Opera has more than 100 million users

April 12, 2010 · by Haavard

If you combine the number of users for Opera on the desktop and Opera Mini, Opera now has more than 100 million active users.

This does not include preinstalled or bundled versions of Opera: Only people who chose to install and use Opera are counted. It does not count downloads either: Only people who actually use Opera are counted.

To put this into perspective, this is more than 20 times larger than Norway's population, and as you may know, Opera Software is a Norwegian company.

Any guesses on when we will reach 200 million users?

Readers' comments 18

Left under the original article, as archived.

Почтальон ПечкинMonday, April 12, 2010 8:48:14 AM
http://files.myopera.com/Tamil/Smilies/Cheers.gif -
Anton DiazMonday, April 12, 2010 11:30:52 AM
Daniel HendrycksMonday, April 12, 2010 11:53:15 AM
TeoMonday, April 12, 2010 12:07:00 PM
I am using Opera on two laptops, three desktops, 1 server and more than 20 virtual machines. Does this count as 1 user or as 26? You do not disclose the counting method, so there are weak points in your statistics.

On the other hand, when my wife uses one of my machines, she is forced to use Opera (she is adamant IE user, but there is no IE on my machines). Does this count as 1 or 2 users?
prd3Monday, April 12, 2010 12:10:08 PM
Originally posted by umbra-tenebris:

I am using Opera on two laptops, three desktops, 1 server and more than 20 virtual machines.

That's irrelevant. 20 out of 50 million is nothing.

Does this count as 1 user or as 26? You do not disclose the counting method, so there are weak points in your statistics.

No, there are no weak points. The numbers are what they are. Your personal usage is irrelevant compared to the tens of millions of other users. As you may notice, they use "50 million", not "50 365 120" or whatever the actual number is, so the number is well within any margin of error.
SovietRussiaMonday, April 12, 2010 12:32:59 PM
Originally posted by umbra-tenebris:

I am using Opera on two laptops, three desktops, 1 server and more than 20 virtual machines. Does this count as 1 user or as 26? You do not disclose the counting method, so there are weak points in your statistics.

On the other hand, when my wife uses one of my machines, she is forced to use Opera (she is adamant IE user, but there is no IE on my machines). Does this count as 1 or 2 users?

I believe I read somewhere that they use the automatic update checker as part of their counting process, along with the opera link/opera turbo services, although I could be grossly mistaken.

If I am right though, then it would depend on the internet connection, and so all your virtual machines wouldn't count as separate users...
TeoMonday, April 12, 2010 1:31:02 PM
My question is "how does Opera counts users" If it is update requests, then they count active installations and not users. If they count Opera link users, they severely undercount, because not everyone uses it. Download requests obviously are totally unreliable. So?

There's a number, and no information how it was found out, so it cannot be scientifically verified. Therefore, your statement "20 out of 50 million" is irrelevant and misleading.
prd3Monday, April 12, 2010 2:50:36 PM
Originally posted by umbra-tenebris:

My question is "how does Opera counts users" If it is update requests, then they count active installations and not users.

Wrong. You need to actually start and use Opera to be counted.

There's a number, and no information how it was found out, so it cannot be scientifically verified. Therefore, your statement "20 out of 50 million" is irrelevant and misleading.

Why are you always spreading FUD about Opera? All you ever seem to be doing is to accuse them of being liars.

The fact is that your silly "20 computers" nonsense is irrelevant. How many people run Opera from 20 different computers every day?

Opera can easily count the number of users by looking at automatic checks for updates. And some random anti-Opera hater who claims to be running Opera 20 times a day just to create fake doubt about the numbers will not change that.

Again, they said "50 million", not "50 174 943". Even if they only have 50 174 924 because you run Opera from 20 different computers every day, it's still "50 million".

Now stop it with the anti-Opera propaganda.
endless loveMonday, April 12, 2010 4:10:38 PM
TeoMonday, April 12, 2010 4:17:38 PM
I've been using every day Opera since its version 3.61. In real life people keeps telling me that I am annoying with my pro-Opera propaganda, so I find your statement highly entertaining. Thanks for making my day!
netwolfMonday, April 12, 2010 5:24:39 PM
Congrats!

A legitimate question IMO: how do you count the number of actual users?

Auto-update requests?
UA string?
...?
d4rkn1ghtMonday, April 12, 2010 5:55:42 PM
http://www.gifmix.net/smileys/happy-smilies/78.gif -
Cutting SpoonTuesday, April 13, 2010 1:11:01 AM
I believe Haavard said that things like browser.js requests and browser update checks were cross-referenced against user IP addresses. There is a floating margin for users-vs-days, given that not every user goes online within every 24-hour period. If you somehow run multiple installs with multiple unique IPs, you are overcounted. If you leave your browser on for weeks at a time, you are undercounted. It's very simple.

I personally feel that Opera conservatively (under)estimates its user base.

Haavard, my calendar says today is April 12th, but Opera has a press release dated the 13th: "Opera Mini App approved for the App Store". Congratulations! And please thank whoever had to put that up just after midnight.

/offtopic: Moot...? Is SovietRussia Moot...? (If not please ignore, this is related to events of the early internet)
Daniel HendrycksTuesday, April 13, 2010 1:18:10 AM
Originally posted by Cutting Spoon:

Haavard, my calendar says today is April 12th, but Opera has a press release dated the 13th:

In Oslo, Norway it is April 13th.
digitalinksmudgeTuesday, April 13, 2010 1:33:18 AM
Congrats to the 100 Million mark!

Also, congrats on the iPhone!
Charles SchlossTuesday, April 13, 2010 2:24:18 AM
Cutting SpoonThursday, April 15, 2010 3:30:08 AM
Daniel: That's what I meant. Someone has been burning the midnight oil.
Daniel HendrycksThursday, April 15, 2010 11:52:41 PM
Originally posted by Cutting Spoon:

Someone has been burning the midnight oil

Oh