Online Pharmacy Usage Statistics By Regional, Product And Facts (2025)

Introduction

Online Pharmacy Usage Statistics: E-pharmacy, an online or digital pharmacy, means buying prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medicines and health products online. It’s an easy and comfortable way to get needed medications and medical supplies without going to a store. People can order from home and have items delivered to their door. These online pharmacies usually sell numerous drugs, vitamins, personal care items, and medical tools.

Most let customers safely upload their prescriptions, give clear details about each medicine, and offer private packaging and shipping. It’s also important to ensure the e-pharmacy is licensed and protects customers’ privacy and safety. We shall shed more light on Online Pharmacy Usage Statistics through this article.

Editor’s Choice

• There are about 35,000 online pharmacies currently working worldwide.
• Online Pharmacy Usage Statistics stated that 96% don’t follow U.S. laws or meet official pharmacy rules.
• More than 12% of these sites—around 3,400—sell restricted drugs like opioids without proper approval.
• Also, nearly 600 new illegal online pharmacy websites show up monthly, increasing customer danger.
• In 2025, about 13.07% of people are expected to use online pharmacies. This number may increase to around 16.16% by 2029.
• The global online pharmacy market is split into two main product types: OTC (over the counter) items and prescription drugs.

What is an Online Pharmacy?

An online pharmacy—also known as an internet pharmacy or mail-order pharmacy—is a drugstore that sells medicines online and delivers orders using shipping services, mail, or its website.

There are three main types of online pharmacies:

• Legal and licensed pharmacies based in the same country as the customer.
• Approved pharmacies located in another country follow the laws of their own country, not the rules of the buyer’s country.
• Unlicensed or unsafe online pharmacies may lie about their location, legal approval, or how they operate. These sites can send fake or expired drugs and may skip basic safety checks.

Consumers’ Opinion on Online Pharmacies

(Reference: frontiersin.org)

• Online Pharmacy Usage Statistics state that about 1 in 5 people who use online pharmacies find them through a regular web search.
• Lists of approved or safe websites don’t help much; fewer than 5% of users say they would likely use a government list of trusted online pharmacies.
• Also, less than 5% of people know about tools that help identify safe e-pharmacies, like the.
• Just over 51% of people who have ordered from an online pharmacy used one that wasn’t linked to their local pharmacy store.

Among those who bought medications online:

1. 9% ordered from a Canadian pharmacy,
2. 5% bought from another foreign pharmacy,
3. 3% said they didn’t know where the site was based.

• Around 88% of people who buy prescription medicine online don’t talk to their doctor or healthcare provider before purchasing.
• Also, less than 5% of customers know about safety tools like the.
• In addition, fewer than 5% of people say they would use a government-approved list when looking for prescription drugs on the Internet.

Online Pharmacy Regional Statistics

• The online pharmacy market is expected to make around $97.18 billion in sales by 2025.
• It’s predicted to grow yearly by about 7.64% between 2025 and 2029, reaching roughly $130.46 billion by 2029.
• In 2025, about 13.07% of people are expected to use online pharmacies. This number may increase to around 16.16% by 2029.
• The average amount spent per user (ARPU) is expected to be about $95.16.
• Among all countries, the United States is expected to earn the most from online pharmacies, bringing in approximately $27.67 billion in 2025.

APAC Online Pharmacy Statistics

(Source: marketsandmarkets.org)

• The online pharmacy market is expected to bring in about $40.35 billion in revenue by 2025.
• It’s predicted to grow at a steady yearly rate of 5.85% from 2025 to 2029, reaching an estimated total of $50.66 billion by 2029.
• In 2025, about 14.73% of the population is expected to use online pharmacies, and this share could grow to 18.92% by 2029.
• The average spending per user (ARPU) is projected to be around $63.54.

EMEA Online Pharmacy Statistics

• The online pharmacy market is expected to reach about $22.45 billion in revenue by 2025.
• The market is projected to grow at an average annual rate of 10.15% from 2025 to 2029, reaching an estimated $33.06 billion by 2029.
• In 2025, around 7.5% of people are expected to use online pharmacies. This percentage is predicted to increase to 8.56% by 2029.
• The average revenue per user (ARPU) is expected to be about $120.97.

LATAM Online Pharmacy Statistics

(Source: marketdataforecast.com)

• The online pharmacy market will earn about $4.37 billion in 2025.
• The market is forecast to grow at an average annual rate of 10.52% from 2025 to 2029, reaching around $6.53 billion by 2029.
• In 2025, about 18.74% of people are expected to use online pharmacies, which is likely to increase to 23.88% by 2029.
• Online Pharmacy Usage Statistics stated that the average amount spent per user (ARPU) is expected to be around $36.45.

MENA Online Pharmacy Statistics

• The online pharmacy market will earn around $2.38 billion in 2025.
• It is projected to grow at a yearly rate of 9.90% from 2025 to 2029, reaching about $3.47 billion by 2029.
• In 2025, about 8.12% of people are expected to use online pharmacies, which is expected to rise to 9.65% by 2029.
• The average revenue per user (ARPU) is expected to be $50.82.

Online Pharmacy Users’ Primary Drivers

• According to Carrie Harney, president of the ASOP Global board and VP of U.S. government and regulatory affairs at the United States Pharmacopoeia (USP), convenience and saving money are the main reasons people buy medicines online.
• Online Pharmacy Usage Statistics stated that recent drug shortages and limited availability have also increased this trend.
• Data shows that 60% of Americans who have used online pharmacies would be open to buying from an unapproved source if it made ordering easier, and 55% would do it to cut costs.

(Source: healthcarepackaging.com)

• Buying medicine online may be easy, but it also comes with real dangers, according to a recent survey:
• Online Pharmacy Usage Statistics stated that about 66% of Americans would likely order medicine online if it weren’t available at their local pharmacy. Harney pointed out that this includes controlled drugs, which 59% of people said they’d feel okay buying online if they couldn’t get them nearby.
• Even though more people are shopping online for medicine, the number of people who think it’s risky has dropped by 10%.
• Also, 24% of those surveyed said they had received fake or poor-quality drugs from online pharmacies, a 7% increase from the year before.
• This gap between what people believe and the real risks is troubling, especially since 45% of Americans said they’re willing to take some risk for the ease of ordering medicine online.

Online Pharmacy Product Statistics

(Source: gminsights.com)

• The global online pharmacy market is split into two main product types: OTC (over-the-counter) items and prescription drugs.
• Among these, the OTC segment is leading the market and is expected to grow at a 12.6% annual rate (CAGR) over the next few years.
• This growth is mainly fueled by the increasing number of people choosing to treat minor health issues independently and wanting more convenient shopping options.
• Since many OTC medicines don’t require a doctor’s prescription, customers are turning to online pharmacies to easily obtain them.
• The demand is also rising due to a growing number of people with ongoing health problems and an ageing population.
• E-pharmacies also make it easy to order privately and deliver items to your door, making them even more attractive.
• This change shows a bigger shift toward online shopping for health-related products.

Risk in Online Pharmacy Statistics

• A recent survey by ASOP shows that 42% of Americans have purchased medicine online, mostly because they see it as more affordable and convenient.
• However, 45% wrongly believe that all websites selling health services or prescription drugs to people in the U.S. are approved by the FDA or state officials.
• Even more concerning, 38% of Americans said they or someone they know had received fake or poor-quality prescription drugs from an online pharmacy.
• The risks don’t stop at counterfeit drugs; many online pharmacies also make it easier for people to get addictive or controlled substances, which can worsen issues like substance abuse.
• Educating the public, healthcare providers, and lawmakers about the risks and how to avoid them, whether buying medicine online or in person, is important to help keep people safe.
• That’s why the ASOP Global Foundation, the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy, and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department are working together to raise awareness about fake medicine and illegal online drug sellers.

Pharmacy App Development Challenges

#1. Common Challenges and Solutions When Creating an Online Pharmacy App

Starting an e-pharmacy isn’t easy. It involves several steps, each with its own set of problems. Below are the main phases of building a pharmacy app, the common roadblocks, and how to deal with them.

#2. Choosing the Right App Development Team

Creating pharmacy software takes specific knowledge and experience. To avoid mistakes, work with a team that has built similar apps before. Also, ensure they’re good at staying on schedule and communicating clearly so the project doesn’t fall behind.

#3. User Interface and User Experience (UI/UX) Challenges

Design is often ignored, but it’s one of the most important parts of building a pharmacy app. Your app must be easy to understand and use because your customers will be from different ages and backgrounds.

If the app is hard to use or confusing, people will delete it. The goal is to create a clean, simple, attractive design that helps users quickly and easily find what they need.

#4. Going Over Budget

The cost of making a pharmacy app depends on the number of features, platforms (like Android and iOS) you want it on, where your developers are located, and the technology used for the backend.

Here are some ways to cut costs:

• Outsource your app development. Hiring a team from another country is usually cheaper than building a local team. Outsourcing teams also have more experience with different types of projects.
• Stick to a clear plan. Make a project schedule and follow it closely. Use tools to track progress and help the team stay productive.
• Use a BaaS (Backend-as-a-Service) platform instead of building everything from scratch. This can save 40–60% of your development time and lower expenses.
• Test often. Let quality assurance (QA) specialists find bugs before they become major problems.
• Start with a minimum viable product (MVP), a basic version of your app. This will help you test your idea, get early user feedback, and avoid spending money on features people may not want.

Conclusion

To sum up, the online pharmacy market is growing quickly because people want the convenience, savings, and easy access to medications it offers. As more consumers shop online for prescription and over-the-counter drugs, e-pharmacies are changing how people get healthcare products. However, this growth also brings risks, like the possibility of buying fake medicines and issues with keeping customers safe.

With more education and rules in place, the online pharmacy industry could become a safer and more effective way to get the medications people need. Still, shoppers must stay careful when choosing where to buy from. We have shed enough light on Online Pharmacy Usage Statistics through this article.