienced a prominent jump in 2018. In the USA, it jumped by 29% in that year.
- The UK experienced a jump of 31% and Japan experienced a jump of 30%.
- NortonLifeLock Inc. has the best performing stock out of all cybersecurity stocks in 2020.
This might be the right time to jump into the VPN Industry. It carries great potential for anyone to succeed.
Final Words
VPNs have become the key to browse the internet safely and securely. These are some of the most interesting VPN statistics, facts, and insights in 2020. If you know about some more of them, don’t forget to drop them in the comments. Also, if you have any questions regarding anything mentioned here, feel free to ask us.
That’s all for this post. I hope you find it helpful.
