Czechs are increasingly using mobile banking, shopping online, and streaming music or videos via paid services. Digital technologies are also playing an ever-greater role in businesses, public administration, education, and healthcare.
By 2024, nearly 90% of households in the Czech Republic had internet access. While almost all households with children were online (99.6%), only 60% of senior households (people over 65) had an internet connection. Smart home devices were used by 16% of households in 2024, up from just 3% in 2020, although usage was primarily among higher-income households.
With the growing popularity of smartphones, more people are using them as their main gateway to the internet. In 2024, there were seven million Czechs over the age of 16 using smartphones for internet access, compared to 2.5 million in 2014—though senior citizens remain a notable exception. ‘In 2024, only one in five people over 75 used the internet on their phone. This is largely because two-thirds of people in this age group still use push-button mobile phones,’ said Martin Mana, Director of the Development Statistics Department at the Czech Statistical Office.
Online shopping and internet banking are becoming ever more popular, with the Czech Republic ranking among the top ten EU countries for these digital activities. Internet banking usage in the country has nearly doubled over the past decade, reaching 6.7 million users in 2024. Streaming services have also become the primary way people consume audiovisual content, and willingness to pay for online content has increased significantly.
More companies in the Czech Republic are now using social media. In 2024, 53% of businesses had a corporate presence on Facebook or LinkedIn, compared to just 23% a decade ago. Additionally, 41% of large companies in both the EU and the Czech Republic had adopted AI tools.
The digitalisation of public administration and healthcare is gradually becoming a part of daily life. In 2024, one million income tax returns were submitted via the electronic system of the tax administration, with nearly 900,000 more filed through data boxes (Datové schránky). In 2020, only 585,000 returns were submitted using these two electronic methods. More people are also applying for benefits from their health insurance providers online, with a quarter of applicants using digital services last year.
Access to digital technology in schools is improving as well. Between 2020 and 2024, the number of computers in schools increased by 50%, reaching 500,000.
