Tiago Bianchi
Research expert covering internet & gaming in Latin America and Spain
Internet usage in Argentina - statistics & facts
With one of the largest online populations in Latin America, Argentina is technically tied alongside Colombia as third biggest internet market in the region. But with an overall balanced internet penetration throughout its massive territory and fewer socioeconomic gaps regarding connectivity, Argentinians struggle much less than most of their Latin American neighbors when accessing the web. Compared to the regional average, the country’s internet penetration rate of almost 90 percent and its affordability makes internet access much easier and more fruitful for its more than 40 million internet users.
Like in the rest of Latin America, Meta dominates the country’s social media landscape, with Facebook being the platform with the most users in the country, while Instagram and messaging solutions like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger featuring among the most used platforms in the country. However, the rise of TikTok throughout Latin America might keep Argentina’s social media turf heated, being the platform where Argentinians most spend time at monthly.
After all, Mercado Libre’s regional success is just one example of how the country’s robust online connectivity sets the stage for its engaged and profitable internet landscape. Competing in size with Colombia and holding a connectivity level akin to Chile, Argentina’s online landscape can combine the best aspects of these two markets and hold its place as a key player in Latin America’s digital economy.
The power (and value) of mobile connectivity…
The overall increase in mobile internet connectivity throughout Latin American is visible in Argentina. With more than 82 percent of the population having access to a mobile connection, almost 60 percent of the Argentina’s web traffic originates from mobile phones. Despite spending a similar amount of time on mobile and desktop devices, mobile connectivity is deeply valued by Argentinians. Making excellent use of the country’s good internet offerings, locals mostly access the internet for finding information and accessing audio and visual media.…for using social media…
The appetite for information and connectivity is also reflected in Argentina’s social media usage. Stating that keeping in touch with each other is an even more important reason for using social media in the country, more than 60 percent of the country’s internet users visit these platforms to look for information about brands and products, following a local and worldwide trend of online search on social platforms.Like in the rest of Latin America, Meta dominates the country’s social media landscape, with Facebook being the platform with the most users in the country, while Instagram and messaging solutions like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger featuring among the most used platforms in the country. However, the rise of TikTok throughout Latin America might keep Argentina’s social media turf heated, being the platform where Argentinians most spend time at monthly.
…and shopping!
Internet usage in Argentina is heavily characterized by its robust e-commerce sector, placing the country as the fourth-largest sector’s market in Latin America and the Caribbean. The e-commerce retail market in Argentina is also the fourth fastest-growing worldwide, with over 56 percent of the population engaging in online shopping, totaling around 24 million online shoppers. Feeding and propelled by strong local demand, Mercado Libre was able to expand outside Argentina and become one of the region’s leading e-commerce websites, being the main channel for online shopping in much larger markets such as Mexico and Brazil, generating over 14.4 billion U.S. dollars of revenue in 2023.After all, Mercado Libre’s regional success is just one example of how the country’s robust online connectivity sets the stage for its engaged and profitable internet landscape. Competing in size with Colombia and holding a connectivity level akin to Chile, Argentina’s online landscape can combine the best aspects of these two markets and hold its place as a key player in Latin America’s digital economy.
