iOS users benefit from browser alternatives - Opera reports up to 5x growth in key markets

OSLO, Norway, Nov. 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Opera [NASDAQ: OPRA], the agentic AI and browser company, today announced that its rapid growth of iOS users continued with full momentum in October. The company's daily active iOS users in Europe has nearly tripled over the past two years, a testament to the importance of the Digital Markets Act (DMA) to promote browser competition in the EU. Individual key markets have grown even faster, such as France, where the active user base increased 5 times over the same period.

The numbers from the past two years show that the growth is accelerating. In the first 12-month period the growth across Europe was 57%, while it surged to 88% in the last 12 months ending with October 2025. Paired with the global benefit of iPhone users having become able to set Opera as their default browser, iOS became Opera's fastest growing platform in relative terms, an important achievement on a platform with limited historical ability to compete and a solid foundation for the years to come.

This increase in daily active users of Opera One on iOS shows that Opera's suite of features and award-winning design are highly valued by its users in the key markets within the iOS ecosystem. "Fifteen years ago, Opera launched the first alternative to Apple Safari for the iPhone. After more than a decade of small digit growth, we saw an opportunity to revamp the browser two years ago, bringing several of our unique trademark Opera features such as free browser VPN to iOS users," said Jørgen Arnesen, EVP Mobile at Opera. "Since then, the combination of a relentless focus on unique browser innovations, a more leveled playing field in Europe, and focused marketing has created the highest growth product we have seen for years in our portfolio."

Growth accelerated by new browser with unique features

For the past two years, Opera has been constantly delivering updates and reaching new milestones within the iOS ecosystem: for example, the introduction of popular features that make it stand out such as free VPN and integrated browser AI. Furthermore, the company brought its flagship browser into iOS, introducing Opera One for iOS – a complete redesign to improve browsing on iPhones. After that, Opera kept improving the browser through updates that further improved its AI capabilities, while also reworking its tab management system to better fit the needs and behavior of iOS users.

New market opportunities

Since the Digital Markets Act (DMA) went into effect in 2024, the European Union's market of nearly 400 million smartphone users has been exposed to the browser choice ballot screen on their Android and iOS mobile devices, prompting users to select which browser they want to use as their default. An Opera conducted survey* among European smartphone users prior to the launch of the ballot screen found that 8 out of 10 Europeans were open to testing a new browser on their mobile devices. Furthermore, there was almost universal agreement among those surveyed on the importance of having more choice and transparency when choosing their preferred browser. The combination of unique products and increased efforts to improve awareness of browsers, has helped fuel Opera's strong growth on iOS. 

A growing iOS users base enables new opportunities

Opera's financial results demonstrate the company's strong business fundamentals. In the most recent quarter, Opera delivered $152 million in revenue – up 23% year-over-year, including an accelerating 17% growth in browser based query revenue. Paired with a 24% adjusted EBITDA margin, the quarter marked Opera's 18th consecutive quarter as a Rule-of-40 company. Our growth and profitability are supported by a growing high-ARPU user base, where iOS user growth is increasingly becoming an important part of the company's financial performance.

About Opera for iOS

For the past two years, Opera has been constantly delivering updates and reaching new milestones within its iOS ecosystem. By introducing a brand new tab management system on iOS, Opera One brought the power of desktop-style tab organization to the mobile experience. This innovation tackled one of iOS users' biggest frustrations – too many unruly tabs – making Opera One the most advanced mobile browser for iOS, surpassing Safari and Chrome in managing multiple tabs.  Opera for iOS also offers free native browser AI as well as a built-in VPN.

About Opera

Opera is a user-centric and innovative software company focused on enabling the best possible internet browsing experience across all devices. Hundreds of millions use Opera web browsers for their unique and secure features on mobile phones and desktop computers. Founded in 1995 and headquartered in Oslo, Norway, Opera is a public company listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange under the ticker symbol OPRA. Download the Opera web browsers and other Opera products from opera.com. Learn more about Opera at investor.opera.com.

* The survey was conducted by Opera between the 21st and 24th of February, 2024, via Pollfish. The target population was identified as 18-54 years old, all genders, located in Germany, France, Poland, and Spain. There were 4,000 respondents overall, with 1,000 participants in each market.

SOURCE Opera Limited