We look at the latest mobile internet and smartphone statistics, including how many people own a smartphone, the number of internet users in the UK and how many of us use apps for online banking.
Mobile phone usage statistics: Highlights
In 2023, 87% of UK adults own a smartphone.
96% of 16- to 24-year-olds own a smartphone, but just 69% of over-65s own a smartphone.
Brits spend an average of 4 hours and 14 minutes a day on their smartphones.
There are 66.11 million internet users in the UK, around 98% of the population.
7% of UK households do not have access to the internet at home in 2023.
A quarter (25%) of those aged 65 and over don’t have access to the internet at home.
There are estimated to be 60.2 million mobile internet users in 2023.
Almost 1 in 5 internet users (18%) only go online via a smartphone.
8 in 10 people (81%) say their smartphone keeps them up at night.
Three-quarters (76%) of people with smartphones use banking apps.
EE is the most popular mobile network in all regions, with almost 1 in 4 (23%) people using it.
How many people own a smartphone in the UK?
In 2023, 87% of UK adults own a smartphone. Interestingly, this is down slightly from 89% in 2022, but up 27 percentage points from 2014, when only three-fifths (60%) of the UK adult population owned a smartphone.
In 2023, 96% of 16- to 24-year-olds own a smartphone, the highest of any age group. Ownership among 25- to 34-year-olds and 35- to 54-year-olds is also high, at 94% and 95%, respectively.
Smartphone ownership drops with the older age groups, however, as just 77% of those aged 55 to 64 and 69% of those aged 65 and over use a smartphone.
Brits spend an average of 4 hours and 14 minutes a day on their smartphones as of 2022. The average time spent on phones has increased each year, going from just 3 hours in 2019 to over 4 hours in 2022. 8 in 10 people (81%) say their smartphone keeps them up at night.
How many people have internet access in the UK?
There are approximately 66.1 million internet users in the UK, which equates to almost 98% of the population. However, only 93% of UK households have access to the internet at home, meaning that 7% do not. Interestingly, almost 1 in 5 internet users (18%) only go online via a smartphone.
The percentage of those without home access to the internet increases with age. While between 0% and 2% of 16- to 54-year-olds are without access, 7% of those aged 55-64 are without access. More significantly, 1 in 4 people (25%) aged 65 and over do not have access to the internet at home.
Percentage of households with internet access at home
2022
93%
2021
94%
2020
92%
2019
92%
2018
90%
2017
90%
2016
89%
2015
86%
2014
84%
2013
83%
2012
80%
2011
77%
2010
73%
2009
70%
2008
65%
2007
61%
2006
57%
2005
55%
2004
49%
2003
46%
2002
42%
2001
36%
2000
25%
1999
13%
1998
9%
What types of apps are the most popular in the UK?
Overall, the most popular apps are banking apps, with three-quarters (76%) of those with smartphones using these in the UK. Messaging apps come in second place as 7 in 10 smartphone users use WhatsApp, Messenger and other similar apps.
Two-thirds of smartphone users have social media apps, while 63% make use of maps or other navigation apps. Shopping apps such as Amazon, eBay or Ocado are also popular, with three-fifths (61%) using these on their smartphones.
Banking apps and messaging apps are the most popular among those aged 35 to 54, whilst banking apps and social media apps like Snapchat and Tiktok are most popular among those aged between 16 and 34. For those aged 55 and over, messaging apps are the most popular type, although their usage of apps is overall a lot lower than their younger counterparts.
Using your phone to make calls is the most popular use of a mobile phone for all ages, as an average of 93% of those aged 16 and over use their phones to make calls. Texting is another popular use of phones, with an average of 91% of people using their phone for this reason.
Those aged 65 and over prefer to make calls on their phone rather than text, as 95% make calls while 87% use their phone for texting.
Three-fifths of UK adults spend 15 or more hours online per week in 2023, while a further third (34%) spend between 14 hours or less online. Only 2% of the population spends no time whatsoever online in a typical week.
When it comes to hours spent online by age group, three-fifths (60%) of 16- to 24-year-olds report going online for 23 hours or more, and a further 19% spend 15-22 hours a week online. On the other hand, less than 1 in 5 (18%) of those aged 65 and over spend 23 hours or more online in a week, and the majority (61%) spend 14 hours or less online.
EE is the most popular mobile network, with almost 1 in 4 people (23%) using it. They are closely followed by O2, which has almost 1 in 5 (18%) people using it. 14% of Brits choose Vodafone as their main mobile network provider, while 1 in 10 (9%) opt for Three.
Matthew Boyle is a banking and mortgages publisher at Finder. He has a 7-year history of publishing helpful guides to assist consumers in making better decisions. In his spare time, you will find him walking in the Norfolk countryside admiring the local wildlife. See full bio
Matthew's expertise
Matthew has written 292 Finder guides across topics including:
Helping first-time buyers apply for a mortgage
Comparing bank accounts and highlighting useful features
Sophie Barber is a content marketing manager for Finder in the UK after previously working as a content manager at a digital marketing agency. She has over 5 years experience in writing and publishing clear, concise and informative online articles for a variety of websites. See full bio
Sophie's expertise
Sophie has written 77 Finder guides across topics including:
Publishing original personal finance research
Creating data-led statistics pages to highlight industry trends
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