Pornhub reveals world’s most viewed categories this year - straight people are outnumbered
It's that time again when companies across the globe rally together to provide us with countless yearly rundowns chronicling all our weird and wonderful behaviour over the past year.
Spotify Wrapped is the big one, and some other companies have hopped on the algorithm data bandwagon - we're looking at you, Year in Monzo, or even Tinder's Year in Swipe.
But there's a slightly more, ahem, X-rated yearly rundown which many of us are secretly fascinated to find out, and that is none other than Pornhub's long-awaited Year in Review for 2025.
"Year in Review opens a unique window into the ever-evolving desires, curiosities, and cultural obsessions shaping our world," Pornhub explains, adding that this year’s data goes far beyond just the performers and categories that captivated the most viewers as it expertly shines a light on emerging trends, international shifts, and unexpected spikes in search behavior that 'transformed the adult landscape'.
Advert
This year's insights have also revealed the world’s most viewed categories, and it's clear that straight people are totally outnumbered.
Most searched for terms
OK, let's start things strong with the most searched for terms of 2025.
For the fifth year in a row, we've seen 'hentai' be crowned as the top searched term of the year.
"Interest in this kind of material continues to grow worldwide, encompassing everything from video game characters and anime-inspired cosplay to fully rendered 3D animations and beyond," Pornhub explains.
'Hentai' has been crowned the top searched term of 2025 for the fifth year in a row (Pornhub)
Similar to 'hentai', the term 'milf' held its spot in second again this year, with the data 'clearly showing that audiences are drawn to confident, assertive women with experience'.
Around the top, we also saw terms like 'lesbian' and 'pinay'.
"The term 'pinay' also held its place in third again this year. The term refers specifically to women with Filipino heritage. The rising use of this term can likely be traced to the growing audience from the Philippines," Pornhub noted.
Similar to the top four, the search terms 'anal' and 'big a**' held their respective places as the 5th and 6th top searched terms worldwide.
Most viewed categories
The world’s most popular categories don’t often change too drastically, Pornhub noted, given that, over the years, 'Lesbian', 'Transgender', 'MILF', 'Anal', and 'Mature' have generally conquered the top five spots.
Interestingly, however, the 'Lesbian' category was the topmost viewed of 2025, up +3 spots from 2024. 'Transgender' was also up +5 spots from 2024, 'further establishing the LGBTQ+ trend of 2025'.
"The 'MILF' category, which was the most viewed of 2024, fell to the 3rd most viewed category of 2025. Anal, which was 2nd in 2024, also fell –2 spots to the 4th most viewed category of 2025. The Mature category stayed in the same place as last year, 5th," Pornhub added.
It is important to note, however, that not only members of the LGBTQ+ community will be watching such categories with the 'Lesbian' category, for example, being extremely popular among both heterosexual women and men.
Most viewed categories by gender
The overlap of male vs female categorical interest 'tends to be quite similar year over year' (Pornhub)
Pornhub explained that the overlap of male vs female categorical interest 'tends to be quite similar year over year'.
"For men, 'Japanese', 'MILF', 'Mature', and 'Anal' were their top favourites again this year. For women, it was 'Lesbian', 'Japanese', 'MILF', and 'Anal' again this year," the website noted.
However, 'Trans' grew for both genders, aligning further with the diverse desires trend that defined 2025. Mature grew +1 spot for women, making it into the top 5 for both genders. Reality and Hardcore were both up for women, with women now viewing the Reality category +155% more than men.
Pornhub explains that the overlap of male vs female categorical interest 'tends to be quite similar year over year'.
"For men, 'Japanese', 'MILF', 'Mature', and 'Anal' were their top favourites again this year. For women, it was 'Lesbian', 'Japanese', 'MILF', and 'Anal' again this year," the website noted.
Unsurprisingly, 'Popular With Women' is viewed +102% more often by women, while 'P*ssy Licking' is viewed +99% more, and 'Bisexual Male' and 'Solo Male' are viewed +67% and +48% more often by women.
World’s most viewed categories
Pornhub also looked at what the world’s most-viewed categories were by country. The United States and Australia continued enjoying women-loving-women content, with 'Lesbian' being their most viewed category. For Australia, it was the same as last year, but for the US, they switched over from 'Ebony'.
In Canada, they had enough 'Lesbian' content from last year, and this year they couldn’t get enough experienced older women, with 'MILF' leading their most viewed category. Russian, Greenland, and parts of Scandinavia viewed the 'Transgender' category most, a switchover from last year’s tastes of 'Anal' in Russia, 'Lesbian' in Greenland, and 'MILF' in Scandinavia.
All throughout South America, their tastes barely changed from 2024. The Brazilians continued to view themselves the most again this year, with 'Brazilian' being their most viewed category. Northern South America viewed the 'Ebony' category most, and along the western coast and the south, they viewed 'Anal' most.
Pornhub continued: "Tastes in Europe continued to be diverse, with 'MILF' and 'Anal' being viewed most in Eastern Europe and the UK. Spain and Portugal also enjoyed 'Anal' the most. "France, like Brazil, liked to keep things close to home, with 'French' being their top-viewed category. Italy was the same, with 'Italian' being their top category, as was Germany with 'German' being their top category.
"In Africa, 'Arab' dominated the north, and 'Ebony' was the top category throughout the rest of the continent, except for 'Lesbian' in Sudan and 'Indian' in Somalia."
Pornhub added: "Over in the Middle East, the 'Indian' category was viewed most in many countries. Around much of the Pacific Islands, Mongolia, and Japan, the 'Japanese' category was viewed most."
LADbible Group has recently launched For F*cks Sake – a national campaign to help young people navigate porn, communication and real-life sex. You can find out more about it here.
Topics: Explained, LGBTQ, Life, Sex and Relationships, Technology
Rhiannon Ingle