Opera reported that its
Android monthly active users increased by 66% in the UK and 40% in the US year over year in the second quarter of 2026, according to the company.
Opera attributes this growth to features not available out of the box in Chrome, such as a free unlimited VPN, a built-in ad blocker, and integrated AI tools.
The company notes that momentum in Europe has continued following the EU's Digital Markets Act, with gains in both new user acquisition and retention. Opera has not provided specific user numbers, only reporting the growth percentages compared to the previous year.
Growth Numbers and What Opera Offers Beyond Chrome
According to Opera's Q2 2026 report:
- UK Android monthly active users: 66% year-over-year growth
- US Android monthly active users: 40% year-over-year growth
- European growth: continued after DMA implementation
- Retention: also improved, not just new user acquisition
The growth numbers suggest that a meaningful segment of Android users are looking beyond the pre-installed Chrome browser and evaluating alternatives.
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