64 Viber Statistics You Need to Know: 2024 Market Share Analysis & Data

Viber came hot on the heels of Facebook Messenger to become one of the largest messaging apps. The mobile messaging app was founded in 2010 in Tel Aviv, Israel. A year after its launch, Viber had 19 million unique users. Since then, its user base only continued to grow.

Social media statistics reveal that social media platforms have a strong foothold in Southeast Asia. Thus, it is no surprise that Viber would experience strong growth in the region. Aside from that, the social networking app is also popular in Eastern Europe and other parts of Asia. Take a look at the Viber statistics below and see how the platform has developed and become prominent.

Viber Users Statistics

The following Viber user statistics give an idea of the audience of the instant messaging and calling app. A few figures also touch on the activities or behaviors of its users when it comes to text messaging as well as photo and video sharing.

Number of Users

• Viber group statistics show that in March 2020, the messaging app had 1.169 billion unique user IDs. (Rakuten, 2020)
• It is available and being used in 193 countries. (Bizadmark, 2020)
• Rakuten Viber has around 260 million active users. (Mixpanel, 2021)
• 3% of United States respondents use Viber regularly in 2020. (Statista, 2020)
• The messaging app has more than 500 million installs from the Google Play Store. (Google Play, 2021)
• 8% of educational users in Hungary would use Viber for communicating with students’ parents. (Digital Hungary, 2020)
• 27% would use Viber to stay connected with students. (Digital Hungary, 2020)
• 60% would use it to connect with students’ parents, brainstorm with teachers, and keep in touch with students. (Digital Hungary, 2020)
• 8% of respondents in Russia use Viber for reading news and information reports. (Public Opinion Foundation, 2021)
• 50% of the platform’s users share photos and videos every day. (DMR, 2021)
• 95% of messages on Viber are text messages. (Fast Company)
• All of Viber’s users share 1.5 million pictures per minute. (Mixpanel, 2021)
• After collaborating with Mixpanel, Viber gained a 15% increase in overall messages sent. (Mixpanel, 2021)
• The messaging app had a 10% increase in group chat creation. (Mixpanel, 2021)
• The app now allows up to 20 people in group video calls. (Viber, 2021)
• Sharing from external channels also went up by 9%. (Mixpanel, 2021)
• Texts and calls by PH users went up by 31% and 41%, respectively. (Manila Bulletin, 2021)

User Demographics

• There are over 55 million users of Viber in Africa. (Dimelo, 2019)
• Around 110 million people use Viber in Eastern Europe. (Dimelo, 2019)
• In Canada, 4% of people use Viber regularly. (Statista, 2020)
• Meanwhile, in the UK and in the US, the mobile messaging app is used regularly by 3% of the respondents. (Statista, 2020)
•  24.24% of the app’s traffic comes from Ukraine. (99firms, 2021)
• Viber’s second-largest audience base is in Russia, as 18.59% of traffic originate’s from the country. (99firms, 2021)
• The platform boasts 40% to 50% penetration in Myanmar and Iraq. (Plugged, 2021)
• It claims to have a 90% market share in Belarus, Greece, Bulgaria, Montenegro, and Serbia. (Plugged, 2021)
• The app recorded a 421% growth in the Asia Pacific region at the end of 2020. (Manila Bulletin, 2021)
• Viber reports a 24% growth in users in the Philippines. (Manila Bulletin, 2021)
• Rakuten Viber is used by 1 in 4 Vietnamese. (Webcertain, 2021)

User Issues

Viber usage statistics reveal that Viber is not without issues regarding its services. A case in point is a survey in which Russian users participated.

• Russian users of Viber revealed that 63% lack connection. (99firms, 2021)
• 32% said they encounter message delivery problems. (99firms, 2021)
• 3% have concerns about statuses. (99firms, 2021)

Viber Marketing Statistics

A Viber marketing success story involves the World Wildlife Fund. The organization uses Viber to reach out to its supporters and to find new donors. In a movement to double the number of tigers in the wild, the group launched a multi-part campaign. Their efforts resulted in 21.5 million interactions with the WWF chatbot.

• Nearly 90% of Viber messages are opened within 3 minutes upon receipt. (Bizadmark, 2020)
• There are more than 70 million interactions every hour. (Viber, 2021)
• Users spend an average of 35 minutes on the app per day. (Viber, 2021)
• The average user sends over 30 messages per day. (Viber, 2021)
• 260 million – the number of monthly active Viber users. (Respond.io, 2021)
• Viber has logged 1.2 million logins per minute. (TechCrunch, 2019)
• In 2014, Viber overtook Line in the number of monthly active users: 209 million vs. 170 million. (Tech in Asia)
• The average Viber user launches the app 12 times per day. (Paldesk, 2020)
• Viber saved 10% of its marketing budget after stopping performance ad fraud. (Adjust, 2021)
• 1 in 4 Viber users taps the buy button on product ads they see. (99firms, 2021)
• Each customer “likes” 13 different products each month. (99firms, 2021)
• The average product view per user is 28. (99firms, 2021)
• Chatbot operators pay $4,500 per month to send 500,000 messages to their audience on Viber. (TechCrunch, 2019)
• Viber charges $6,500 per month for sending up to 1 million  messages per month. (TechCrunch, 2019)

Viber Communities

• A Viber Community can have unlimited members. (Viber, 2021)
• FC Barcelona, a Rakuten Viber partner, has more than 1.8 million members in its community. (Viber, 2021)
• Group chats can have a maximum of 250 members. (Viber, 2021)
• In comparison, Telegram limits group participation to 1 million members.
• Other rivals like WhatsApp and WeChat limit membership to 256 and 500 members, respectively. (NewsBytes)
• The mobile chatting app experienced a 170% increase in group activities due to the pandemic. (Viber, 2021)
• The official World Health Organization Community has 2.3 million subscribers. (Viber, 2021)
• Communities in the Philippines have 2.2 million members. (Viber, 2021)
• Usage of Viber Communities in the Philippines jumped by 198%. (Manila Bulletin, 2021)
• Messages exchanged in Communities in the Southeast Asian country went up 144%. (Manila Bulletin, 2021)
• In Greece, 740,000 users are members of Communities. (Viber, 2021)
• Meanwhile, there are 450,000 members in Sri Lanka Communities. (Viber, 2021)

Viber Stickers

• 30% of Viber users send stickers daily. (Bizadmark, 2020)
• Myanmar is the top sticker sender in Southeast Asia, with 267 million senders per month. (Tech in Asia)
• Jollibee, a fast-food chain in the Philippines released stickers. These became popular and had 5 million downloads after its first release. (Tech in Asia)

Viber Earnings Statistics

Japanese ecommerce giant Rakuten acquired Viber in 2014. The deal had a price tag of $900 million. Moving forward, the company had encountered losses and also registered soaring profits.

• Rakuten’s mobile segment reported a ¥128,583 million revenue in Q3 2020. (Rakuten, 2021)
• The Japanese conglomerate reported earning ¥607,110 million in internet services in Q3 2020. (Rakuten, 2021)
• 40% of the company’s earnings come from Viber for Business. (Plugged, 2021)
• Additionally, Viber subscriptions account for another 40% of the messaging app’s revenue. (Plugged, 2021)
• Lastly, 20% of the company’s earnings come from ad placements. (Plugged, 2021)
• Rakuten Viber has its own cryptocurrency called VIBE. It was launched in 2018. (Bitcoinist)
• VIBER price as of Apr. 20, 2021 is $0.02626. (CoinMarketCap, 2021)

Getting Your Vibe On

The Viber statistics above are enough to inform anyone that Viber may not be as huge as Facebook Messenger, but it definitely has a wide and strong userbase. In particular, Rakuten’s social networking solution is immensely popular among smartphone users in Asia. That is why companies are increasing their social media marketing efforts on the platform.

Users like to use the chat and call app because it offers free messaging. Sure, there is a caveat attached to the “free”. Nevertheless, Viber’s audience enjoys using it for text messaging. Moreover, it allows users to make calls to other countries at a fraction of the usual cost. Indeed, many compare Viber services with Skype features. It is cheaper to make calls to landlines and mobile phones using Rakuten’s mobile messaging and calling service. Plus, users can send SMS messages directly to mobile phones.

Furthermore, the messaging app offers a one-week free trial of its calling service. Those who are not sure whether to subscribe to Viber can take advantage of this and call contacts on mobile or landline in 60 countries. The mobile communication solution Viber also supports video calls, which are crucial during the pandemic when movement is still highly restricted.

It has growing communities as well. The World Health Organization has been using the feature to disseminate information and to battle disinformation regarding COVID-19. Countries, various organizations, and local government units as well are utilizing the platform to keep their constituents informed. Perhaps, this is one of the factors that drives Viber’s growth.

Key Insights

• User Base and Growth:
  • Viber had 1.169 billion unique user IDs as of March 2020 and is available in 193 countries.
  • It has 260 million active users and over 500 million installs from the Google Play Store.
  • The app has significant penetration in regions like Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia, and parts of Africa.
• User Demographics and Behavior:
  • 50% of Viber users share photos and videos daily, with 95% of messages being text-based.
  • In Hungary, a significant percentage of educational users utilize Viber to communicate with students and parents.
  • Viber boasts high market shares in countries like Belarus, Greece, Bulgaria, Montenegro, and Serbia.
• Usage and Engagement:
  • Users spend an average of 35 minutes per day on Viber, launching the app 12 times daily.
  • There are more than 70 million interactions on the platform every hour.
  • The pandemic has led to a 170% increase in group activities on Viber.
• Marketing and Business:
  • Viber has seen success in marketing campaigns, such as the WWF’s campaign resulting in 21.5 million interactions.
  • 40% of Rakuten’s earnings come from Viber for Business, with an additional 40% from subscriptions.
  • The platform offers competitive pricing for messaging services, making it an attractive option for businesses.
• Technical Issues:
  • Russian users reported issues such as lack of connection (63%) and message delivery problems (32%).
• Communities and Features:
  • Viber Communities can have unlimited members, with notable examples like FC Barcelona’s community having over 1.8 million members.
  • The app supports up to 20 people in group video calls, which has been a crucial feature during the pandemic.

FAQ

1. What is Viber and where was it founded? Viber is a mobile messaging app that was founded in 2010 in Tel Aviv, Israel. It allows users to send messages, make voice and video calls, and share media.
2. How many users does Viber have and in how many countries is it available? As of March 2020, Viber had 1.169 billion unique user IDs and is available in 193 countries. It has 260 million active users and over 500 million installs from the Google Play Store.
3. What are some notable demographics and user behaviors on Viber? Viber is particularly popular in Eastern Europe and Southeast Asia. 50% of users share photos and videos daily, and 95% of messages are text-based. The app has high penetration rates in countries like Belarus, Greece, Bulgaria, Montenegro, and Serbia.
4. What marketing success stories are associated with Viber? One notable success story involves the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), which used Viber to launch a campaign that resulted in 21.5 million interactions. The platform’s high engagement rates make it attractive for marketing campaigns.
5. What are the primary sources of revenue for Viber? Viber generates revenue primarily through Viber for Business (40%), subscriptions (40%), and ad placements (20%).
6. What technical issues have been reported by Viber users? Some Russian users have reported issues such as lack of connection (63%) and message delivery problems (32%).
7. What are Viber Communities and how do they function? Viber Communities allow for unlimited members, making it a robust feature for large groups. Notable communities include FC Barcelona’s with over 1.8 million members and the World Health Organization’s with 2.3 million subscribers.

References:

1. Viber. (2020, May 13). FY2020 first quarter consolidated financial results. Rakuten.
2. Bizadmark. (2020, December 4). How to use Rakuten Viber for marketing (6 best strategies). Bizadmark.
3. Maslar, H. (2021, January 23). Metrics that matter to Viber: A formula to meaningfully measure active users. Mixpanel.
4. Statista. (2020, November). Global consumer survey. Statista.
5. Rio, J. (2019, August 30). Should you integrate Viber into your customer care strategy? Dimelo.
6. Viber Media S.à r.l. (2021). Viber Messenger – Free video calls & group chats. Google Play.
7. Digital Hungary, & Viber. (2020, September 1). Nem kevesen vannak, akik nem akarnak online tanévet. Digital Hungary.
8. Public Opinion Foundation (FOM). (2021, February). Mass media sources: Internet. Public Opinion Foundation (FOM).
9. Statista Global Consumer Survey. (2020, November). Global consumer survey. Statista.
10. 99firms Content. (2021, January 8). Viber statistics. 99firms.
11. Mehta, I. (2021, April 10). How Viber achieved profitability by NOT following the WhatsApp model. Plugged.
12. Smith, C. (2021, March 16). 35 amazing Viber stats. DMR.
13. Schwab, K. (2018, August 21). The secret weapon that could help decide the messaging wars. Fast Company.
14. Mixpanel. (2021). How Viber increased messaging by 15% for 1 billion users. Mixpanel.
15. Cahiles-Magkilat, B. (2021, January 21). Viber reports 24% jump in PH users. Manila Bulletin.
16. Webcertain. (2021). Zalo is the most popular messaging app in Vietnam. Webcertain.
17. Hadar, L. (2021, March 24). A year of the “New normal” – How people stayed connected. Viber.
18. Viber for Business. (2021). WWF. Viber.
19. Viber for Business. (2021). Viber services to promote your business. Viber.
20. Lee, P. (2016, December 13). Why in-app stickers are the marketing arsenal brands can’t avoid. Tech in Asia.
21. Chris. (2021, February). Viber for business: The ultimate guide (Feb 2021). Respond.io.
22. Corbin, D. (2014, October 5). Surprise! Viber surpasses Line in monthly active users. Tech in Asia.
23. Hrženjak, B. (2020, August 28). Viber for business – Connect with your customers. Paldesk.
24. Adjust. (2021). Discover how Viber stopped mobile ad fraud. Adjust.
25. Millward, S. (2014, February 14). After Rakuten acquisition, Viber reveals it has 100 million active users. Tech in Asia.
26. Russel, J. (2019, February 22). Rakuten’s Viber chat app plans to charge to operate chatbots in controversial move. TechCrunch.
27. FC Barcelona. (2021). FC Barcelona community. Viber.
28. Viber. (2021). What are Communities. Viber Support.
29. Dube, M. (2018, March 1). Viber community: Group chat with a whopping 1 billion members. NewsBytes.
30. Rakuten Group, Inc. (2021). 2020 earnings release. Rakuten.
31. Scott, A. (2018, July 4). Viber’s plan to beat WhatsApp: Its own cryptocurrency in Russia. Bitcoinist.
32. CoinMarketCap. (2021, April). VIBE price today, VIBE live marketcap, chart, and info. CoinMarketCap.

By Louie Andre

B2B & SaaS market analyst and senior writer for FinancesOnline. He is most interested in project management solutions, believing all businesses are a work in progress. From pitch deck to exit strategy, he is no stranger to project business hiccups and essentials. He has been involved in a few internet startups including a digital route planner for a triple A affiliate. His advice to vendors and users alike? "Think of benefits, not features."