The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, located in Western Asia, is the second-largest country in the Middle East. Riyadh is the capital city of Saudi Arabia. The country shares a border with many countries like Jordan, Iraq, Kuwait, UAE, Oman, Yemen. It also has a Red Sea coast and a Persian Gulf coast on either side. The Saudi economy is the largest among the Arab countries. After the oil discovery, Saudi has since become the largest oil exporter and second-largest oil producer in the world. Natural resources are in abundance in the country, which strengthens the economy.
Social Media in Saudi Arabia
A recent analysis revealed that social media plays an important role in helping Saudis communicate and connect with each other, but it also showed that there are many barriers to their usage, especially among women. Social media has become a staple of daily life in Saudi Arabia and many see it as an important way to communicate with family members, friends, and business associates across the country. However, while social media use continues to increase throughout the country, laws and religious norms restrict many people from speaking freely on certain platforms, which in turn restricts their ability to connect with others.
The growth of social media in Saudi Arabia (KSA) has been phenomenal. According to a report from BBC, among the Middle East countries, Saudi Arabia has the largest social media markets. This is due to the high rate of smartphone use. The users are most active in social media platforms like Twitter, YouTube and Facebook. In 2024, Instagram is the most popular social network platform in Saudi Arabia, with 27.88 million active users. WhatsApp is the most popular messaging app, with 30.39 active users in Saudi Arabia.
Here, mainly the religious, political, cultural factors are shaping the social media engagements of the country. These factors negotiate Saudi national’s use of social media platforms in different contexts. This offers them ways to properly interact and communicate. This helps in promoting user engagement.
Social Media Statistics of Saudi Arabia (KSA) 2024
The total population of Saudi Arabia in 2024 is estimated to be 36.68 million. Out of that, 84.8% of the population are urban-based. The population has a growth rate of 1.5%. The number of internet users in Saudi Arabia comes to around 36.31 million. More than 99% of the population are internet users. This is a remarkable figure in terms of internet penetration in the country. There is a growth rate of 1.5% comparing with the previous year. The number of Mobile connections in KSA is 42.50 million.
With the growth rate of 5.4%, the active social media users in KSA numbers 29.10 million. 79.3% of the Saudi population are active social media users. Of this, 27.66 million of them access via mobile. The mobile internet users in KSA numbers 34.09 million.
Total Population of Saudi | 36.68 million |
Mobile Connections in Saudi | 42.50 million |
Internet Users in KSA | 36.31 million |
Active Social Media Users in KSA | 29.10 million |
Mobile Internet Users in Saudi | 34.09 million |
Daily Average Time Spent Online in Saudi Arabia 2024
Time spent using Internet | 7H 20M |
Time spent using social media | 3H 01M |
Time spent using Mobile internet | 4H 13M |
The average time spent daily on the internet comes around 7 hours and 20 minutes. So the Saudis spend a considerable amount of their time using the internet. 3 hours and 01 minutes of time are spent on using social media. The time spent using the mobile internet is 4 hours and 13 minutes.
Most Used Social Network Platforms in Saudi Arabia 2024
Social media has become ubiquitous in Saudi Arabia, and they are catching up to some of the most popular social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Whatsapp and Snapchat. There are over 27.88 million active users on Instagram in Saudi Arabia, which means that there’s plenty of opportunity to connect with your clients or customers and give them access to what you offer.
Top Social Network Platforms | Percentage | Active Users (in million) |
---|---|---|
76.80% | 27.88 | |
68.70% | 24.94 | |
TikTok | 67.60% | 24.54 |
66.30% | 24.03 | |
28.60% | 10.38 | |
25.20% | 9.15 | |
8.20% | 2.97 |
In 2024, Instagram is the most popular social network platform in Saudi Arabia. It has 27.88 million active users, which accounts for 76.80%. Instagram is closely followed by Twitter (24.94 m), TikTok (24.54 m), Facebook (24.03 m) and Pinterest (10.38 m). Then comes LinkedIn (9.15 m) and Reddit (2.97 m).
Popular Messenger Apps in Saudi 2024
Popular Messenger Apps in Saudi | Percentage | Active Users (in million) |
---|---|---|
83.70% | 30.39 | |
Snapchat | 68.90% | 25.01 |
Telegram | 55.60% | 20.18 |
Facebook Messenger | 47.70% | 17.31 |
I Message | 21.30% | 7.73 |
Skype | 13.90% | 5.04 |
Line | 13.80% | 5.01 |
Discord | 7.00% | 2.54 |
As far as messenger apps are concerned, the most popular is WhatsApp, with 30.39 active users in Saudi Arabia. Snapchat is at the second position with 25.01 active users, followed by Telegram (20.18 m). Others are Facebook Messenger (17.31 m), I Message (7.73 m), Skype (5.04 m), Line (5.01 m) and Discord (2.54 m).
Search Engine Market Share in Saudi Arabia 2024
Search Engines | Percentage |
---|---|
95.94% | |
Bing | 2.53% |
Yandex | 0.32% |
Yahoo | 0.26% |
DuckDuckGo | 0.12% |
Baidu | 0.01% |
Others | 0.82% |
In 2024, Google is the most popular search engine in Saudi Arabia. The share of Google is 95.94% which is clearly ruling the market. Bing is second most popular with 2.53%. Other search engines used in KSA are Yandex (0.32%), Yahoo (0.26%), DuckDuckGo (0.09%), Baidu (0.01%), Others (0.82%).
Top Browsers in Saudi Arabia 2024
Browser | Percentage |
---|---|
Chrome | 60.35% |
Safari | 31.86% |
Microsoft Edge | 2.61% |
Samsung Internet | 2.35% |
Firefox | 0.89% |
Opera | 0.54% |
Others | 1.25% |
Chrome is the most popular browser in Saudi Arabia. The share of Chrome is 60.35% which is clearly ruling the market. Safari is second most popular with 31.86%. Other browsers used in KSA are Microsoft Edge (2.61%), Samsung Internet (2.35%), Firefox (0.89%), Opera (0.54%), Others (1.25%).
Top Websites in Saudi Arabia 2024
- Google.com
- Youtube.com
- Twitter.com
- Faselhd.club
- Facebook.com
The most dominant website in KSA according to Alexa is Google.com. This website gets the most number of visitors from the country. Next is again Google’s YouTube website. Third, on the list, is Twitter.com, Faselhd.club and Facebook.com are the websites in the fourth and fifth ranking respectively.
Top Devices in Saudi Arabia in 2024
Devices | Percentage |
---|---|
Mobile Phones | 73.77% |
Laptops & Desktops | 25.05% |
Tablet computers | 1.13% |
Other Devices | 0.05% |
The top device used in Saudi Arabia is the Mobile phones (any kind) with a share of 73.77%. Laptops and Desktops comes second with a share of 25.05%. Next on the list is the Tablet computer (1.13%) and Other devices (0.05%).
Top Mobile OS in Saudi Arabia(KSA)
Mobile OS | Percentage |
---|---|
Android OS | 58.60% |
Apple IOS | 41.29% |
Samsung OS | 0.09% |
Others | 0.02% |
In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the top mobile OS is Android with58.60% share, followed by Apple IOS with 41.29%. Samsung OS is third, with a very low percentage of users (0.09%).
Saudi Arabia Internet & Mobile Statistics 2024
Saudi Arabia is witnessing many changes recently. One such change is the advancement in the digital space. The last two or three decades have completely refined the digital landscape of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Since the infrastructure and policies for digital technologies are most favorable, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has developed into one of the most digital-friendly countries in the Middle East region. The revolution in digital technologies was possible by promoting innovators. The digital transformation in KSA helped to increase profitability and thus leveraged customer satisfaction.
Saudi Arabia is considered to be the most populated country in the Middle East region. The acceptance of digital technologies by the country’s populace is due to their fondness for digital. The total population of KSA in 2024 is estimated to be 36.68 million. The number of active internet users was recorded to be 36.31 million, which is 98% of the total population.
The number of social media users in the Saudi Arabia is 29.10 million and that is 79.30% of the total population of the country. The average number of social media accounts per internet user is 10.4 and with this, the smartphone usage steadily increases. The sales of the smartphone in KSA is one of the highest in the region. 50.5% of internet users uses social media for staying in touch with family and friends. So the need for fast internet connection is essential. One of the reason is the availability of advanced internet infrastructure like 4G at a very reasonable price that is affordable to all.
Active Internet Users in KSA | 34.84 million |
Mobile Internet Users in KSA | 33.59 million |
Percentage of Internet Users that uses Social Media for Staying in touch with Family & friends | 50.50% |
Avg Daily Time Spent using Internet on Mobile Devices | 4H 13M |
Internet-related businesses have been growing at a brisk pace. Internet literacy has become a top priority in the country. The number of mobile internet users is 34.09 million, which is 93.9% of the total population. This is a good sign for growing business in Saudi Arabia. The innovation of new mobile apps in the market can utilize the opportunity to target a large user base.
The speedy internet connections are a blessing in the digital service sector. Social media usage will flourish from this. The average daily time spent using internet on mobile devices is 4 hours and 13 minutes. People tend to be active in all social media platforms apart from surfing desktops or tablets.
Internet Connection Speed in Saudi Arabia 2024
Avg Broadband Internet Speed | 88.12 Mbps |
Avg Speed of Mobile Internet Connection | 90.49 Mbps |
The internet speed in Saudi Arabia is remarkable. The average speed of a mobile internet connection is 90.49 Mbps. With the advent of smartphones, many are reliant on mobile internet. The necessity for increased speed arises with this. The average broadband internet speed is 88.12 Mbps, with a 9.6% growth rate. This is pretty average when compared with mobile internet speed.
Average Time Spent Daily in Saudi Arabia
Online | 7H 20M |
Social Media | 3H 10M |
In Saudi Arabia, an average person spends about 7 hours and 20 minutes on the internet every day. Normally, he/she uses the internet for online shopping, social media, entertainment, health etc. The internet usage frequency is too high. Of this, 3 hours and 10 minutes of the time is spent on social media every day.
Mobile Connections in Saudi Arabia
Number of Mobile Connections in Saudi Arabia | 42.50 million |
Broadband Connections as Percentage of all Mobile Connections | 97.3% |
Number of Mobile Apps Downloaded in Saudi Arabia | 1.71 Billion |
The number of mobile connections in Saudi Arabia is 42.50 million, which is 115.9% of the total population in Saudi Arabia.
In Saudi Arabia, the number of mobile apps downloaded in KSA is 1.71 Billion.
(Source: Data Reportal)
READ: Singapore Social Media Statistics
Disclaimer: The data research report we present here is based on information found from various sources. We are not liable for any financial loss, errors, or damages of any kind that may result from the use of the information herein. We acknowledge that though we try to report accurately, we cannot verify the absolute facts of everything that has been represented.