Small Business Statistics 2026
This page collects 54 figures on small businesses: how many there are, how many people they employ, how many open and close each year, how long they survive, how many sell online and use AI, and how they get financing. Most figures cover the United States, with comparison data for the UK, Canada, Australia and the EU. The data describe 2022 to 2026, with long-run survival averages back to 1994. Sources include the SBA Office of Advocacy, the U.S. Census Bureau, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the UK Department for Business and Trade, the Office for National Statistics, Statistics Canada data published by ISED Canada, the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Eurostat, the Federal Reserve Banks, the British Business Bank, the U.S. Small Business Administration, PYMNTS Intelligence, TechNet and Goldman Sachs.
By the Comredix review desk · Updated November 13, 2026 · 54 numbers drawn from 19 publishers and reports
58 of 58 quotes matched to the publisher's page by our checker on November 13, 2026
Short answer
The U.S. has 36.2 million small businesses, 99.9% of all firms, and 82.3% of them have no employees (SBA Office of Advocacy, 2026). About half of new U.S. employer establishments survive five years (49.2%, BLS data), and the UK has 5.6 million private businesses, 99.85% of them SMEs (Department for Business and Trade, 2026). 57% of U.S. SMBs now sell through their own websites (PYMNTS Intelligence, 2026), and 42% of small firms that applied for financing got the full amount (Federal Reserve, 2025).
Headline numbers
- 36,207,130The SBA Office of Advocacy counts 36,207,130 small businesses in the United States in its 2026 edition, using firms with fewer than 500 employees.SBA Office of Advocacy
- 82.3%Of U.S. small businesses, 82.3% (29.8 million) have no employees and 17.7% (6.4 million) have paid employees, SBA Office of Advocacy data show.SBA Office of Advocacy
- 62.3 millionU.S. small businesses employ 62.3 million people, 45.9% of private sector workers, according to the SBA Office of Advocacy's 2026 FAQ.SBA Office of Advocacy
- 49.2%The average five-year survival rate for new U.S. employer establishments was 49.2% from 1994 to 2022, and the ten-year rate was 33.9%.SBA Office of Advocacy
- 1.3 millionIn 2023, 1.3 million U.S. business establishments opened for the first time and about 1.2 million closed permanently, according to BLS data compiled by the SBA Office of Advocacy.SBA Office of Advocacy
- 57%57% of U.S. small and mid-sized businesses sell through their own websites, nearly as many as the 61% that sell through physical stores, PYMNTS Intelligence found in 2026.PYMNTS Intelligence
- 21.38%21.38% of EU small enterprises (10 to 49 employees) made e-commerce sales in 2024, and those sales generated 8.65% of their turnover.Eurostat
- 22%22% of U.S. small employer firms that applied for financing in 2025 received none of it, while 42% received the full amount and 36% received some or most.Federal Reserve Banks
Reading the numbers
Small business is mostly self-employment. Of the 36.2 million U.S. small businesses counted by the SBA Office of Advocacy, 29.8 million have no employees, and the Census Bureau's broader count of 36.4 million businesses in 2023 has the same shape. The UK picture matches: 74% of its 5.6 million private businesses employ no one but the owners, according to the Department for Business and Trade. That matters for any statistic on this page, because a survey of employer firms describes a group of about 6 million U.S. businesses, not 36 million.
The economic weight is large. U.S. small businesses employ 62.3 million people, 45.9% of private sector workers, and generate 43.5% of GDP. UK SMEs hold 60% of private employment and Canadian small businesses 46.6%. Turnover is high at both ends: the U.S. sees about 1.3 million establishment openings and 1.2 million closures a year, the UK about 317,000 births and 280,000 deaths, and survival follows a steady curve. BLS data show 67.7% of new U.S. employer establishments last two years and 49.2% last five, close to Canada's 63.0% five-year rate for the smallest starters.
Selling online is now standard for many small firms, but not for most of the smallest. PYMNTS Intelligence finds 57% of U.S. SMBs sell through their own websites, close to the 61% with physical stores. Eurostat's official data put e-sales at 21.38% of EU small enterprises, under half the 48.48% rate of large ones, and only 8.65% of small firms' turnover. AI follows the same size gradient: 17% of EU small enterprises use it against 55.03% of large ones, while U.S. surveys of employers report 46% (Federal Reserve) to 76% (Goldman Sachs alumni).
Credit is available but uneven. The Federal Reserve's 2025 Small Business Credit Survey found 60% of employer firms applied for financing and 42% of applicants got the full amount. Online lenders now draw 29% of applicants, up from 17% in 2020, while small banks approve in full most often (57%). SBA-backed 7(a) and 504 lending reached $44.8 billion in fiscal 2025, and UK SME bank lending rose 9% to £68 billion in 2025, according to the British Business Bank.
How many small businesses there are
- 1.
The SBA Office of Advocacy counts 36,207,130 small businesses in the United States in its 2026 edition, using firms with fewer than 500 employees.
SBA Office of Advocacy, Frequently Asked Questions About Small Business 2026 (Feb 2026)
Exact wording at the source
There are 36,207,130 small businesses in the United States.
- 2.
Small businesses make up 99.9% of all U.S. businesses, according to the SBA Office of Advocacy in 2026.
SBA Office of Advocacy, Frequently Asked Questions About Small Business 2026 (Feb 2026)
Exact wording at the source
99.9 percent of businesses are small.
- 3.
Of U.S. small businesses, 82.3% (29.8 million) have no employees and 17.7% (6.4 million) have paid employees, SBA Office of Advocacy data show.
SBA Office of Advocacy, Frequently Asked Questions About Small Business 2026 (PDF) (Feb 2026)
Exact wording at the source
82.3 percent, or 29,811,495 firms, have no employees (termed “nonemployer firms”) and 17.7 percent, or 6,395,635 firms, have paid employees (termed “employer firms”).
- 4.
The U.S. had 36.4 million employer and nonemployer businesses in 2023, with $50.0 trillion in combined receipts, the Census Bureau reported in November 2025.
U.S. Census Bureau, Census Bureau Releases New Data About Characteristics of Employer and Nonemployer Business Owners (Nov 2025)
Exact wording at the source
In 2023, there were 36.4 million U.S. employer and nonemployer businesses, with $50.0 trillion in receipts.
- 5.
About 5.9 million U.S. firms had paid employees in 2023, and 22.9% of them were owned by women, according to the Census Bureau's Annual Business Survey.
U.S. Census Bureau, Census Bureau Releases New Data About Characteristics of Employer and Nonemployer Business Owners (Nov 2025)
Exact wording at the source
According to the 2024 ABS , which covers reference year 2023, there were approximately 5.9 million U.S. employer firms — 1.4 million (22.9%) were owned by women and 261,000 (4.4%) by veterans.
- 6.
The UK had 5.6 million private sector businesses at the start of 2026, and 5.54 million of them were small, with 0 to 49 employees.
UK Department for Business and Trade, Business population estimates for the UK and regions 2026: statistical release (Oct 2026)
Exact wording at the source
The number of private sector businesses in the United Kingdom (UK) at the start of 2026 was 5.6 million
- 7.
Three in four UK private sector businesses (74%, or 4.1 million) had no employees other than the owners at the start of 2026.
UK Department for Business and Trade, Business population estimates for the UK and regions 2026: statistical release (Oct 2026)
Exact wording at the source
1.5 million (26%) businesses had employees and 4.1 million (74%) did not employ anyone aside from the owners
- 8.
Small and medium-sized enterprises with 0 to 249 employees made up 99.85% of the UK business population in 2026.
UK Department for Business and Trade, Business population estimates for the UK and regions 2026: statistical release (Oct 2026)
Exact wording at the source
SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) account for 99.85% of the business population.
- 9.
Canada had 1.08 million small employer businesses with 1 to 99 employees in December 2024, 98.2% of all employer businesses.
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, Key Small Business Statistics 2025 (2025)
Exact wording at the source
Of these, 1.08 million (98.2%) were small businesses, 16,953 (1.5%) were medium-sized businesses, and 3,380 (0.3%) were large businesses.
- 10.
Australia had 2,814,778 actively trading businesses at 30 June 2026, of which 996,203 employed staff.
Australian Bureau of Statistics, Counts of Australian Businesses, including Entries and Exits, July 2022 - June 2026 (Aug 2026)
Exact wording at the source
At 30 June 2026 there were 2,814,778 actively trading businesses in the Australian economy, with 996,203 of these businesses being employing.
Jobs and economic weight
- 11.
U.S. small businesses employ 62.3 million people, 45.9% of private sector workers, according to the SBA Office of Advocacy's 2026 FAQ.
SBA Office of Advocacy, Frequently Asked Questions About Small Business 2026 (Feb 2026)
Exact wording at the source
U.S. small businesses employ 62.3 million people, 45.9 percent of private sector workers.
- 12.
Small businesses generate 43.5% of U.S. GDP, the SBA Office of Advocacy estimates.
SBA Office of Advocacy, Frequently Asked Questions About Small Business 2026 (Feb 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Economic activity from small businesses makes up 43.5 percent of GDP.
- 13.
Small businesses accounted for 61% of U.S. net new job creation from 1995 to 2024, based on BLS Business Employment Dynamics data compiled by the SBA Office of Advocacy.
SBA Office of Advocacy, Frequently Asked Questions About Small Business 2026 (PDF) (Feb 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Small businesses have accounted for 61 percent of net new job creation since 1995.
- 14.
UK SMEs employed 17 million people at the start of 2026, 60% of private sector employment, and generated £2.78 trillion, or 50%, of turnover.
UK Department for Business and Trade, Business population estimates for the UK and regions 2026: statistical release (Oct 2026)
Exact wording at the source
total employment in SMEs was 17 million (60% of the total), while turnover was estimated at £2.78 trillion (50%)
- 15.
Canadian small businesses employed 5.8 million people in 2024, 46.6% of the private sector workforce.
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, Key Small Business Statistics 2025 (2025)
Exact wording at the source
As of 2024, small businesses employed 5.8 million individuals in Canada, or 46.6% of the total private labour force.
- 16.
U.S. firms with 1 to 49 employees had a net employment decrease of 67,000 in the first quarter of 2026, while firms with 250 or more employees added 255,000 net jobs.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Business Employment Dynamics Summary, 2026 Q01 Results (2026)
Exact wording at the source
In the first quarter of 2026, firms with 1 to 49 employees had a net employment decrease of 67,000.
Business openings and closures
- 17.
In 2023, 1.3 million U.S. business establishments opened for the first time and about 1.2 million closed permanently, according to BLS data compiled by the SBA Office of Advocacy.
SBA Office of Advocacy, Frequently Asked Questions About Small Business 2026 (PDF) (Feb 2026)
Exact wording at the source
In 2023, 1.3 million business establishments opened for the first time, and about 1.2 million establishments closed permanently (Figure 4).
- 18.
Americans filed 501,609 business applications in October 2026, seasonally adjusted, 6.0% fewer than in September, the Census Bureau reported.
U.S. Census Bureau, Business Formation Statistics, November 12, 2026 (Nov 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Business Applications for October 2026, adjusted for seasonal variation, were 501,609, a decrease of 6.0 percent compared to September 2026.
- 19.
The U.S. recorded 323,000 establishment births in the first quarter of 2026, accounting for 949,000 jobs.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Business Employment Dynamics Summary, 2026 Q01 Results (2026)
Exact wording at the source
In the first quarter of 2026, there were 323,000 establishment births which accounted for 949,000 jobs.
- 20.
In the second quarter of 2025, 310,000 U.S. establishments closed, taking 923,000 jobs with them, according to the BLS.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Business Employment Dynamics Summary, 2026 Q01 Results (2026)
Exact wording at the source
Data for establishment deaths are available through the second quarter of 2025, when 923,000 jobs were lost at 310,000 establishments.
- 21.
The UK recorded 317,000 business births in 2024, a birth rate of 11.1%, according to the Office for National Statistics.
Office for National Statistics, Business demography, UK: 2024 (2025)
Exact wording at the source
The number of UK business births increased from 316,000 to 317,000 between 2023 and 2024; this has led to a small increase in the business birth rate from 11.0% to 11.1%.
- 22.
UK business deaths fell to 280,000 in 2024, a death rate of 9.8% and the lowest since 2016.
Office for National Statistics, Business demography, UK: 2024 (2025)
Exact wording at the source
The number of UK business deaths fell from 310,000 to 280,000 between 2023 and 2024; this has led to a decrease in the business death rate from 10.8% to 9.8%, the lowest death rate since 2016.
- 23.
Australia's business entry rate was 16.9% in 2025 to 2026, with 460,461 entries, against an exit rate of 13.8%.
Australian Bureau of Statistics, Counts of Australian Businesses, including Entries and Exits, July 2022 - June 2026 (Aug 2026)
Exact wording at the source
16.9% entry rate, with 460,461 entries 13.8% exit rate, with 375,331 exits
- 24.
The UK saw 314,000 start-ups created in 2025, up 1% on the year before, according to the British Business Bank.
British Business Bank, Smaller business lending markets showing signs of improvement, finds latest British Business Bank research (Mar 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Business dynamism is showing signs of improvement, with 314,000 start-ups created in 2025, up 1% on the previous year, and with a net rise in the overall business population.
Small business survival rates
- 25.
An average of 67.7% of new U.S. employer establishments survived at least two years from 1994 to 2022, based on BLS Business Employment Dynamics data.
SBA Office of Advocacy, Frequently Asked Questions About Small Business 2026 (PDF) (Feb 2026)
Exact wording at the source
From 1994-2022, an average of 67.7 percent of new employer establishments survived at least two years.
- 26.
The average five-year survival rate for new U.S. employer establishments was 49.2% from 1994 to 2022, and the ten-year rate was 33.9%.
SBA Office of Advocacy, Frequently Asked Questions About Small Business 2026 (PDF) (Feb 2026)
Exact wording at the source
During the same period, the five-year survival rate was 49.2 percent, the ten-year survival rate was 33.9 percent, and the fifteen-year survival rate was 25.5 percent.
- 27.
Of U.S. establishments that reach five years, 69.5% go on to reach ten, according to the SBA Office of Advocacy.
SBA Office of Advocacy, Frequently Asked Questions About Small Business 2026 (PDF) (Feb 2026)
Exact wording at the source
While more than half of establishments close before five years, more than two thirds of businesses (69.5 percent) that reach five years reach ten.
- 28.
The five-year survival rate for UK businesses born in 2019 was 38.4%, according to the Office for National Statistics.
Office for National Statistics, Business demography, UK: 2024 (2025)
Exact wording at the source
Figure 2: The five-year survival rate for UK businesses born in 2019 is 38.4%
- 29.
In Canada, 63.0% of businesses that started with 1 to 4 employees were still active after five years, and 44.7% after ten years.
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, Key Small Business Statistics 2025 (2025)
Exact wording at the source
Of businesses that began operations with 1‒4 employees, 63.0% were still active after 5 years (T+5), 44.7% were still active after 10 years (T+10), and 23.7% were still active after 21 years (T+21)
- 30.
After ten years, 52.0% of Canadian goods-producing businesses were still operating, compared with 47.2% of services businesses.
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, Key Small Business Statistics 2025 (2025)
Exact wording at the source
After 10 years (T+10), the business survival rate for the goods-producing sector was 52.0%, compared with 47.2% for the services-producing sector.
Chart
Survival rate of new U.S. employer establishments
Average for establishments opened from 1994 to 2022. BLS Business Employment Dynamics data compiled by the SBA Office of Advocacy, 2026.
- 2 years67.7%
- 5 years49.2%
- 10 years33.9%
- 15 years25.5%
Source: SBA Office of Advocacy, Frequently Asked Questions About Small Business 2026 (PDF)
Selling online
- 31.
57% of U.S. small and mid-sized businesses sell through their own websites, nearly as many as the 61% that sell through physical stores, PYMNTS Intelligence found in 2026.
PYMNTS Intelligence, Social Media Sales Growth Increases for 46% of SMBs (Aug 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Owned websites were nearly as common as physical stores, 57% versus 61%.
- 32.
Among U.S. SMBs that sell on social media, 46% reported higher sales through that channel in the prior 12 months, a 13 point gain, according to PYMNTS Intelligence.
PYMNTS Intelligence, Social Media Sales Growth Increases for 46% of SMBs (Aug 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Social media posted the largest gain, rising 13 percentage points to 46%.
- 33.
91% of U.S. small retailers that sell online say online marketplace platforms are effective for sales, in a TechNet and Morning Consult poll of 1,108 retailers fielded in early 2026.
TechNet and Morning Consult, Small Businesses Are Embracing a Broad Range of E-Commerce Marketplaces and AI Tools to Expand Reach and Improve Performance (May 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Nine-in-ten (91%) say online marketplace platforms are effective for sales.
- 34.
89% of the same small online retailers say it is easier to launch products on marketplaces than in physical stores.
TechNet and Morning Consult, Small Businesses Are Embracing a Broad Range of E-Commerce Marketplaces and AI Tools to Expand Reach and Improve Performance (May 2026)
Exact wording at the source
89% say it’s easier to launch on these marketplaces than in physical stores.
- 35.
21.38% of EU small enterprises (10 to 49 employees) made e-commerce sales in 2024, and those sales generated 8.65% of their turnover.
Eurostat, E-commerce statistics (Feb 2026)
Exact wording at the source
By contrast, 21.38% of small enterprises engaged in e-sales, generating 8.65% of the turnover of such enterprises (Figure 2).
- 36.
The share of EU enterprises with e-commerce sales rose from 18.93% in 2014 to 23.59% in 2024, according to Eurostat.
Eurostat, E-commerce statistics (Feb 2026)
Exact wording at the source
In the EU , during the period 2014 to 2024, the share of enterprises that had e-sales increased from 18.93% in 2014 to 23.59% in 2024.
- 37.
Among EU small enterprises with e-sales in 2024, 91.19% sold through websites or apps.
Eurostat, E-commerce statistics (Feb 2026)
Exact wording at the source
It is noticeable that, among the small enterprises making e-sales, 91.19% of enterprises had web sales, with 17.52% of sales via EDI-type messages.
- 38.
60.59% of EU small enterprises used social media in 2025, compared with 89.09% of large enterprises.
Eurostat, Social media: statistics on the use by enterprises (2026)
Exact wording at the source
Almost 9 in 10 large enterprises (89.09%) reported using social media, a significantly higher share than the one recorded for small enterprises (60.59%).
Chart
Share of EU enterprises making e-commerce sales, by size, 2024
EU enterprises with 10 or more employees. Eurostat ICT usage survey 2025, describing 2024 sales.
- Large (250+)48.5%
- Medium (50 to 249)31.7%
- Small (10 to 49)21.4%
Source: Eurostat, E-commerce statistics
AI and digital tools
- 39.
46% of U.S. small employer firms reported that their business or its employees use AI in the 2025 Small Business Credit Survey, and another 15% planned to start within a year.
Federal Reserve Banks, 2026 Report on Employer Firms: Findings from the 2025 Small Business Credit Survey (Mar 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Nearly half of firms (46%) reported that their business or its employees currently use AI, while an additional 15% planned to begin using it in the next 12 months.
- 40.
Writing or marketing is the most common AI task among U.S. small employer firms that use AI, cited by 83%.
Federal Reserve Banks, 2026 Report on Employer Firms: Findings from the 2025 Small Business Credit Survey (Mar 2026)
Exact wording at the source
The most common tasks for which businesses reported using AI are writing or marketing (83%), followed by individual productivity (61%) and planning or analysis (51%).
- 41.
76% of Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses participants surveyed in early 2026 reported using AI.
Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Voices, Survey: Small Businesses Embrace AI But Need Training and Support to Fully Harness It (Mar 2026)
Exact wording at the source
More than three-quarters of small businesses (76%) report currently using AI, with the majority stating that results have been overwhelmingly positive.
- 42.
Only 14% of those small business owners say AI is fully embedded in their core operations.
Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Voices, Survey: Small Businesses Embrace AI But Need Training and Support to Fully Harness It (Mar 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Only 14% say AI is fully embedded in their core operations.
- 43.
71% of small online retailers in TechNet's 2026 poll use AI tools regularly, and 52% use them daily.
TechNet and Morning Consult, Small Businesses Are Embracing a Broad Range of E-Commerce Marketplaces and AI Tools to Expand Reach and Improve Performance (May 2026)
Exact wording at the source
71% of small and medium-sized business owners are regularly using AI tools — 52% are leveraging them daily.
- 44.
17% of EU small enterprises used AI in 2025, compared with 30.36% of medium and 55.03% of large enterprises.
Eurostat, Use of artificial intelligence in enterprises (Dec 2025)
Exact wording at the source
In 2025, 17% of small enterprises, 30.36% of medium enterprises and 55.03% of large enterprises used AI.
Chart
Share of EU enterprises using AI, by size, 2025
EU enterprises with 10 or more employees. Eurostat, 2025.
- Large (250+)55%
- Medium (50 to 249)30.4%
- Small (10 to 49)17%
Source: Eurostat, Use of artificial intelligence in enterprises
Financing and access to credit
- 45.
Meeting operating expenses was the most common reason U.S. small employer firms sought financing in 2025, cited by 56%, followed by expansion or a new opportunity at 46%.
Federal Reserve Banks, 2026 Report on Employer Firms: Findings from the 2025 Small Business Credit Survey (Mar 2026)
Exact wording at the source
The most common reasons firms sought financing were to meet operating expenses (56%) or to pursue an expansion or new opportunity (46%).
- 46.
22% of U.S. small employer firms that applied for financing in 2025 received none of it, while 42% received the full amount and 36% received some or most.
Federal Reserve Banks, 2026 Report on Employer Firms: Findings from the 2025 Small Business Credit Survey (Mar 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Forty-two percent of applicants received the full amount of financing they sought, 36% received some or most, and 22% received none.
- 47.
31% of U.S. small employer firms had no outstanding debt in 2025, up from 21% in the 2020 survey.
Federal Reserve Banks, 2026 Report on Employer Firms: Findings from the 2025 Small Business Credit Survey (Mar 2026)
Exact wording at the source
The share of firms with no outstanding debt (31%) has grown moderately since the 2020 survey (21%), returning to prepandemic levels.
- 48.
The share of U.S. small business credit applicants that applied at online fintech lenders rose from 17% in 2020 to 29% in 2025.
Federal Reserve Banks, 2026 Report on Employer Firms: Findings from the 2025 Small Business Credit Survey (Mar 2026)
Exact wording at the source
The share of applicants that sought financing at online fintech lenders has increased over the last five years, from 17% in the 2020 survey to 29% in the 2025 survey.
- 49.
Applicants at small banks were the most likely to be fully approved, at 57%, according to the 2025 Small Business Credit Survey.
Federal Reserve Banks, 2026 Report on Employer Firms: Findings from the 2025 Small Business Credit Survey (Mar 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Applicants that sought financing at small banks were more likely to be fully approved (57%) than those that sought financing from other lenders.
- 50.
64% of U.S. nonemployer firms used the owner's personal funds to deal with financial challenges, compared with 54% of employer firms.
Federal Reserve Banks, 2026 Chartbook on Nonemployer Firms: Findings from the 2025 Small Business Credit Survey (Jul 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Nonemployer firms were more likely than employer firms to rely on their owners’ personal funds to address financial challenges (64% and 54%, respectively).
- 51.
The SBA guaranteed 84,400 7(a) and 504 small business loans worth $44.8 billion in fiscal year 2025.
U.S. Small Business Administration, Trump SBA Delivers Record Capital to Small Businesses in FY25 (Sep 2025)
Exact wording at the source
In total, the agency has guaranteed 84,400 7(a) and 504 small business loans for $44.8 billion.
- 52.
Gross SME bank lending in the UK rose 9% to £68 billion in 2025, according to the British Business Bank.
British Business Bank, Smaller business lending markets showing signs of improvement, finds latest British Business Bank research (Mar 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Gross SME bank lending increased by 9% to £68bn, the second highest level since 2012, as credit conditions eased gradually through the year
- 53.
Around 50% of UK smaller businesses used external finance in 2025, with credit cards (19%) and overdrafts (16%) the most common products.
British Business Bank, Smaller business lending markets showing signs of improvement, finds latest British Business Bank research (Mar 2026)
Exact wording at the source
External finance remains widely used, with around 50% of smaller businesses using external finance in 2025.
- 54.
51% of U.S. small and mid-sized businesses reported higher revenue than a year earlier in February 2026, while 13% reported lower revenue.
PYMNTS Intelligence, Social Media Sales Growth Increases for 46% of SMBs (Aug 2026)
Exact wording at the source
In February, 51% of small- to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) reported higher revenue than a year earlier, while the share reporting lower revenue fell to 13% in February from 22% in July 2022.
Chart
Financing outcomes for U.S. small employer firms that applied
Small employer firms (1 to 499 employees) that applied for financing. Federal Reserve Banks, 2025 Small Business Credit Survey, fielded September to November 2025.
- Received full amount42%
- Received some or most36%
- Received none22%
Source: Federal Reserve Banks, 2026 Report on Employer Firms: Findings from the 2025 Small Business Credit Survey
Questions readers ask
- How many small businesses are there in the U.S.?
- There are 36,207,130 small businesses in the United States, 99.9% of all firms, according to the SBA Office of Advocacy's 2026 FAQ. About 29.8 million of them have no employees and 6.4 million have paid staff. The Census Bureau counted 36.4 million employer and nonemployer businesses of all sizes in 2023.
- What percentage of small businesses fail in the first five years?
- About half. BLS Business Employment Dynamics data compiled by the SBA Office of Advocacy show 49.2% of new U.S. employer establishments survive five years and 67.7% survive two years, so roughly a third close within two years and half within five. In Canada, 63.0% of firms that start with one to four employees are still active after five years.
- How many small businesses sell online?
- In the U.S., 57% of small and mid-sized businesses sell through their own websites, against 61% that sell in physical stores, according to PYMNTS Intelligence in 2026. In the EU, Eurostat found 21.38% of small enterprises with 10 to 49 employees made e-commerce sales in 2024.
- How many people work for small businesses?
- U.S. small businesses employ 62.3 million people, 45.9% of private sector workers, according to the SBA Office of Advocacy. In the UK, SMEs employ 17 million people, 60% of private employment, and in Canada small businesses employ 5.8 million, 46.6% of the private workforce.
- How hard is it for small businesses to get a loan?
- In the Federal Reserve's 2025 Small Business Credit Survey, 42% of employer firms that applied for financing received the full amount, 36% received part and 22% received nothing. Applicants at small banks were fully approved most often, at 57%. The SBA guaranteed $44.8 billion in 7(a) and 504 loans in fiscal 2025.
- How many small businesses use AI?
- It depends on the survey. The Federal Reserve found 46% of U.S. small employer firms used AI in 2025, Goldman Sachs found 76% among its program participants in 2026, and Eurostat found 17% of EU small enterprises used AI in 2025. Few have fully integrated it: 14% in the Goldman Sachs survey.
Where these numbers come from
Figures come from official statistics (SBA Office of Advocacy, Census Bureau, BLS, UK Department for Business and Trade, ONS, ISED Canada, Australian Bureau of Statistics, Eurostat), the Federal Reserve Banks' Small Business Credit Survey, lender and agency releases, and surveys run by PYMNTS Intelligence, TechNet with Morning Consult, and Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Voices. Definitions differ: the U.S. treats firms under 500 employees as small, the UK and EU count small as under 50 and SMEs as under 250, and Canada counts small as 1 to 99 employees. Eurostat data exclude firms with fewer than 10 employees. The Federal Reserve, TechNet and Goldman Sachs surveys use convenience or program samples and do not represent all small businesses. Survival rates measure establishments or registrations, not owners, and UK rates rely on VAT and PAYE registrations. Every figure links to its source and was checked against the source text on the update date. We store the sentence each number appears in, and a script loads the publisher's page again to make sure that sentence is still there. Our methodology has the details.
Sources
- Australian Bureau of Statistics. Counts of Australian Businesses, including Entries and Exits, July 2022 - June 2026 (Aug 2026).
- British Business Bank. Smaller business lending markets showing signs of improvement, finds latest British Business Bank research (Mar 2026).
- Eurostat. E-commerce statistics (Feb 2026).
- Eurostat. Social media: statistics on the use by enterprises (2026).
- Eurostat. Use of artificial intelligence in enterprises (Dec 2025).
- Federal Reserve Banks. 2026 Report on Employer Firms: Findings from the 2025 Small Business Credit Survey (Mar 2026).
- Federal Reserve Banks. 2026 Chartbook on Nonemployer Firms: Findings from the 2025 Small Business Credit Survey (Jul 2026).
- Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Voices. Survey: Small Businesses Embrace AI But Need Training and Support to Fully Harness It (Mar 2026).
- Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada. Key Small Business Statistics 2025 (2025).
- Office for National Statistics. Business demography, UK: 2024 (2025).
- PYMNTS Intelligence. Social Media Sales Growth Increases for 46% of SMBs (Aug 2026).
- SBA Office of Advocacy. Frequently Asked Questions About Small Business 2026 (Feb 2026).
- SBA Office of Advocacy. Frequently Asked Questions About Small Business 2026 (PDF) (Feb 2026).
- TechNet and Morning Consult. Small Businesses Are Embracing a Broad Range of E-Commerce Marketplaces and AI Tools to Expand Reach and Improve Performance (May 2026).
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Business Employment Dynamics Summary, 2026 Q01 Results (2026).
- U.S. Census Bureau. Census Bureau Releases New Data About Characteristics of Employer and Nonemployer Business Owners (Nov 2025).
- U.S. Census Bureau. Business Formation Statistics, November 12, 2026 (Nov 2026).
- U.S. Small Business Administration. Trump SBA Delivers Record Capital to Small Businesses in FY25 (Sep 2025).
- UK Department for Business and Trade. Business population estimates for the UK and regions 2026: statistical release (Oct 2026).
Citing this page
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Comredix. (2026, November 13). Small Business Statistics 2026. https://comredix.com/small-business-statistics
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