World Sites & Apps
Asia · #29 · 2025–2026

Saudi Arabia: internet and everyday apps

Saudi Arabia has about 34 million people online — a penetration rate of 98.6% and rank #29 worldwide. This page walks through the local digital scene, the app categories people lean on, and 108 apps worth knowing.

Internet users 34 million Penetration 98.6% World rank #29 Updated 2026-11-12
TL;DR
  • Saudi Arabia has roughly 34 million internet users (34,000,000 people) — about 98.6% of the population and rank #29 globally.
  • The apps people open most: WhatsApp, Botim, Instagram, Snapchat. They cover Messaging, Social, Video, Shopping, Payments, Mobility, Food, News, Classifieds, Tools, Cloud storage, Security, AI assistants, Learning, Health, Parcels, Maps, Gaming, Reading, Public services, Banking, Travel and more.
  • The one to know first: WhatsApp — The most widely used messenger on earth.

Saudi Arabia in numbers

2025–2026
Internet users
34 million34,000,000 · #29
Penetration
98.6%#6
Population
34.5 million34,500,000 · #45
GDP
$1.25T#18
GDP growth
+2.6%#132
GDP per person
$36,351#46
Land area
2.15M km²#13
Capital
Riyadh
Region
Asia
Official languages
Arabic

How Saudi Arabia goes online

In Riyadh the phone comes out before the coffee does. WhatsApp first, then a quick pass through Instagram and Snapchat to see what friends posted overnight. When the house gets hungry, HungerStation gathers the neighbourhood restaurants into one list and sends the order to the door. Paying takes seconds with stc pay, even at the coffee stall on the pavement. Anything official, from a residency renewal to a travel permit, is handled on Absher, which has made the queue at the office a memory.

Around 98.6%. With a population of about 34.5 million and 34 million online, roughly 500 thousand people are still offline — mostly because of rural coverage, device cost and age.

All 108 apps below are grouped by category.

What people actually use

108 Most-used apps

Messaging

2 Most-used apps →

Classifieds

1 Most-used apps →

Cloud storage

5 Most-used apps →

AI assistants

11 Most-used apps →

Public services

2 Most-used apps →

Websites people in Saudi Arabia actually use

23

The 23 sites locals open most often — news, shopping, search, banking and government services. Every link goes to the official site.

SabqNewssabq.orgWhat many people open first thing in the morning to see what happened overnight. Al RiyadhNewsalriyadh.comThe daily paper people follow for official news and local coverage. ArgaamNewsargaam.comFollowing the Saudi market and company earnings before you buy a stock. Arab NewsNewsarabnews.comThe English daily of record, widely read across the Gulf. Saudi Press AgencyNewsspa.gov.saThe official news agency. noonShoppingnoon.comFast delivery and cash on delivery, where many people buy phones and electronics. Jarir BookstoreShoppingjarir.comBooks and devices, with branches in every city. ExtraShoppingextra.comElectronics, and instalment plans. STC PayBankingstcpay.com.saSending money to another phone and paying bills, now the default wallet for younger users. Saudi Central BankBankingsama.gov.saSAMA: monetary policy and banking licences. HungerStationFoodhungerstation.comOrdering dinner from a nearby restaurant and tracking the driver on the map. JahezFoodjahez.netA Saudi delivery app, and restaurant orders. AbsherGovernmentabsher.saRenewing residency and exit visas, with most government services in one place. my.gov.saGovernmentmy.gov.saThe unified government services portal. stcTelecomstc.com.saThe largest Saudi carrier and usually the home-broadband provider. MobilyTelecommobily.com.saThe second operator. SaudiaTransportsaudia.comThe flag carrier, with the widest domestic network. flyadealTransportflyadeal.comThe low-cost carrier. BaytJobsbayt.comGulf jobs, and an Arabic CV builder. NaukrigulfJobsnaukrigulf.comGulf jobs, and the salary research tool. HarajClassifiedsharaj.com.saBuying and selling used cars, phones and furniture, with the haggling done in DMs. Saudi PostMailsplonline.com.saSaudi Post: parcel tracking and the national address system. King Saud UniversityEducationksu.edu.saThe kingdom’s oldest university.

2808 websites →

Frequently asked questions

6 Q&A
How many people in Saudi Arabia are online?

About 34 million (34,000,000 people). That works out to roughly 98.6% of the population, which puts Saudi Arabia at #29 in the world for total internet users. Figures come from DataReportal’s Digital 2026, which draws on ITU and national statistics.

Which apps do people in Saudi Arabia use most?

Mostly WhatsApp, Botim, Instagram, Snapchat — they cover Messaging, Social, Video, Shopping, Payments, Mobility, Food, News, Classifieds, Tools, Cloud storage, Security, AI assistants, Learning, Health, Parcels, Maps, Gaming, Reading, Public services, Banking, Travel. The full list, grouped by category, is further down this page.

What is the leading Messaging app in Saudi Arabia?

WhatsApp, Botim dominate this space. The best-known is WhatsApp — The most widely used messenger on earth.

How high is internet penetration in Saudi Arabia?

Around 98.6%. With a population of about 34.5 million and 34 million online, roughly 500 thousand people are still offline — mostly because of rural coverage, device cost and age.

Where do these app facts come from?

Usage figures come from DataReportal’s Digital 2026 (Kepios, based on ITU and national statistics); app details come from each product’s official site. Updated 2026-11-12.

Which websites are most popular in Saudi Arabia?

The everyday ones are Sabq, Al Riyadh, Haraj, plus the other 23 sites listed above. They cover news, shopping, search, banking and official paperwork, and every link points to the official site.

Sources

Updated 2026-11-12
Cite this pageWorld Sites & Apps. “Saudi Arabia: internet and everyday apps”. 2026. https://abcvv.com/c/sa-en.html