Global internet traffic has grown by 48% over the past year, with video streaming accounting for around 60% of all online activity. A new study by Loopex Digital, an SEO firm, examined during which hours the world is most active online. 

The analysis considered two key engagement factors: activity rates on social media platforms and Internet usage. User presence on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter (X), and LinkedIn became the basis for the social media activity score, while Internet usage evaluated the online activity relative to the daily peak of data exchanged. These two factors were combined to create the final Online Activity Score, highlighting the times of day with the highest user engagement. 

Here is the summary of the findings:

Time Slot	Social Media Activity Score	Internet Usage (% of Max)	Online Activity Score
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM	71	67.04	92
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM	68	67.28	91
5:00 PM – 6:00 PM	63	67.67	90
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM	66	67.02	89
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM	74	65.40	86
6:00 PM – 7:00 PM	57	67.07	83
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM	75	63.60	77
7:00 PM – 8:00 PM	51	66.41	75
8:00 PM – 9:00 PM	45	67.26	74
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM	76	61.84	68

You can find the full research findings by following this link. 

Between 2 PM and 3 PM is the busiest hour online worldwide, earning an online activity score of 92. Users spend this hour on social media, with 76% of TikTok and X users actively engaging with the online content and getting a social media score of 71. During the time, people also actively use the Internet, with activity reaching 67% of its highest level for the day. 

3 PM to 4 PM follows in close second, with an online activity score of 91. This hour is also mostly spent online, with Internet activity reaching 67% of its peak, while social media gets a score of 68. TikTok is the most popular app in this time period, as 75% of users are actively scrolling their feeds. Facebook users are also quite active, with 57% of its accounts being online at that time. 

5 PM to 6 PM comes in third for the most active hours online, earning a score of 90. As the workday winds down, many turn to their devices, with Internet use climbing to nearly 68% of the peak, the highest in the study. Social media remains the most popular online activity, scoring 63, as TikTok continues to be the platform where most people spend their time.

4 PM to 5 PM ranks fourth, with an overall score of 89. This is a time when people often catch up on their social media feeds, giving it a score of 66. This is largely driven by strong engagement on Instagram, where two-thirds of users are active, and X, where 71% are browsing. Internet activity also holds steady at 67% of the maximum.

1 PM to 2 PM rounds out the top five most active hours online, with a score of 86. Social platforms thrive during this window, collectively reaching one of the highest activity scores at 74. 77% of users across Instagram, TikTok, and X are interacting with the content, making it one of the busiest hours for social media.

6 PM to 7 PM takes sixth place with an online activity score of 83. As the evening sets in, people are still active online, with Internet use climbing to 67% of the maximum. Social media stays part of the evening routine too, earning a score of 57.

12 PM to 1 PM ranks seventh, earning a score of 77. This time frame sees some of the highest activity on social media, with a score of 75, losing only to the early afternoon hours. Engagement is high across TikTok, Instagram, and X, with around 77% of users active during their lunch break. The Internet also sees high traffic, at nearly 64% of its peak.

7 PM to 8 PM comes in eighth place, scoring 75. Many people wind down in the evening by catching up online, pushing internet use to 66% of its maximum. Social media activity still plays a role here, with a score of 51.

8 PM to 9 PM comes in ninth with a score of 74. Even at this hour, people are far from logging off, as online use holds at 67% of its daily high. TikTok remains the favorite scroll of choice, helping this hour reach a social media score of 45.

11 AM to 12 PM finishes off the list of the hours of the day when the world is most active online, earning a score of 68. As the workday reaches its peak, LinkedIn sees its highest activity of the day, with professionals checking in before the afternoon. Other platforms stay lively too, as Twitter (X) records 78% of users active, similar to activity at 12–1 PM. Internet browsing also increases at this time, reaching about 62% of the peak.

A spokesperson from Loopex Digital commented, “The internet isn’t just busiest at certain hours; it mirrors life offline. People turn to screens when routines pause, stress peaks, or boredom strikes. Online behavior reveals habits, moods, and even cultural patterns, not just clicks. It’s a map of how humans fill empty minutes.”