The number of users of an online service shows its popularity among people. But the latest survey by Secure Data Recovery indicates that numbers alone do not show the actual status of any platform. This is due to dormant, inactive or zombie accounts that almost account for 30% to 40% of some online services.
The survey comprised 2,493 Americans who revealed their online services accounts that they have not used in the last 12 months. The survey asked participants about 94 online services which included social media services, financial services, productivity services etc.
Surprisingly, 94% participants claimed having a zombie account. Because of having an account on 5 or 10 online services, it is likely that users will stop using some of those accounts over time. This is why the percentage is so high.
40% participants said that they had an inactive Pandora account. The website provides music services to users. Due to better music services available today — like Spotify or Apple Music — Pandora has lost its value among its users.
The e-commerce website Groupon is next. It offers users coupons and special offers or deals. But it is difficult to keep buying stuff using a single website. That is what has happened to Groupon. Users just lost interest.
Shutterfly is at number three. And it is followed by the websites having similar functions - Dropbox, Tumblr and Flickr. These websites are used for photo sharing. Photos are now available in abundance all over the internet. Also, smartphones have made taking photos as per one's wishes easier. This has made such photo sharing websites old-fashioned.
The survey also categorized online services into three categories: dating, work and financial. In the dating category, Tinder and OkCupid top the list, with 33% participants claiming to have left Tinder. Huge variety in dating apps keeps users moving from one app to another.
In the work category, Dropbox is the leader. Mainly used for sharing files, Dropbox has become old-fashioned due to better ways of sharing files have emerged. Users will not stick to websites or apps that are not convenient anymore.
And in the financial category, Acorns and Mint lead this category. Mint was used by people to budget their spendings better and more efficiently. This was not something compulsory or important, so 32% left Mint accounts long ago. Similarly, Acorns offers investment services. Frankly speaking, it is hard to convince people to stay active on a website for investment purposes only.
Up to this point, the data has highlighted the percentage of accounts that have remained inactive. But what online services caused the most disappointment to users? As per the survey, Facebook leads the list of causing the most disappointment. X (formally Twitter) and Amazon Prime Video follow Facebook.
Though Facebook and X are the two most popular social media platforms, users' disappointment in them could be due to their high expectations, not met. Or maybe it was due to their bad experience on these platforms.
Amazon Prime Video faces tough competition with other video streaming services, like YouTube and Netflix. So it is understandable that Amazon Prime Video might not be up to the expectations of some users due to their liking for other video streaming services.
But do Americans also miss any online services? Yes, the survey reveals that some participants regret leaving Netflix and YouTube and want to start using them again. Both Netflix and YouTube have gained a lot of success and popularity over the years. Netflix has given users access to their favourite TV shows and movies. On the other hand, YouTube is the top most video streaming service in the world, providing information, education and entertainment at the same time. Therefore, it is not a surprise that leaving both platforms would cause regret.
This survey has given us an insight into the value of the number of accounts on online platforms. These numbers could be just mere numbers without any active role. The true number of accounts that exist on an online platform are only those which are active, not the ones which have been dormant for more than a year.
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The survey comprised 2,493 Americans who revealed their online services accounts that they have not used in the last 12 months. The survey asked participants about 94 online services which included social media services, financial services, productivity services etc.
Surprisingly, 94% participants claimed having a zombie account. Because of having an account on 5 or 10 online services, it is likely that users will stop using some of those accounts over time. This is why the percentage is so high.
40% participants said that they had an inactive Pandora account. The website provides music services to users. Due to better music services available today — like Spotify or Apple Music — Pandora has lost its value among its users.
The e-commerce website Groupon is next. It offers users coupons and special offers or deals. But it is difficult to keep buying stuff using a single website. That is what has happened to Groupon. Users just lost interest.
Shutterfly is at number three. And it is followed by the websites having similar functions - Dropbox, Tumblr and Flickr. These websites are used for photo sharing. Photos are now available in abundance all over the internet. Also, smartphones have made taking photos as per one's wishes easier. This has made such photo sharing websites old-fashioned.
The survey also categorized online services into three categories: dating, work and financial. In the dating category, Tinder and OkCupid top the list, with 33% participants claiming to have left Tinder. Huge variety in dating apps keeps users moving from one app to another.
In the work category, Dropbox is the leader. Mainly used for sharing files, Dropbox has become old-fashioned due to better ways of sharing files have emerged. Users will not stick to websites or apps that are not convenient anymore.
And in the financial category, Acorns and Mint lead this category. Mint was used by people to budget their spendings better and more efficiently. This was not something compulsory or important, so 32% left Mint accounts long ago. Similarly, Acorns offers investment services. Frankly speaking, it is hard to convince people to stay active on a website for investment purposes only.
Up to this point, the data has highlighted the percentage of accounts that have remained inactive. But what online services caused the most disappointment to users? As per the survey, Facebook leads the list of causing the most disappointment. X (formally Twitter) and Amazon Prime Video follow Facebook.
Though Facebook and X are the two most popular social media platforms, users' disappointment in them could be due to their high expectations, not met. Or maybe it was due to their bad experience on these platforms.
Amazon Prime Video faces tough competition with other video streaming services, like YouTube and Netflix. So it is understandable that Amazon Prime Video might not be up to the expectations of some users due to their liking for other video streaming services.
But do Americans also miss any online services? Yes, the survey reveals that some participants regret leaving Netflix and YouTube and want to start using them again. Both Netflix and YouTube have gained a lot of success and popularity over the years. Netflix has given users access to their favourite TV shows and movies. On the other hand, YouTube is the top most video streaming service in the world, providing information, education and entertainment at the same time. Therefore, it is not a surprise that leaving both platforms would cause regret.
This survey has given us an insight into the value of the number of accounts on online platforms. These numbers could be just mere numbers without any active role. The true number of accounts that exist on an online platform are only those which are active, not the ones which have been dormant for more than a year.
Read next:
• Pinterest Outshines Competitors with Visual Search, Leaving Google, Instagram and Facebook Behind
• Google Sees Surge in Visits Following AI Overviews Yet Time on Site Declines
• Media Survival Crisis Deepens as 2025 Press Freedom Index Slips into Difficult Territory Globally
