37 Heavenly Cloud Computing Statistics for 2021

About a decade ago, one buzzword in the IT field was quickly making its way into the spotlight.

Everyone was talking about “the cloud“!

Back then, people knew very little about this emerging tech, so naturally, there were a lot of questions:

How does the cloud work?

Is it any different from the Internet?

How can I “join” the cloud?

Is it safe to store my data there?

As funny as some of those questions may sound to you today, they were absolutely on point a few years ago.

Cloud computing statistics reveal the exponential growth of the industry since then. Estimated at just $24.65 billion in 2010, it has already surpassed the $150 billion mark.

Consider this:

• 81% of all enterprises have a multi-cloud strategy already laid out or in the works.
• 67% of enterprise infrastructure is cloud-based.
• Additionally, 82% of the workload will reside on the cloud.
• As a result, more than 40 zettabytes of data will be flowing through cloud servers and networks.
• It makes sense, as even today the average person uses 36 cloud-based services every single day.
• Amazon Web Services has the largest cloud computing market share at 32%.
• Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) grew in adoption to 56% by 2020.

I’ve seen flowers take more time to sprout fully.

The cloud was always destined for success. Back when we were mostly storing our data on a local device and copying it on flash drives. The mere thought of having everything available on-the-go sounded revolutionary. Nowadays the vast majority of people and businesses use this technology daily.

To show you just how far we have gone, let’s take a look at some curious cloud computing facts and stats.

Impressive Cloud Computing Statistics for 2021

Wondering who is number one in the cloud computing arena at the moment? While free platforms like Dropbox and iCloud continue to excel as the most popular free file storage services, Amazon Web Services appear to be the clear winner according to cloud computing stats in 2021.

1. Amazon Web Services has the largest cloud computing market share at 32%.

(Source: Statista)

The truth is that the biggest cloud computing market share in 2021 is actually for a category named ‘other’. AWS holds the next largest percentage at 32%.

2. By 2022, the adoption of cloud technologies by other countries will fall behind the US by several years.

(Source: Gartner)

Cloud computing actually started in the US and they have been leading the way since 2015, according to cloud computing statistics by country. By 2022, cloud adoption in other countries will be significantly lower.

3. 50% of people said cloud usage would be higher than initially planned throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

(Source: Flexera)

COVID-19 had an impact even on cloud computing growth statistics!

A wider survey by Flexera was conducted to see how the pandemic would affect cloud growth. Out of 187 respondents, more than half said cloud usage would be greater than expected, particularly because of the extra capacity needed to meet demand.

4. Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) grew in adoption to 56%.

(Source: Ricks Cloud)

Based on cloud computing usage statistics, the adoption of Platform-as-a-service (PaaS) back in 2017 was only 32%. In 2021, this is expected to rise significantly to 56%, making it the fastest-growing segment in cloud platforms.

5. The most popular free cloud storage services are iCloud and Dropbox with 300 million users per platform.

(Source: Software Testing Help)

A popular use of cloud services is file storage. And while cloud computing stats indicate there are many paid ones available out there, there are some great free alternatives as well. The most popular at the moment are iCloud on Mac, and Dropbox, both of which attract an impressive 300 million users to their platforms.

General Cloud Computing Stats

Shrouded in technological mystery, the Cloud is a term often used generously by shrewd marketers.

6. Cloud-based apps are expanding by the day. Their number has nearly tripled between 2013 and 2016, from 545 to 1427 different services.

(Source: Skyhigh)

The research observes 600 international enterprise businesses and outlines a rapid growth in the adoption of cloud computing by big companies. Especially as organizations are progressively adopting a no-office type of operation, connecting employees and sharing information through a secured network is a must-have solution.

7. Cloud adoption statistics reveal that in 2020 a staggering 83% of the companies’ workload was stored on the cloud.

(Source: LogicMonitor/Forbes)

A notable detail here is that a growing number of companies will be moving from private to a public cloud. This attests to the claims that even though the public model gives you less control, you can still enjoy optimum security and ease of access.

8. The three sectors that plan to spend the most on cloud computing services are manufacturing ($19.7 billion), professional services ($18.1 billion), and banking ($16.7 billion).

(Source: Business Wire)

Unsurprisingly, looking at the cloud adoption by industry, industries that deal with the most data yield the most active investors. The banking field is especially fond of innovations in cloud technology. It fits them perfectly as they often need to retrieve heaps of delicate information from multiple secure locations.

9. Cloud apps can aid companies’ collaborative tasks, file sharing, content sharing, and data security. The average employee uses 36 cloud-based services in their daily routine.

(Source: Skyhigh)

If that sounds excessive, then you need to consider the many applications of cloud computing that have given rise to a multitude of different services. There are over 210 services in the “collaboration” category alone. With such a wealth of solutions, it’s no wonder the average enterprise employs about 1400 cloud-based apps.

10. The public cloud market will reach $338 billion in 2021.

(Source: Statista, CRN)

The projection shows that the figure will be $187 billion more than it was in 2017. Software as a Service (SaaS) will be the most significant contributor with $190 billion.

Between 2021 and 2025, this sector will have a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 19%. As a result, the market volume will reach $679 billion by 2025.

11. The future is looking bright for the public cloud. Revenue from the sector is expected to jump to $331 billion by 2022 (from $175.8 billion in 2018).

(Source: Gartner)

This marks a 17.5% projected growth from 2018 to 2019 – a brave, yet reasonable assumption. If we take the previous year-to-year growth for comparison, the industry registered a massive 21% jump back then.

12. The growing adoption of cloud services will increase the need for additional IT infrastructure.

(Source: IDC)

Long-term forecasts confirm this trend will continue to affect the IT market in the next few years. Public cloud vendors will be extending their influence and rake more income in return. Should predictions turn out to be correct, the spending on IT infrastructure will reach $55.7 billion by 2022. Cloud computing statistics from IDC predict a 10.9% growth rate of the demand for servers, Ethernet switches, and enterprise storage solutions.

13. Businesses are struggling to get a hold of their cloud spending.

(Source: Flexera)

Enterprise cloud adoption is on the rise, and organizations feel like their costs are spiraling out of control. On top of that, it’s becoming hard to set accurate budgets.

Respondents that have tried to make projections, but ended making oversights by 24% on average. It’s more vital than ever for companies to optimize their costs appropriately for proper resource allocation.

Still, 70% of companies using the cloud plan to increase their budgets in the future.

14. Multi-cloud and hybrid cloud strategies combine technologies from the public and private cloud models. 74% of enterprises believe they are taking the best of both worlds and define their strategy as hybrid or multi-cloud.

(Source: ParkMyCloud)

Whether they are employing a mix of on-premise and third-party public service (hybrid) or a combination of different public providers (multi), most companies recognize the value of diversifying their operations. Security and efficiency are top priorities, and cloud computing statistics confirm businesses are not afraid to implement a more complex infrastructure.

15. A State of the Cloud report shows companies are increasingly adopting a multi-cloud strategy. 84% of surveyed enterprises describe their IT infrastructure as “multi-cloud.”

(Source: RightScale)

In comparison, the hybrid cloud strategy is still below 60%. This again confirms that companies are progressively moving away from on-premise infrastructure and shifting their operations to third-party servers. Public cloud remains the most preferred cloud service type, with 91% of respondents relying on such tech.

Need some first-hand information about this emerging technology?

Companies share their experience with the cloud.

16. 46% of data in European countries was in cloud storage in 2020.

(Source: Business Wire)

Nearly 50% of organizations in Europe utilized cloud storage in 2020. The data environment allowed enterprise agility, the reason it started becoming the number one choice for many.

Now:

43% of this data is highly confidential, and it’s paramount that its location is secure since risks increase in the cloud.

Shockingly, only half of this data has encryption protection. In addition, just 44% of this information is under tokenization.

Cloud Adoption Facts

Cloud-based services are everywhere already. You are likely to be using some to read this very article.

17. The positive impact of cloud technology is almost instantaneous. 80% of companies report operation improvements within the first few months of adopting the tech.

(Source: Multisoft)

The research was conducted predominantly within startups and SMBs, which proves that cloud computing is not just for the big boys to dabble with. According to cloud statistics, tech adoption in smaller businesses is growing yearly, and CEOs report the first positive results within months.

18. A major reason for the hypergrowth of the public cloud is its affordability. Small and medium businesses find it 40% more cost-effective to employ third-party cloud platforms than maintaining an in-house system.

(Source: Multisoft)

When you think about it, it certainly makes sense – not everyone can afford such infrastructure and supporting staff, let alone the time involved for setup and maintenance. On top of that, you have to take great care of keeping your operations safe and secure. Public cloud computing companies might not grant you much control over this aspect, but the setup still guarantees your data is isolated and secured from breaches.

19. Cloud technology is so reliable when it comes to safety that 94% of businesses report significant improvements in online security after moving their data to the cloud.

(Source: Salesforce)

Furthermore, a massive 91% also state cloud tech proves of immense help when they deal with government compliance requirements. Cloud infrastructure companies employ advanced encryption methods when transmitting data, ensuring no unauthorized user can gain access to your private information.

20. 34% of small and medium businesses said cloud computing was significantly higher than planned due to COVID. 

(Source: Flexera)

According to cloud computing statistics for 2021, over 30% of SMBs used significantly more cloud computing than originally planned due to the pandemic. 52% said it was slightly higher than expected. These numbers don’t come as a surprise as many people were forced to work from home

Cloud Usage Statistics

Businesses big and small begin adopting cloud services en masse. It makes sense from economic and security standpoints.

21. What are the top reasons companies choose to trust the cloud? 71% look for speed improvements, 63% want greater flexibility, and 57% pick improved customer support as reason #1.

(Source: IDG)

Apart from the need for speed (wink, wink), the numbers are not spread evenly across the board when we take company size into account. Organizations with more than 1000 employees are mainly looking for flexibility and reduced costs of operation, while smaller companies want to ensure their business continuity.

22. Email services and file storage are the predominant uses for cloud computing in the EU with 66% and 53% respectively.

(Source: Eurostat)

The Eurostat research reveals some interesting shifts in the reasons for adopting the cloud. Email management remains at a steady level, while file storage purposes have increased by a whopping 15%. Other more recent needs include hosting company databases, more specifically virtual private server (VPS) hosting. The last one provides dedicated resources on the server, thanks to virtualization technology. 

23. What are the top 3 challenges that enterprises and SMBs encounter when using the tech? Businesses all point out “governance” as their #1 priority, according to 2019 cloud computing statistics.

(Source: RightScale)

A large number of enterprises (84%) are worried about managing their IT spending as well, due to the complexity and scale of their operations. Most small businesses are looking for enhanced security and compliance, while the possible costs are way down their list of concerns.

To this point, we are yet to mention the big players in the cloud niche.

Let’s give credit to the most influential providers of tech.

Cloud Provider Statistics

There is one big name that dominates the cloud scene: Amazon Web Services.

24. Alibaba’s cloud revenue grew by nearly 60% in 2020. 

(Source: CRN)

The global cloud space saw a shake-up in 2020.

Alibaba battled Google Cloud to take the third position while Amazon and Microsoft grabbed the first and second place.

Alibaba experienced a 59% growth in revenue, making about $2.2 billion. The main drivers for the income were finance, internet, and retail.

25. Cloud computing statistics show that it brought AWS $13.5 billion in the first quarter of 2021. 

(Source: Park my Cloud)

In Q1 of 2021, Amazon Web Services got revenue of $13 500 000 000. The figure surpassed analysts’ prediction of $13.1 billion. It also exceeded 2020’s income during that same period by around $3 billion.

26. Dropbox continues to be the leading cloud storage provider with 47.3%. Other top services include Google Drive (26.9%) and Microsoft OneDrive (15.3%).

(Source: CloudRail)

Looking at the cloud storage statistics, Dropbox is losing part of its user base in favor of Google Drive and even Box.com, which focus mainly on enterprise solutions. The biggest storage vendor still dominates the market, but if this alarming trend continues, they will soon face fierce competition.

So what can we expect from the industry in the foreseeable future?

Cloud technology seems to have a lot in store for us.

Latest Development Statistics

Cloud computing is still computing and as such the tech develops with stunning temps.

27. The global cloud services market was raking $555 billion in revenue in 2020.

(Source: Allied Market Research)

This forecast predicts the 2014-2020 period will indicate a 17.5% overall growth rate for the cloud computing industry. Management tools and security services are expected to be the fastest-growing segments with a 28.4% improvement.

28. Enterprises are predicted to invest over 3.5 million on average within the next year. This expenditure took 30% of their total IT budget in 2021.

(Source: IDG)

The majority of the budgets will be allocated for SaaS platforms (48%) while the rest will be split between IaaS (30%), and PaaS (21%). The average spendings have risen by 35.8% since 2016 which attests to the growing interest of enterprises in the cloud computing market.

29. Cloud computing jobs have increased by 42% between 2018 and 2021.

(Source: CRN)

Cloud computing is quickly becoming an in-demand skill, with stats showing that vacancies have gone up by over 40%. Searches for the roles have also gone up by 50%.

30. The median salary for professionals in the field now stands at $146,350.

(Source: Forbes)

The growth of cloud computing has significantly improved wages as they were around $124,300 just a couple of years ago.

The research encompassed over 50,000 job postings in the cloud tech field. It reveals that the average salary for skilled professionals marked a remarkable jump of $22,050 since 2016. The demand for cloud experts today is higher than ever and it shows in their salaries as well.

31. 67% of enterprise IT infrastructure and software will be cloud-based by the end of 2020.

(Source: Forbes)

Businesses will progressively look to move from private to public and hybrid cloud providers. This process will boost the influence of the top industry vendors and grant them control over 75% of the market. Currently, the top five “only” account for about 50% of the cloud market.

We have now covered the essential aspects of cloud computing technology — how it came to be and what the near future holds.

Now for the fun part.

Let’s look at some intriguing stats and little-known facts about the exciting and trendy tech that makes the cloud so awesome.

32. The cloud monitoring industry will grow by 22.7% between 2020 and 2022.

(Source: Accenture)

Machine learning, data fabrics, and cloud coalitions keep an eye on the cloud goings-on in the environment. According to cloud computing statistics, monitoring will increase by about 23% between 2020-2022.

With the rapid migration to the cloud because of the flexibility it offers, there will also be a need to leverage systems to manage it. That means companies will have to cough more money for the functionality.  During this period, the sector’s value will amount to $4.5 billion.

Fun Cloud Computing Facts

It was hard not to go overboard with cloud-related puns throughout this piece. Here are some entertaining and curious facts about this technology.

33. The US Government is one of the most prominent cloud “clients.” 48% of federal and state agencies utilize multiple cloud-based services.

(Source: Number8)

The cloud is at the very core of the government’s modernization, and optimization efforts. That is evident by their steady shift to Amazon AWS. Banks, on the other hand, are the most active users of the cloud. That’s mostly due to the adoption of other new technologies like blockchain in their daily operations.

34. Any new cloud server has the capacity to host 600 smartphones and 120 tablets.

(Source: Multisoft)

The rapid cloud computing growth is directly related to the surge in electronic device usage. Currently, there are over 13,000,000 servers scattered across the world, and Amazon AWS accounts for almost half of them. Enterprise investments in IT infrastructure will undoubtedly help the sector to grow exponentially.

35. The cloud contained more than 40 zettabytes of information in 2020.

(Source: EMC/IDC)

The 2020 cloud forecast anticipated there should be 5,200 GB of data for every person on Earth, comprising a total of 40 zettabytes. To put things in perspective, a single zettabyte contains one sextillion bytes — that is 1 with 21 zeroes, in case you were wondering.

36. How are EU enterprises adopting cloud technology within different European countries? Finland and Sweden are leading the pack with 65% and 57% respectively.

(Source: Eurostat)

In fact, all Scandinavian countries are way up on the list and already enjoying the positive impacts of their cloud adoption. On the other end of the spectrum, we have Romania and Bulgaria with a mere 10% of enterprises hosted in the cloud in 2018.

37. Last year IBM acquired RedHat for $34 billion in an attempt to set a firm foot on the hybrid cloud market.

(Source: ZDNet)

The deal became the most expensive software acquisition and third-biggest acquisition in the history of tech. IBM had to overpay significantly, which marks its ambition to challenge the big players in the hybrid market. Will this deal skyrocket their services or put them in massive debt? We are yet to see the impact.

Time to wrap up our short history of the cloud!

Key Takeaways

Judging by the current state of the cloud, there are no major obstacles for the technology to continue evolving. Big enterprises are already putting a lot of sensitive information in the public cloud. Their growing needs are already creating a new wave of cutting-edge solutions and business strategies.

Hybrid and multi-cloud models are becoming the new status quo. Exciting innovations like Kubernetes containers are already serving the industry. They’re just a taste of what’s to come.

So what’s your take on these cloud computing statistics?

Have anything interesting to add?

Share opinions in the comments below or check out more mind-blowing tech stats.