World Sites & Apps
Asia · #68 · 2025–2026

Afghanistan: internet and everyday apps

Afghanistan has about 9 million people online — a penetration rate of 20.9% and rank #68 worldwide. This page walks through the local digital scene, the app categories people lean on, and 8 apps worth knowing.

Internet users 9 million Penetration 20.9% World rank #68 Updated 2026-11-12
Language پښتوEnglish
TL;DR
  • Afghanistan has roughly 9 million internet users (9,000,000 people) — about 20.9% of the population and rank #68 globally.
  • The apps people open most: WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube. They cover Messaging, Social, Video, Shopping, Mobility, Tools and more.
  • The one to know first: WhatsApp — The most widely used messenger on earth.

Afghanistan in numbers

2025–2026
Internet users
9 million9,000,000 · #68
Penetration
20.9%#210
Population
43 million43,000,000 · #36
GDP
$18B#139
GDP growth
+1.9%#152
GDP per person
$414#218
Land area
652.2k km²#41
Capital
Kabul
Region
Asia
Official languages
Pashto, Dari

How Afghanistan goes online

A phone in a Kabul teahouse is often shared between three cousins. Facebook is where family updates and news circulate, while WhatsApp carries the voice notes and group calls that keep people in touch across provinces. Roshan is the name many associate with getting a signal at all, and its shops are where SIM cards and top-ups are sorted. Electricity and handset prices still decide how often any of this happens, and in many homes the connection is something you switch on briefly, not something that stays on.

Around 20.9%. With a population of about 43 million and 9 million online, roughly 34 million people are still offline — mostly because of rural coverage, device cost and age.

All 8 apps below are grouped by category.

What people actually use

8 Most-used apps

Messaging

1 Most-used apps →
WhatsApp Messaging · Meta · 2009

Social

2 Most-used apps →
Facebook Social · Meta · 2004 Instagram Social · Meta · 2010

Video

1 Most-used apps →
YouTube Video · Google · 2005

Shopping

1 Most-used apps →
Daraz Shopping · Daraz（阿里巴巴旗下） · 2012

Mobility

1 Most-used apps →
inDrive Mobility · inDrive · 2012

Tools

2 Most-used apps →
Google Tools · Google · 1998 Gmail Tools · Google · 2004

Websites people in Afghanistan actually use

9

The 9 sites locals open most often — news, shopping, search, banking and government services. Every link goes to the official site.

News2Telecom2Banking2Transport2Mail1
TOLOnewsNewstolonews.comTV news site people still open for politics and security updates. Khaama PressNewskhaama.comRolling news wire that updates faster than the papers do. RoshanTelecomroshan.afThe biggest mobile operator; data bundles and top-ups start here. Afghan WirelessTelecomafghan-wireless.comAfghanistan’s first mobile operator, steadiest in the big cities. Afghanistan International BankBankingaib.afOne of the big banks; salaries and card payments run through it. Azizi BankBankingazizibank.afOne of the widest private branch networks, with heavy remittance traffic. Ariana Afghan AirlinesTransportflyariana.comThe national carrier’s booking site — Kabul to Delhi, Dubai and Istanbul, plus the domestic hops. Kam AirTransportkamair.comA private carrier linking Kabul with Dubai, Delhi and domestic destinations. Afghan PostMailafghanpost.gov.afThe national post, with branches in the provinces.

2808 websites →

Frequently asked questions

6 Q&A
How many people in Afghanistan are online?

About 9 million (9,000,000 people). That works out to roughly 20.9% of the population, which puts Afghanistan at #68 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 Afghanistan use most?

Mostly WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube — they cover Messaging, Social, Video, Shopping, Mobility, Tools. The full list, grouped by category, is further down this page.

What is the leading Messaging app in Afghanistan?

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

How high is internet penetration in Afghanistan?

Around 20.9%. With a population of about 43 million and 9 million online, roughly 34 million 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 Afghanistan?

The everyday ones are TOLOnews, Khaama Press, Roshan, plus the other 9 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. “Afghanistan: internet and everyday apps”. 2026. https://abcvv.com/c/af-en.html