World Sites & Apps
Asia · #157 · 2025–2026

Bhutan: internet and everyday apps

Bhutan has about 700 thousand people online — a penetration rate of 87.5% and rank #157 worldwide. This page walks through the local digital scene, the app categories people lean on, and 8 apps worth knowing.

Internet users 700 thousand Penetration 87.5% World rank #157 Updated 2026-11-12
TL;DR
  • Bhutan has roughly 700 thousand internet users (700,000 people) — about 87.5% of the population and rank #157 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.

Bhutan in numbers

2025–2026
Internet users
700 thousand700,000 · #157
Penetration
87.5%#76
Population
800 thousand800,000 · #166
GDP
$3B#181
GDP growth
+7.5%#12
GDP per person
$4,125#153
Land area
38.4k km²#134
Capital
Thimphu
Region
Asia
Official languages
Dzongkha

How Bhutan goes online

Thimphu mornings often start with a Facebook check before the first tea. That is where announcements about road works, school holidays and missing dogs appear, and where local businesses post their daily specials. WhatsApp is for the private stuff: arranging a lift, sending a photo of a form, checking on a relative in another valley. Bhutan Telecom connects most of the country, though mountain geography means a signal can vanish around the next bend. Bill payments and some government forms have moved online, but plenty of people still prefer to handle them in person.

Around 87.5%. With a population of about 800 thousand and 700 thousand online, roughly 100 thousand 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 Bhutan actually use

9

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

News2Banking2TV & media1Government1Telecom1Transport1Mail1
KuenselNewskuenselonline.comKuensel is the national paper, so if it is not there it did not officially happen. The BhutaneseNewsthebhutanese.btThe Bhutanese asks the questions the national paper leaves out. Bank of BhutanBankingbob.btMy salary goes into BoB and the app is where I pay bills and send money home to Trashigang; the branch queue is only for anything that needs a signature. Royal Monetary Authority of BhutanBankingrma.org.btThe central bank for the ngultrum and the kingdom’s banks. BBSTV & mediabbs.btBBS is where I watch the news in Dzongkha on my phone. Bhutan Government PortalGovernmentgov.btRenewing a permit or checking a ministry notice starts at gov.bt — it is the one place that lists the forms and the office hours before you take a day off. Bhutan TelecomTelecombt.btThe state operator for fixed lines, broadband and mobile. DrukairTransportdrukair.com.btThe flag carrier, the only airline that lands at Paro year-round. Bhutan PostMailbhutanpost.btMail service and the kingdom’s philatelic window.

2808 websites →

Frequently asked questions

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

About 700 thousand (700,000 people). That works out to roughly 87.5% of the population, which puts Bhutan at #157 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 Bhutan 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 Bhutan?

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

How high is internet penetration in Bhutan?

Around 87.5%. With a population of about 800 thousand and 700 thousand online, roughly 100 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 Bhutan?

The everyday ones are Kuensel, The Bhutanese, BBS, 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. “Bhutan: internet and everyday apps”. 2026. https://abcvv.com/c/bt.html