World Sites & Apps
Europe · #74 · 2025–2026

Switzerland: internet and everyday apps

Switzerland has about 8.6 million people online — a penetration rate of 95.6% and rank #74 worldwide. This page walks through the local digital scene, the app categories people lean on, and 112 apps worth knowing.

Internet users 8.6 million Penetration 95.6% World rank #74 Updated 2026-11-12
TL;DR
  • Switzerland has roughly 8.6 million internet users (8,600,000 people) — about 95.6% of the population and rank #74 globally.
  • The apps people open most: WhatsApp, Element, Threema, Session. They cover Messaging, Social, Video, Shopping, Payments, Music, Travel, Tools, Food, Classifieds, Cloud storage, Security, AI assistants, Learning, Health, Parcels, Maps, Gaming, Reading and more.
  • The one to know first: WhatsApp — The most widely used messenger on earth.

Switzerland in numbers

2025–2026
Internet users
8.6 million8,600,000 · #74
Penetration
95.6%#24
Population
9 million9,000,000 · #100
GDP
$970B#20
GDP growth
+1.4%#170
GDP per person
$107,767#6
Land area
41.3k km²#133
Capital
Bern
Region
Europe
Official languages
German, French, Italian, Romansh

How Switzerland goes online

Chats run on WhatsApp here, work and private alike, and nobody considers it worth mentioning. The morning check is 20 Minuten; by evening people read Blick to see what the day actually produced. Things nobody needs any more go on Ricardo or Tutti, with handover often at the front door. Payment is Twint, including at the bakery. And before any train, people open the SBB app, even when they know the timetable by heart.

Around 95.6%. With a population of about 9 million and 8.6 million online, roughly 400 thousand people are still offline — mostly because of rural coverage, device cost and age.

All 112 apps below are grouped by category.

What people actually use

112 Most-used apps

Messaging

4 Most-used apps →

Classifieds

1 Most-used apps →

Cloud storage

5 Most-used apps →

AI assistants

10 Most-used apps →

Learning

10 Most-used apps →

Websites people in Switzerland actually use

19

The 19 sites locals open most often — news, shopping, search, banking and government services. Every link goes to the official site.

DigitecShoppingdigitec.chElectronics, and the price comparison of Galaxus. MigrosShoppingmigros.chSupermarket, and the Cumulus points. CoopShoppingcoop.chSupermarket, and the Supercard. Neue Zürcher ZeitungNewsnzz.chZurich’s paper of record, read for careful analysis rather than breaking news. 20 MinutenNews20min.chSwitzerland’s free commuter daily — short news, transport delays and the stories people read on the tram. TwintBankingtwint.chMobile payment app linked to a Swiss bank account and accepted almost everywhere. Swiss National BankBankingsnb.chThe policy rate, currency reserves and monetary policy. Swiss Federal RailwaysTransportsbb.chThe national rail app for timetables, tickets and platform changes in real time. Swiss International Air LinesTransportswiss.comThe airline based in Zurich and Basel. admin.chGovernmentadmin.chThe federal government, its offices and referendum papers. MeteoSwissGovernmentmeteoschweiz.admin.chThe forecast and the danger levels. RicardoClassifiedsricardo.chSwitzerland’s biggest second-hand marketplace, where almost anything finds a buyer. SwisscomTelecomswisscom.chLandlines, internet, mobile and the Blue TV service. Swiss PostMailpost.chParcels, letters and the account at Postfinance. ETH ZurichEducationethz.chThe federal technology institute, and its open lectures. University Hospital ZurichHealthusz.chThe country’s largest university hospital. Swiss Super LeagueSportsfl.chFixtures and the Super League table. HomegatePropertyhomegate.chFlats and houses, with rent levels. jobs.chJobsjobs.chJobs from all of Switzerland, by canton.

2808 websites →

Frequently asked questions

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

About 8.6 million (8,600,000 people). That works out to roughly 95.6% of the population, which puts Switzerland at #74 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 Switzerland use most?

Mostly WhatsApp, Element, Threema, Session — they cover Messaging, Social, Video, Shopping, Payments, Music, Travel, Tools, Food, Classifieds, Cloud storage, Security, AI assistants, Learning, Health, Parcels, Maps, Gaming, Reading. The full list, grouped by category, is further down this page.

What is the leading Messaging app in Switzerland?

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

How high is internet penetration in Switzerland?

Around 95.6%. With a population of about 9 million and 8.6 million online, roughly 400 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 Switzerland?

The everyday ones are Neue Zürcher Zeitung, Ricardo, Twint, plus the other 19 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. “Switzerland: internet and everyday apps”. 2026. https://abcvv.com/c/ch-en.html