App downloads from the finance and personal loan genre in Indonesia amounted to about 222 million in 2023. In second place, at about 194.7 million downloads, was virtual private network (VPN) apps. VPN is a technology that enables a secure network connection over the Internet.
In third place was personalization apps, like software to change a user’s phone wallpaper, at about 190.5 million downloads. Social media and communication apps trailed in seventh place, at 124.4 million downloads, coming after other categories like photo editing and entertainment apps.
Smartphone Penetration For Mobile Phone - The population of Indonesia exceeds 270 million, with more than half of its people aged 40 and under. Nearly 68 per cent of the population in 2022 owned and used a mobile phone.
The number of downloads for personal loan and finance apps in 2023 grew by 22 per cent from 2022. High popularity of personal loan apps in Indonesia is largely due to the country’s high digital and smartphone penetration. These apps, including the popular home-grown moneylending app EasyCash, appeal to a population which lacks access to traditional banking services.
Apps offer convenience (and) quick approvals, especially among small-business owners and individuals needing short-term financing. This, however, also brings challenges to the archipelago, including potential high interest rates, debt risks, privacy concerns, and the need for regulatory oversight and consumer education.
Massive download numbers of such apps are due to app developers’ willingness to spend on effective digital marketing. Advertisements on these services are commonly found online in Indonesia, as well as on billboards. Lending apps like EasyCash are programs that some users download only when they need to use them and delete them thereafter, unlike TikTok or Shopee which they use much more frequently. Therefore, it is not a surprise that the same user might download that app multiple times over the year.
VPN Growth - Compared with finance and personal loan apps, downloads for VPN apps grew even faster by a whopping 59 per cent. VPN apps are popular in Indonesia due to strict Internet regulations and censorship, as they allow users to bypass content restrictions – for example, among video streaming apps – as well as access blocked websites.
Noting that Indonesians have been among the most prolific users of VPNs over the years, apps such as Netflix had been restricted by the authorities in the past, and people used VPNs to access them.
More awareness of digital privacy and security among Indonesian Internet users also drives the usage of VPNs, as they offer a layer of protection against surveillance and data theft.
Top User - Indonesians are the world’s heaviest mobile phone users, with an average usage of 6.05 hours a day. Thailand is second at 5.64 hours, while Singapore is ranked eighth, at 4.51 hours.
Indonesian is just like the millions of Chinese Internet users back in early 2010s, the majority of the Indonesian population today access the Internet first through their mobile phones. As compared to their counterparts in the West who already have access to desktop or laptop computers, it is natural for a lot of Indonesian users to only spend their online time on the mobile (phone).
VPN Growth - Compared with finance and personal loan apps, downloads for VPN apps grew even faster by a whopping 59 per cent. VPN apps are popular in Indonesia due to strict Internet regulations and censorship, as they allow users to bypass content restrictions – for example, among video streaming apps – as well as access blocked websites.
Noting that Indonesians have been among the most prolific users of VPNs over the years, apps such as Netflix had been restricted by the authorities in the past, and people used VPNs to access them.
More awareness of digital privacy and security among Indonesian Internet users also drives the usage of VPNs, as they offer a layer of protection against surveillance and data theft.
Top User - Indonesians are the world’s heaviest mobile phone users, with an average usage of 6.05 hours a day. Thailand is second at 5.64 hours, while Singapore is ranked eighth, at 4.51 hours.
Indonesian is just like the millions of Chinese Internet users back in early 2010s, the majority of the Indonesian population today access the Internet first through their mobile phones. As compared to their counterparts in the West who already have access to desktop or laptop computers, it is natural for a lot of Indonesian users to only spend their online time on the mobile (phone).
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