Cloudflare Reports 19% Increase in Internet Traffic for 2025
According to Cloudflare’s latest report, global internet traffic surged by 19% in 2025. This impressive growth reflects the increasing amount of time people are spending online. The “Cloudflare Radar 2025 Year in Review” report provides an overview of key trends in internet behavior over the past year.
Key Insights from Cloudflare’s Report
The report highlights significant developments in internet usage and technology. It notes:
- AOL dial-up internet officially ceased operations this year.
- Starlink and other satellite companies expanded internet access to remote areas.
- A substantial Cloudflare outage impacted major platforms like Spotify and Google.
AI Traffic Trends
The report revealed that AI bots accounted for 4.2% of all HTML requests. As AI companies deploy crawlers to collect data, many websites have experienced upticks in bot activity. This trend underscores the increasing reliance on automated systems in internet traffic.
Growth Patterns Throughout the Year
Internet traffic demonstrated distinct patterns, with growth primarily observed in the latter half of the year. From January to July, activity remained relatively flat as users returned to normal routines post-New Year.
Dominance of Major Online Platforms
Google continues to hold the title of the most popular internet service, followed by Facebook, Apple, and Microsoft. Despite the rise of AI services, platforms like ChatGPT did not break into the top ranks of internet use. The statistics show:
- Google remains the leading search engine.
- GoogleBot is the highest traffic verified bot.
- Chrome is the most used web browser worldwide.
Mobile Traffic Usage
Cloudflare’s findings also reveal that Android devices constitute 65% of total online traffic, while iOS accounts for the rest. This trend varies by region, with iOS traffic peaking at 70% in certain areas. In the United States, iOS devices make up 56% of mobile traffic.
The Role of Starlink
Starlink played a pivotal role in the expansion of internet access this year. The service experienced a growth rate of 2.3 times, maintaining consistent momentum. Notably, Starlink and SpaceX celebrated the launch of their 10,000th satellite.
Popularity Among AI Services
In the realm of AI tools, ChatGPT emerged as the most popular service. Interestingly, despite recent advancements, Google Gemini ranked only fourth, with competitors Claude/Anthropic and Perplexity outperforming it.
These insights from Cloudflare’s report illustrate a dynamic year for the internet, with notable advancements in technology and usage patterns. As the digital landscape continues to evolve, Cloudflare remains an essential player in understanding online behaviors. Check El-Balad for more details on these findings.
