VPN Adoption Surges in the UK, Outpacing Most of Europe and the US
Published
- Record VPN Downloads: Over 10.7 million VPN app downloads recorded in the UK in early 2025.
- Global Ranking: UK ranks eighth worldwide and leads G7 nations in VPN adoption rates.
- Online Safety Act Impact: Privacy concerns and age verification rules drive VPN usage surge across the UK.
The United Kingdom has become one of the world’s top countries for VPN adoption, with usage growing at a record pace in 2025.
According to new data, the UK now ranks eighth globally for VPN adoption and is the leading G7 nation in VPN usage. The study found more than 10.7 million VPN downloads in the first half of 2025 alone, nearly matching the total for all of 2024.
UK Leads Europe in VPN Growth
The latest Cybernews research shows that the UK is one of only three European countries in the global top 10 for VPN usage, alongside the Netherlands and Luxembourg.
Between 2020 and mid-2025, the UAE (65.78%), Qatar (55.43%), and Singapore (38.23%) topped the global list. Within Europe, the Netherlands leads with an adoption rate of 21.77%, followed by the UK at 19.63%, and Luxembourg at 17.30%.
Cybernews based its data on app downloads from the Google Play Store and Apple App Store, comparing those figures to the population of each country. While this method includes some uncertainty, as users may install apps multiple times or from different regions, it remains one of the best indicators of global VPN adoption trends.
VPN use in the UK has been on a sharp upward trajectory since 2021, rising from 15.8% in 2021 to 24.08% in 2024. The first half of 2025 alone has already reached 15.38%, suggesting another potential record year.
The Online Safety Act’s Role in Rising VPN Adoption
Analysts suggest that recent UK legislation, particularly the Online Safety Act, passed in 2023, has played a major role in this rapid increase.
The Act was designed to make the internet safer by requiring tech companies, websites, and social media platforms to remove harmful or illegal content, including child exploitation material, terrorist propaganda, and deepfake pornography.
However, one of the most controversial elements of the law is its age verification requirement for adult content. Websites must ensure that users are of legal age, often requiring them to upload government-issued IDs.
This has raised privacy concerns among UK internet users, leading many to turn to VPNs to maintain anonymity or bypass verification requirements. As a result, several VPN apps surged to the top of UK app store charts in mid-2025.
Since the Act only took effect in late July 2025, experts believe its full impact on VPN adoption will become clearer by the end of the year.
Broader Trends Behind VPN Popularity
Beyond privacy legislation, other factors are also contributing to the UK’s growing VPN usage.
Cybernews spokesperson Edvardas Garbenis noted that the UK’s mature and highly competitive digital ecosystem plays a big part. “The UK is Europe’s largest digital ad market, with a dense, well-established publisher and affiliate network. As a result, VPNs are advertised more, seen more, and tried more than in most EU markets,” Garbenis told TechRadar.
The surge in UK VPN adoption mirrors a broader global pattern. For example, Afghanistan recently recorded a 35,000% increase in VPN usage after government-imposed restrictions on social media platforms.
What Comes Next for VPN Use in the UK
With more Britons seeking privacy and unrestricted internet access, experts predict that 2025 could mark another record-breaking year for VPN usage.
The UK’s steady growth, strong digital presence, and heightened awareness of online privacy continue to make it one of the world’s fastest-growing VPN markets.
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