--- title: "How Many People Use YouTube 2026: Users by Country" date: 2026-07-13 author: "Robert A. Lee" featured_image: "https://sqmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/how-many-people-use-youtube.jpg" categories: - name: "Internet" url: "/internet.md" tags: - name: "Statistics" url: "/tag/statistics.md" --- # How Many People Use YouTube 2026: Users by Country YouTube reaches approximately 2.70 billion monthly active users worldwide as of February 2026. In the United States, 84% of adults use the platform, per the Pew Research Center’s 2025 survey. The platform’s potential ad reach grew by 39.7 million users, around 1.6%, over the past 12 months, signalling a maturing audience. The story of [YouTube](https://sqmagazine.co.uk/youtube-statistics/)’s audience is no longer a growth story. It is a saturation story. The data below covers global user counts, country-level rankings, US demographics from Pew Research, and the measurement gap that produces two different “YouTube user” totals depending on who is counting. ## Key Takeaways - YouTube’s potential ad audience reached **2.53 billion** users around the world in early 2025, equivalent to **30.9%** of all the people on Earth, per DataReportal. - An estimated **84%** of US adults use YouTube, including **95%** of those aged 18 to 29, according to Pew Research Center’s February to June 2025 survey. - India is the largest single-country YouTube audience at **491 million** users, nearly double that of the United States’ **253 million**. - YouTube Music and Premium passed **more than 125 million** paid subscribers in March 2025, up from **100 million** in February 2024. - YouTube Shorts averages over **200 billion** daily views, with localized versions running in **over 100 countries** across **80 languages**. - Alphabet reported **350 million** paid subscriptions across its consumer services in Q1 2026 earnings on April 29, 2026, with YouTube subscription revenue growing faster than YouTube ad revenue. - [Mobile devices](https://sqmagazine.co.uk/mobile-browser-usage-statistics/) generate approximately **90%** of YouTube visits, with US users averaging **49 minutes** of daily viewing. ## Editor’s Choice - YouTube reaches approximately **2.70 billion** monthly users worldwide as of February 2026. - The platform’s ad-addressable audience hit **2.53 billion** users around the world at the start of 2025, covering **45.5%** of the world’s internet users. - **2 billion** logged-in monthly users were watching YouTube Shorts as of mid-2023, the most recent figure [Google](https://sqmagazine.co.uk/google-usage-statistics/) has disclosed for the logged-in segment. - YouTube generated over **$60 billion** in total revenue during full-year 2025, exceeding Netflix’s **$45.18 billion**, Sundar Pichai disclosed on February 4, 2026. - Paid YouTube Music and Premium subscribers reached **more than 125 million** worldwide as of March 2025. - Among US adults, **84%** report using YouTube, the highest of any social platform Pew tracks. - Over **20 million** videos are uploaded to YouTube daily, contributing to a lifetime archive of more than **20 billion** uploaded videos. MetricFigurePeriodMonthly users (latest)2.70 billionFebruary 2026Ad-reach audience2.53 billionJanuary 2025Year-over-year growth+39.7M (+1.6%)Jan 2024 to Jan 2025Share of humans on Earth30.9%January 2025Share of internet users45.5%January 2025US adoption (Pew)84%Feb to June 2025Premium + Music subscribers125 millionMarch 2025Total Alphabet paid subs350 millionQ1 2026Daily Shorts views200 billion+Early 2026Daily uploads20 million+January 2026*Source: DataReportal, Pew Research Center, YouTube Press, Alphabet Investor Relations, YouTube Blog* ## Recent Developments - **April 29, 2026:** Alphabet’s Q1 2026 earnings reported YouTube ad revenue of **$9.88 billion**, up **10.7%** year over year, alongside **350 million** paid Alphabet consumer subscriptions. - **April 10, 2026:** YouTube began rolling out price increases for YouTube Premium and YouTube Music subscriptions in select markets, citing rising content licensing and [creator-payout costs](https://sqmagazine.co.uk/creator-economy-statistics/). - **February 4, 2026:** Sundar Pichai announced YouTube full-year 2025 revenue surpassed **over $60 billion**, with **over 325 million** paid subscriptions across Alphabet consumer services. - YouTube Press update: YouTube Shorts is now averaging over **200 billion** daily views. - YouTube Press update: Localized versions of YouTube run in over **100 countries** across **80 languages**, with over **20 million** videos uploaded daily. ## Global YouTube User Count and Year-Over-Year Change - YouTube reaches approximately **2.70 billion** monthly active users worldwide as of February 2026. - At the start of 2025, YouTube ads reached **2.53 billion** users around the world, equivalent to **30.9%** of all the people on Earth, per DataReportal. - The audience grew by **39.7 million** users (around +**1.6%**) over the past 12 months reported by DataReportal. - Global ad-reach was flat quarter over quarter from October 2024 to January 2025, around the slowest sequential reading on DataReportal’s running tracker. - YouTube ads reached around **45.5%** of the world’s internet users at the start of 2025. - The gap between the February 2026 monthly-user figure and the January 2025 ad-reach figure is roughly **170 million** users, attributable in part to organic growth and in part to methodology revisions. PeriodAudience sizeSource methodologyYoY changeJanuary 20242.49 billionDataReportal ad-reach–October 20242.53 billionDataReportal ad-reach+1.6%January 20252.53 billionDataReportal ad-reach+1.6%February 20262.70 billionAggregated (DataReportal + Statista)+6.7%*Source: DataReportal, Global Media Insight aggregation* **Two methodologies underpin every “YouTube user” figure:** DataReportal counts ad-addressable accounts; Global Media Insight blends those counts with Statista’s behavioural panels. Neither matches the other. ## YouTube Users by Country - India had the largest YouTube audience of any country, with around **491 million** users in early 2025. - The United States ranked second with **253 million** users, just over half of India’s total. - Brazil had **144 million** YouTube users, narrowly ahead of Indonesia at **143 million**. - Mexico ranked fifth with **83.6 million** users, ahead of Japan’s **78.7 million**. - Germany was the largest European YouTube market at **65.5 million** users. - Vietnam, the Philippines, and Turkey rounded out the global top 10 with **62.3 million**, **57.7 million**, and **57.5 million** users, respectively. - The top 10 countries combined account for approximately **1.44 billion** YouTube users, or roughly **57%** of the global ad-reach audience. ![Top Countries by YouTube Users Worldwide](https://sqmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/top-countries-by-youtube-users-worldwide.jpg "Top Countries by YouTube Users Worldwide") > **Key finding:** According to DataReportal, India had around **491 million** YouTube users in early 2025, nearly double the United States’ **253 million**. India’s audience is roughly **3.4 times** the size of the third-ranked Brazilian audience and represents close to **19%** of YouTube’s global ad-addressable footprint. For comparison with the broader YouTube workforce footprint, see our [YouTube workforce data](https://sqmagazine.co.uk/how-many-people-work-at-youtube/). ## YouTube Penetration Rates: Where the Platform Hit Saturation - Saudi Arabia leads the world in YouTube penetration at approximately **95.8%** of online users. - Israel ranks second with a YouTube penetration rate of **93.3%** among internet users. - Singapore follows at **91.8%**, the third-highest market penetration globally. - Three markets. Saudi Arabia, Israel, and Singapore sit at penetration rates above 90% of their online populations. In those markets, YouTube has effectively converted every internet user it can convert. The next user must come from a person who is newly coming online, not from a non-user who switches to YouTube. - By comparison, the United States’ ad-reach audience of **253 million** sits within a national online population of roughly **310 million**, implying a penetration rate near **82%**, below the saturation tier. - The saturation pattern matters for forecasting: future global YouTube growth will skew toward markets with sub-50% penetration, where rising smartphone ownership directly translates to first-time YouTube usage. ![YouTube Penetration by Country](https://sqmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/youtube-penetration-by-country.jpg "YouTube Penetration by Country") ## YouTube Audience Demographics by Age (Global) - Users aged 25 to 34 represent **21.7%** of YouTube’s global audience, the largest single age group. - Users aged 35 to 44 represent **18.5%** of the audience. - Users aged 18 to 24 represent **15.8%** of the audience. - Adults aged 18 to 44 account for approximately **56.0%** of YouTube’s global audience. - **The age skew matters for advertiser planning:** More than half the global audience falls inside the prime 18 to 44 consumer demographic, which carries higher disposable income than the platform-wide skew on TikTok or Snap. Age bandShare of global audience18 to 2415.8%25 to 3421.7%35 to 4418.5%45 and olderCombined remainder*Source: Global Media Insight, DataReportal ad-audience methodology* ## YouTube Audience Demographics by Gender - Men represent approximately **54.3%** of YouTube’s global audience. - Women represent approximately **45.7%** of the global audience. - In Pew Research Center’s 2025 survey of US adults, **86%** of men and **83%** of women use YouTube. - The global gender gap on YouTube is approximately 8.6-percentage points, wider than the gap reported on Instagram or TikTok in comparable measurement frameworks. RegionMale usersFemale usersGlobal54.3%45.7%United States86% (of men)83% (of women)*Source: Global Media Insight, Pew Research Center* ## US YouTube Usage by Age and Education (Pew Research) - **84%** of US adults use YouTube as of Pew Research Center’s February to June 2025 survey, the highest of any social platform Pew tracks. - Adults aged 18 to 29 use YouTube at **95%**, the highest age-group rate. - Adults aged 30 to 49 use YouTube at **92%**. - Adults aged 50 to 64 use YouTube at **85%**. - Adults aged 65 and older use YouTube at **64%**, a 31-point gap with the 18 to 29 cohort. - **78%** of US adults with high school or less education use YouTube, rising to **87%** with some college and **89%** of college graduates. ![YouTube Adoption Rates by Age (US Adults)](https://sqmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/youtube-adoption-rates-by-age-us-adults.jpg "YouTube Adoption Rates by Age (US Adults)") ## US YouTube Usage by Race, Income, and Geography (Pew Research) - **92%** of Asian US adults use YouTube, the highest rate by race or ethnicity in Pew’s 2025 sample. - **88%** of Hispanic US adults use YouTube, with **85%** of Black adults and **82%** of White adults reporting usage. - By household income, approximately **89%** of US adults in the highest bracket use YouTube, compared with **77%** in the lowest bracket. - By geography, **87%** of suburban residents use YouTube, **85%** of urban residents, and **79%** of rural residents. - The income gap between the top and bottom Pew brackets is approximately 12-percentage points, narrower than the corresponding gap on platforms like TikTok or LinkedIn. ![Who Uses YouTube Most? Demographic Breakdown](https://sqmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/who-uses-youtube-most-demographic-breakdown.jpg "Who Uses YouTube Most? Demographic Breakdown") ## The Pew vs DataReportal Measurement Gap - Pew Research Center reports **84%** of US adults use YouTube, based on a survey conducted February 5 to June 18, 2025. - DataReportal reports **253 million** YouTube users in the United States, based on the platform’s ad-addressable audience methodology around early 2025. - Pew Research Center’s 84% rate, applied to the roughly **265 million** US adult population, implies approximately **223 million** US YouTube users, about **30 million** fewer than DataReportal’s count of **253 million**. - Pew counts behaviour: a respondent who answers “yes” to using YouTube. DataReportal counts ad-addressable accounts. The same person can be one Pew “user” and several DataReportal accounts. Both numbers are correct within their methodology. > **By the numbers:** Pew Research Center’s 2025 survey found **84%** of US adults use YouTube, while DataReportal counts **253 million** US YouTube ad-reach accounts. The roughly 30-million-account discrepancy reflects two valid definitions of “user”, recent behaviour versus ad-targetable account, that produce different national totals depending on which question a researcher is answering. MetricPew ResearchDataReportalDefinitionUS adults using YouTubeUS ad-reach audienceUS figure84% (≈223 million adults)253 millionMethodologyAddress-based surveyGoogle Ads-platform reachGap–≈30 million*Source: Pew Research Center, DataReportal* ## YouTube Premium and Subscription Audience - YouTube Music and Premium passed more than **125 million** paid subscribers worldwide in March 2025, including trial users. - The milestone is up from **100 million** subscribers reported in February 2024, an increase of more than **25 million** in roughly 13 months. - As of February 4, 2026, Alphabet reported over **325 million** paid subscriptions across consumer services, including YouTube Premium, YouTube TV, and Google One. - By Q1 2026, that figure had grown to **350 million** paid subscriptions, with Chief Business Officer Philipp Schindler stating that YouTube subscriptions were growing faster than YouTube ads. - On April 10, 2026, YouTube began rolling out price increases for Premium and Music plans in select markets, citing rising content licensing and creator-payout costs. ![YouTube Music and Alphabet Subscriber Growth](https://sqmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/youtube-music-and-alphabet-subscriber-growth.jpg "YouTube Music and Alphabet Subscriber Growth") ## YouTube Shorts Logged-In Audience - **2 billion** logged-in monthly users were watching YouTube Shorts as of mid-2023, the most recent figure Google has officially disclosed for the logged-in segment. - YouTube Shorts is now averaging over **200 billion** daily views, per the YouTube Press page. - The 200-billion daily views figure represents a significant acceleration from the 70-billion daily Shorts views YouTube reported in March 2024, suggesting Shorts has become a dominant slice of all YouTube viewing. - The ratio between current daily Shorts views (over **200 billion**, per the YouTube Press page) and the prior milestone (70-billion daily Shorts views) is approximately **2.86x**. - The Shorts logged-in figure isolates account-bound users from broader ad-reach audiences and signals heavy Shorts adoption. MetricFigurePeriodLogged-in Shorts users (monthly)2 billionMid-2023Daily Shorts views200 billion+Early 2026Daily Shorts views (prior milestone)70 billionMarch 2024Year-over-year multiplier≈2.86x2024 to 2026*Source: TechCrunch reporting on Alphabet earnings, YouTube Press* ## Daily Time Spent on YouTube - US users spend an average of **49 minutes** per day on YouTube, second only to TikTok in average daily social-media time. - People watch over **1 billion hours** of video on YouTube every day, per the YouTube Press page. - At 49 minutes per day, the average US user spends approximately **24.5 hours** on YouTube each month, equivalent to a full day of viewing. - Time-spent metrics matter more than user counts for advertiser yield. A platform with a flat user count but rising daily minutes still grows ad inventory; a platform with rising users but falling minutes does not. Time-spent metricFigureAverage US daily time49 minutesImplied US monthly time≈24.5 hoursGlobal daily watch hoursOver 1 billion hours*Source: Global Media Insight, eMarketer* ## Mobile vs Desktop YouTube Use - Approximately **90%** of YouTube visits come from mobile devices. - Desktop and other non-mobile traffic accounts for roughly the remaining **10%** of YouTube traffic, given mobile’s approximately **90%** share. - Localized versions of YouTube run in **over 100 countries** across **80 languages**, supporting the mobile-first audience profile. - The [mobile dominance pattern](https://sqmagazine.co.uk/mobile-vs-desktop-statistics/) is structural. YouTube built Shorts for vertical mobile attention, and the daily Shorts view count maps directly to the mobile usage share. ![YouTube Traffic by Device (Mobile vs Desktop)](https://sqmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/youtube-traffic-by-device-mobile-vs-desktop.jpg "YouTube Traffic by Device (Mobile vs Desktop)") ## Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) **How many people use YouTube in 2026?**YouTube reaches approximately 2.70 billion monthly active users worldwide as of February 2026. YouTube ads reached 2.53 billion users around the world in early 2025, equivalent to 30.9% of all the people on Earth and 45.5% of the world’s internet users. **Which country has the most YouTube users?**India had the largest YouTube audience of any country at around 491 million users in early 2025, according to DataReportal. The United States ranked second with 253 million users, followed by Brazil at 144 million and Indonesia at 143 million. India’s audience is roughly 3.4 times larger than Brazil’s, reflecting population scale and rapid mobile-internet growth. **What percentage of US adults use YouTube?**84% of US adults use YouTube, according to Pew Research Center’s survey conducted February 5 to June 18, 2025. The figure rises to 95% of adults aged 18 to 29 and stays at 92% for adults 30 to 49. Adults aged 65 and older use YouTube at 64%, the lowest age band but still well ahead of every other social platform Pew tracks. **How many YouTube Premium subscribers are there?**YouTube Music and Premium combined had more than 125 million paid subscribers worldwide as of March 2025, including trial users, up from 100 million in February 2024. Across all Alphabet consumer services, paid subscriptions reached 350 million by Q1 2026, with subscription revenue growing faster than YouTube advertising revenue. **How much time do people spend on YouTube each day?**US users spend an average of 49 minutes per day on YouTube, second only to TikTok in average daily social-media time. People watch over 1 billion hours of video on YouTube every day, per YouTube’s press materials. Mobile devices account for approximately 90% of all YouTube visits. **How many videos are uploaded to YouTube?**Over 20 million videos are uploaded to YouTube daily, contributing to a lifetime archive of more than 20 billion uploaded videos, per YouTube’s own press materials. The platform now runs localized versions in over 100 countries across 80 languages, with YouTube Shorts averaging over 200 billion daily views. ## Conclusion YouTube’s audience story has shifted from raw growth to saturation arithmetic. The platform reaches approximately **2.70 billion** monthly active users worldwide as of February 2026. India had around **491 million** YouTube users and the United States had **253 million** users in early 2025, per DataReportal. Pew Research found **84%** of US adults watch YouTube in its 2025 survey. Year-over-year growth of around **1.6%** in the global ad-reach audience signals a maturing platform. Future expansion depends on first-time internet users in low-penetration markets, not on converting existing online populations where over 90% of online users already watch YouTube. Subscription growth is led by more than **125 million** YouTube Music and Premium subscribers as of March 2025. Alphabet reported **350 million** paid subscriptions across consumer services by Q1 2026, with YouTube subscription revenue growing faster than YouTube ad revenue. For advertisers, creators, and platform analysts, the practical takeaway is to stop quoting a single “YouTube user” number. The right figure depends on the question.