Who Spends the Most Time Online? South Africans and Brazilians Lead with 9+ Hours Daily

At the end of 2024, internet users worldwide spent an average of six hours and 38 minutes per day browsing online, seven minutes more than at the beginning of the year but two minutes less than in the same period the previous year. With the average person sleeping seven to eight hours per night, many people spend nearly as much time online as they do asleep. Still, some countries were high above this figure.

According to data presented by Stocklytics.com, South Africans and Brazilians spent the most time online daily, or more than nine hours. Eight other countries were also way above the global average. Here`s a closer look at the rankings.

The Always Online Nations

Today, the world is more connected than ever. The rise of social media, streaming, and remote work, combined with faster networks and AI-driven content, have made daily internet use skyrocket, keeping users glued to their screens. According to the Global 2025 Digital Overview Report, internet users worldwide spent an average of six hours and 38 minutes online in the last quarter of 2024, mirroring figures from the previous year. Still, there were huge differences between the countries, with some lagging behind the global average while others have emerged as digital heavyweights.

Statistics show that 22 countries were above the global average, with 10 of them significantly so. South Africa and Brazil led this group. In 2024, South Africans spent an average of nine hours and 37 minutes online daily, three hours more than the global average. Over a year, that translates to 3,420 hours or 142 full days spent online per person. Brazil was the only other country close to this figure, with an average of nine hours and nine minutes spent online daily.

Many other fast-growing digital markets also ranked high. For example, the Philippines, Chile, and Colombia rounded out the top five, each with roughly eight hours and 45 minutes of daily online activity. Argentina, Russia, and Malaysia also had high daily internet usage of eight-plus hours or half of an average person`s daily awake time.

The survey also showed that the United States was the only high-income, developed country ranking above the global average. Last year, Americans spent six hours and 40 minutes online daily, half an hour more than Canadians and an hour more than Chinese, British, Italians, or Spaniards.

Digital Powerhouse Japan Falls to the Bottom of the List

The digital powerhouse Japan was probably the biggest surprise on this ranking. Despite being a global leader in innovation, with widespread 5G, fiber-optic internet, and smart cities, Japan ranked among the countries with the lowest daily internet usage.

The country`s lower daily internet usage comes from its work-intensive culture and offline-oriented lifestyle, significantly reducing time online. In 2024, the Japanese spent an average of four hours and nine minutes online daily, two and a half hours less than the global average. Denmark was the closest to this figure, with an average daily internet usage of five hours and ten minutes.