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In Security.org’s 2026 survey of 1,008 Americans, 42% of U.S. adults said they used a VPN for personal or work purposes, up from 32% in its 2025 survey. That is a U.S. survey result—not a global adoption rate. The available figures from Canada and the UK measure different populations and behaviors, so they cannot be combined into one worldwide percentage.
How many people use a VPN in 2026?
Security.org’s fifth annual U.S. survey found that 42% of respondents reported using a VPN for personal or work purposes in 2026, compared with 32% in 2025. The survey included 1,008 Americans. Because this is a self-reported U.S. result, it should not be read as the share of VPN users worldwide. Security.org’s 2026 VPN statistics describes the survey and its findings.
Other recent results use different questions and populations:
| Finding | What was measured |
|---|---|
| Canada: 22% | Canadians who reported using a VPN as one privacy-protective action in CIRA’s 2026 Canadian Internet Trends survey release. This is not the same measure as U.S. personal-or-work VPN use. CIRA’s 2026 survey release |
| United Kingdom: 22% | Children aged 11–17 who reported VPN use in the prior three months in a 2026 DSIT-commissioned BMG Research survey. The study included 2,299 young people: a nationally representative sample of 2,029 plus a boost of 270 recent VPN users, weighted to match VPN-use incidence. It does not provide an all-age UK adoption rate. UK government report on children and VPNs |
These figures are useful within their own boundaries, but none establishes a comparable global rate. Differences in country, age group, question wording, sampling, and weighting matter when interpreting VPN-use statistics.
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Why do people use a VPN?
In Security.org’s 2026 U.S. survey, VPN users most often cited general privacy (56%) and general security (51%). International or non-local media access and reducing online tracking were each cited by 27%. These are respondents’ reported motivations, not measurements of how much protection a VPN provided. Security.org’s survey results
VPNs create an encrypted tunnel between a device and a remote server operated by a VPN provider. The Internet Society describes this as a way to help individuals and organizations secure communications. A VPN may keep an ISP or local network observer from seeing browsing destinations in the same way they could without the tunnel, and websites generally see the VPN server’s IP address rather than the user’s connection IP. Internet Society’s VPN policy brief
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Those protections have limits. A VPN does not make a person totally anonymous, and it cannot prevent tracking linked to signed-in accounts, cookies, apps, or advertising IDs. In Security.org’s survey, 36% of respondents incorrectly believed a VPN alone protects a device from viruses or malware. VPNs also do not stop phishing or fraud, and they are not a replacement for antivirus software. Public Wi-Fi is safer than it once was because websites widely use encryption; a VPN can add another layer, but it is not mandatory on every public network. Security.org’s 2026 report
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In Security.org’s 2026 U.S. survey, 24% of VPN users named NordVPN and 15% named Proton VPN. Norton VPN and Cisco Secure Client VPN each received 9% of mentions. These are survey brand-use shares, not a ranking of speed, privacy, security, or value; the survey did not establish why respondents chose those services. Security.org’s report
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A service’s popularity alone is not a reason to choose it. When comparing providers, consider the details that affect your own use:
- What data the service collects and how its logging and retention policies work.
- Whether independent audits exist and what systems or claims those audits cover.
- Supported devices and simultaneous connections.
- Connection reliability and whether server locations fit your needs.
- Ease of use and the limits of any free plan compared with paid features.
- The total cost after any introductory term, rather than only a starting price.
- The legality and terms of your intended use in your location.
Current provider prices, audit status, feature lists, streaming compatibility, and discount terms are not established by the survey figures above. Check the provider’s current terms and relevant independent evidence before deciding.
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Are free VPNs popular?
Yes. In Security.org’s 2026 U.S. survey, 43% of VPN users said they relied on a free service, up from 28% in 2025. Among respondents who paid for VPN access, the reported average cost was $21 per month. That is a survey average, not a current quote for any provider or plan. Security.org’s 2026 VPN statistics
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A free service may be sufficient for occasional use, but examine its privacy policy, data practices, limits, and security claims just as carefully as you would for a paid plan. The survey’s free-use share does not establish that every free VPN is safe or that free plans offer the same features as paid ones.
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Why do some people not use a VPN?
Among U.S. VPN non-users in Security.org’s 2026 survey, 39% said they did not need one, 24% said they did not know enough about VPNs, and 19% said they did not see the benefit. Respondents could select more than one answer, so the percentages are not mutually exclusive. Security.org’s survey
Do children use VPNs?
In the 2026 DSIT-commissioned BMG Research study, 22% of UK children aged 11–17 said they had used a VPN in the prior three months. Among children who had ever used a VPN, 30% cited keeping online activity private and 23% cited feeling safer by hiding personal information. These are self-reported findings about UK children, not estimates for adults or children in other countries. The UK government report
A separate UK government consultation discusses a rise in daily VPN users from about 650,000 before July 25, 2025, to more than 1.4 million in mid-August 2025, followed by a decline by year-end. It says the number of child users could not be determined and early evidence did not indicate that children drove the spike. The consultation’s year-end figure is malformed on the page, so it is not reproduced here. UK government consultation on the Online Safety Act 2023
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