75 Key VPN Statistics: 2024 Analysis of Trends, Data and Market Share

A new version of this article, featuring the latest data and statistics, is available. Check out our report on VPN Software Statistics for 2022.

You’re not as safe online as you might think. Cybersecurity continues to be a significant concern for many companies as well as individuals around the world. This is where VPN services come in. These tools serve as the last line of protection for most systems, making them practically invisible to cybercriminals. In this regard, it is imperative that you be aware of key VPN software trends and the top reasons for using VPN platforms. These data will help you put into context your need for VPN software and for choosing a particular solution.

Cybercrimes Committed Against Businesses

For industries, the biggest reason for VPN use is still system protection, with more and more organizations depending on managed VPN systems to safeguard their information. This rise in VPN demand has resulted in more and more cybersecurity companies joining the fray, further expanding the market.

• Almost 60% of companies have experienced cyber-attacks such as DDoS attacks, phishing, and social engineering attacks. (Cybint, 2019)
• In a study by Verizon, 72% of the breaches they tracked involved large enterprises while 28% involved small businesses. (Verizon, 2020)
• Moreover, 70% of the breaches are perpetrated by outsiders and 86% of the breaches are financially motivated. (Verizon, 2020)
• Cryptojacking was seen to rise in 2019. (Symantec, 2019)
• Meanwhile, with the rise in cryptocurrency investments in 2020, cybersecurity experts predict an increase in Bitcoin theft in 2021. (Mint, 2020)
• 76 billion records were leaked in January 2019. (IT Governance, 2019)
• Meanwhile, 2020’s first quarter has experienced the worst data breach in history, with more than 8 billion records leaked. (SelfKey, 2020)

The Cost of Cybercrimes

• Ransomware attacks are predicted to cost companies $20 billion in 2021. (The National Law Review, 2020)
• Moreover, it is forecasted that in 2021, a business will fall prey to ransomware attacks every 11 seconds. (The National Law Review, 2020)
• As of 2020, the average cost of a data breach for organizations worldwide is $3.86 million. (IBM, 2020)
• The average cost of a data breach will exceed $5 trillion by 2024, rising at an annual growth of 11%. (Juniper Research, 2019)
• Healthcare is the most expensive data breach, costing around $7.13 million. (IBM, 2020)
• $50,000 – the average dollar spent by organizations when dealing with a denial-of-service attack. (Corero, 2019)
• $6 trillion – the expected annual global cost of cybercrime by 2021. (Cybersecurity Ventures, 2019)

Problems Addressed by VPN Service

Aside from the ever-growing problem of cybersecurity, other complications continue to crop up all over the place. Problems brought about by issues like Internet censorship, BYOD (Bring-Your-Own-Device) adoption, and cyberattacks have both individual and corporate users scrambling to protect their online presence and systems from external threats. Individual Internet users have also been seeking to hide their online presence as a way to go around Internet censorship, and access restricted content. The following VPN services data will help you better understand these problems.

• The major issues related to online privacy are identity theft (63%) and banking/credit card fraud (45%). (vpnMentor, 2021)
• 72% of users in the US are more concerned over having their financial information stolen by computer hackers than they are concerned about violent crimes. (Statista, 2020)
• In 2018, 73% of businesses say they are not ready for a cyber attack. (Hiscox, 2018)
• However, in 2020, the firms that qualified as cyber-ready experts increased to 18% from 10% in the previous year. Cybersecurity spending in 2020 also increased by 39%. (Hiscox, 2020)
• As such, only 51% of organizations in 2020 say that they are unready for cyber breaches. (FireEye, 2020)
• 95% of all the data breaches could have been easily prevented with basic data security efforts. (Online Trust Alliance, 2018)

BYOD Adoption

BYOD adoption has its advantages, among them remote work, increased productivity, and even adding to an employee’s value. However, downsides also come with the model, problems that are easily addressed with VPN use. The following VPN services statistics reflect security issues associated with businesses’ adoption of BYOD.

• 63% of businesses say data loss and leakage are the main security problems for BYOD. (Cybersecurity Insiders, 2020)
• Meanwhile, other concerns preventing businesses from adopting BYOD include information security (31%) and employee privacy (15%). (Cybersecurity Insiders, 2020)
• 56% of BYOD businesses make use of MDM and remote wipe to protect their systems. (Bitglass, 2018)
• IT theft cases in the office have been pegged at 23% (Kensington, 2017)
• Moreover, digital device losses are prevalent, with 64.28% happening due to being misplaced and 35.72% due to theft. (Prey, 2020)
• 57% of companies are worried about employees downloading unsafe content and applications. (Cybersecurity Insiders, 2020)
• 72% of businesses lack malware protection for BYOD. (Bitglass, 2020)
• Meanwhile, 42% of businesses with BYOD policies are not equipped to detect malware infections in devices. (Bitglass, 2020)

VPN Services Market Statistics

It is no surprise that the global VPN market has been thriving, with more and more users joining the caravan. Concerns over cybersecurity, Internet censorship, and access to restricted content have been contributing to this growth. These have resulted in the sector’s continued growth with NordVPN and Express VPN gaining the largest VPN services market share.

• The overall VPN market value will reach $27 billion by 2020, $31 billion by 2021, and $35 billion by 2022. (GO-Globe, 2018)
• A more recent study predicts that the overall VPN services market will hit $92.6 billion by 2027. (Grand View Research, 2020)
• The consumer VPN market is projected to hit $834.1 million by 2024 at an 11.1% five-year compound annual growth rate. (IDC, 2020)
• The global mobile VPN market is projected to expand at a CAGR of 19.7% from 2018 to 2023. (Prescient & Strategic Intelligence, 2018)
• Meanwhile, the global cloud VPN market is predicted to grow at a CAGR of 22.30% from 2017 to 2025. (Global Marketing Insights, 2018)

Most Popular VPN Software

1. NordVPN. A robust VPN software for business and individual users. It uses military-grade encryption and a no-logging policy as its online protection protocol. Our NordVPN review will help you know more about this popular VPN solution.
2. ZenMate. It offers high-speed, anonymous, and affordable internet access from any location and is available in numerous languages. This ZenMate review offers an informative discussion about its features and functionalities.
3. ExpressVPN. Secure, fast, and user-friendly VPN for all major platforms and any device. With over 145 server locations located in almost a hundred countries worldwide. For more details, read our ExpressVPN review.
4. Perimeter 81. A robust VPN service that streamlines secured remote access for field staff. Our Perimeter 81 review walks you through its offerings and pricing plans.
5. Hide.me. Fast and reliable, system-agnostic VPN. Aside from its paid plans, it offers a zero-logging, ad-free free version. For more details, read our Hide.me review.

VPN Use Statistics

Behind the market growth is the number of individual VPN users, which has been increasing at breakneck speed. Those in restricted countries and emerging markets lead the pack. Internet users make up the bulk of VPN users, significantly contributing to the market’s growth. Below are statistics that prove these developments.

• Global VPN usage, particularly for internet users aged 16 to 64, has increased from 28% in 2017 to 31% in 2019. (Global Web Index, 2020)
• A quarter of global Internet users report using VPN every day or nearly every day. (GO-Globe, 2018)
• 41% of US and UK VPN users leverage the technology weekly. Meanwhile, 36% use it every day, 13% use it once a month, and 10% use it less often. (Global Web Index, 2020)
• 24% of internet users in the US and the UK rely on VPN for their privacy. (Global Web Index, 2020)
• The generations most likely to use VPN are Gen Zers (39%) and Millennials (36%). (Global Web Index, 2020)
• 62% of VPN users are male, while 38% are female. (GeoSurf, 2019)
• The regions with the highest VPN usage are Asia Pacific (35%), the Middle East and Africa (35%), and Latin America (31%). (Global Web Index, 2020)
• Meanwhile, the countries with the highest VPN usage are Indonesia (61%), India (45%), Saudi Arabia (44%), Malaysia (43%), UAE (42%), and the Philippines (41%). (Global Web Index, 2020)
• The countries with the least VPN users are Australia (4%), the UK and the US (5%), and Germany (6%). (GeoSurf, 2019)
• Thailand (24%) and Indonesia (22%) users are most likely to use VPN to access entertainment content. (GO-Globe, 2018)
• 77% of VPN users are buying digital content every month. (TheBestVPN, 2020)
• The fastest growth of VPN users was in 2018. It grew by 165% in a span of one year. (Orbis Research, 2020)
• Among the global VPN users, 29% use it for personal reasons only while 24% use it for business. (Security.org, 2020)

Increase in VPN Demand Due to COVID-19 Pandemic

• Use of VPN in the United States increased by 124% during the onset of the coronavirus pandemic (between March 8 and 22, 2020). (Atlas VPN, 2020)
• Globally, demand for VPN increased by 41% in March 2020 due to the pandemic. (Top10VPN, 2020)
• Even as quarantine protocols worldwide relax, the demand for VPN remains 22% higher than the demand before the pandemic started. (Top10VPN.com, 2020)

Reasons for Using VPN Services

Internet users utilize VPN services for a variety of reasons. Among the leading ones include to protect their privacy on public WiFi networks (51%), to browse the web anonymously (44%), and to communicate more securely 37%).

However, there are a host of other factors behind the use of VPN services. Here are some VPN software facts that further explain them.

Entertainment 

• Many internet users leverage VPN for general security (49%) and general privacy (40%) when browsing the net. (Security.org, 2020)
• However, among the top motivators for VPN use is to access restricted download/stream/torrent sites (23%) and to access better entertainment content (22%). (Global Web Index, 2020)
• 33% of those who pay for VPN use it to download music, while 27% use it to stream music. 27% are streaming TV or movies. (GeoSurf, 2019)
• 17% of consumers use a VPN to access a Tor browser. (GeoSurf, 2019)
• The most popular TV streaming services that global VPN users access include Netflix (56%), Amazon Prime Video (23%), and iQiyi (15%). (Global Web Index, 2020)
• This demand is attributed to the fact that 26 out of 65 countries have experienced a decline in Internet Freedom. (Freedom House, 2020)

Communication

• VPN users based in the UK and the US use it to communicate more securely (37%). (Global Web Index, 2020)
• Similar studies suggest that 7% of internet users leverage VPN to secure VoIP phone calls. (Security.org, 2020)
• 42% use VPN to stay in touch with friends. (TheBestVPN, 2020)
• 41% use VPN to stay updated with news and current events. (TheBestVPN, 2020)
• 37% use VPN to network with others. (TheBestVPN, 2020)
• 25% of those who pay for VPN use it to communicate with their family and friends abroad. (TheBestVPN, 2020)

Work

• Many internet users also mention that they use VPN because it is required for their job (29%) or to help them access secure networks for their job (27%). (Security.org, 2020)
• According to 22% of users, they often use VPN to access sites/files/services when at work. (Global Web Index, 2020)
• Some also mention their need for VPN for their work in research. (Security.org, 2020)
• Since the increase in remote workers due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many organizations have reviewed their work policies. According to 74% of companies, requiring VPNs is a critical element of remote work. (OpenVPN, 2020)
• 68% of employees reported that their organization has increased their use of VPN due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Help Net Security, 2020)

Reasons for Using Mobile VPN Services

Mobile VPN services have also caught the attention of Internet users who want additional security when going online. Developed to protect public WiFi users, these tools can prevent hackers from intercepting data being sent over public WiFi. The following figures gleaned from VPN services research outline reasons for adopting mobile VPN software.

• 61% of online transactions are made through mobile devices. (Infosecurity Magazine, 2019)
• 274.7 million Americans use their mobile device to access the internet. (Statista, 2020)
• In Q1 of 2020, the mobile cybersecurity products developed by Kaspersky was able to detect 1,152,662 malicious installations. (Kaspersky, 2020)
• Among the malicious installations, 42,115 are mobile banking trojans. A number that is 2.5 times more than what was detected in Q4 of 2019. (Kaspersky, 2020)
• 600% increase in mobile app fraud was recorded from 2015 to 2018. (RSA, 2018)
• However, more recent data suggests a 30% year-on-year decrease in app installation fraud in the first two quarters of 2020. (AppsFlyer, 2020)
• There are 5.135 billion mobile phone users in 2019, which is 4% higher compared to the year prior. (TheBestVPN, 2020)
• Meanwhile, as of 2020, 45% of the global population are smartphone owners. (Newzoo, 2020)
• Experts predict that smartphone users will hit 4.3 billion by 2023. (Newzoo, 2020)

The use of VPN tools has indeed risen in the world market, considering the current VPN services market size and as evidenced by the statistics that we have gathered. But more important than these are the reasons behind the massive adoption of these tools–corporate users’ push to secure their data and systems from breaches. These are all reflected in the VPN software charts provided in this article.

The other reasons for VPN services use are those espoused by individual users. They have been proven to be useful in circumventing Internet censorship, accessing entertainment content, and maintaining online anonymity, which just about every Internet user needs. Considering these factors, the continued growth of the VPN services market is inevitable.

However, VPN services are but a part of larger IT security systems that help in countering the threat of cybercrime. Now, there are lots of VPN services out there, and you must be careful if you are to choose the right one for you. Go for free trials, read user reviews, and examine two or three platforms before you commit to a service.

References

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2. Atlas VPN (2020, March). VPN usage increase in selected countries impacted by the coronavirus between March 8 and March 22, 2020. Atlas VPN
3. Banerjee, P. (2020, December 8). Experts see crypto frauds rising in 2021. Mint
4. Bleau, H. (2018, May 23). RSA Report: Mobile App Fraud Transactions Increased Over 600 Percent in Three Years. RSA
5. Chebyshev, V., Sinitsyn, F., Parinov, D., Kupreev, O., Lopatin, E., & Kulaeev, A. (2020, May 20). IT threat evolution Q1 2020. Statistics. Kaspersky
6. Corero (2019, December 18). DDoS Attacks Can Cost Organizations $50,000 Per Attack. Corero
7. Cybersecurity Insiders (2020). 2020 MOBILE SECURITY AND BYOD REPORT [ BITGLASS ]. Cybersecurity Insiders
8. Cybersecurity Ventures (2020). The 2020 Official Annual Cybercrime Report. Cybersecurity Ventures
9. Cybint (2019, October 23). 10 Frightening Cyber Security Statistics. Cybint
10. Freedman, L. (2020, February 13). Ransomware Attacks Predicted to Occur Every 11 Seconds in 2021 with a Cost of $20 Billion. The National Law Review, 10 (81). The National Law Review 
11. FireEye (2020). FireEye Cyber Trendscape Report. FireEye
12. Gallup (2020, November). Crimes Americans worry about most in 2020. Gallup
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22. IBM (2020). Cost of a Data Breach Report 2020. IBM
23. Juniper Research (2019, August 27). BUSINESS LOSSES TO CYBERCRIME DATA BREACHES TO EXCEED $5 TRILLION BY 2024. Juniper Research
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By James Anthony

A senior FinancesOnline writer on SaaS and B2B topics, James Anthony passion is keeping abreast of the industry’s cutting-edge practices (other than writing personal blog posts on why Firefly needs to be renewed). He has written extensively on these two subjects, being a firm believer in SaaS to PaaS migration and how this inevitable transition would impact economies of scale. With reviews and analyses spanning a breadth of topics from software to learning models, James is one of FinancesOnline’s most creative resources on and off the office.