The development of e-government has become essential for enhancing efficiency and transparency in Public Administration. The digitization of public services results in cost savings for the administration by eliminating paper documents, while also saving time for citizens who can complete procedures from the comfort of their homes. The 25 countries leading in e-government have a score above 50 percent, with the United Kingdom standing out as the most advanced, boasting a score of 95.3 percent.

In an increasingly hyperconnected world, online access to essential public services has become a necessity for residents. This necessity became even more apparent during the pandemic, which forced individuals to engage with administrations online. While services like tax payments are digitized across all countries, online voting is currently only available in one.

However, numerous countries have not yet fully developed essential digital services, forcing residents to conduct some procedures in person.

We have selected nine key online services (e-residency, passport renewal, company/freelancer registration, e-visa, online registration, tax calculation and payment, digital signature, and online voting) from the range of services governments offer to evaluate the countries with the most advanced e-government systems. To create the ranking, we also analyzed government websites in terms of user experience (UX), and incorporated the EGDI score, which measures citizen engagement with e-government services.

United Kingdom, New Zealand, and Japan at the top of the ranking

The United Kingdom leads with an index of 95.3 percent, thanks to the digitization of most of its public services. Through the website www.gov.uk, citizens can easily access all services, with comprehensive information on completing various procedures.

In the United Kingdom, all the analyzed services are available online except for e-residency and online voting. Although pilot projects have been conducted for online voting in local elections, the system has yet to be officially adopted. The new registration for the Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA), which becomes mandatory from April for travel to the country, can also be completed online.

New Zealand, ranking second with an e-government score of 92.1 percent, stands out for providing citizens with a wide range of public services through the RealMe system for electronic registration. Although e-residency has yet to be implemented, New Zealand offers streamlined company registration, with processes completed within 24 hours.

Japan ranks third with an e-government score of 88.8 percent. It stands out as the leading Asian country in e-government, surpassing Singapore. Japan accelerated the digitization of public services following the pandemic, which exposed significant shortcomings in the system. With the My Number system, citizens can register online to access administrative services, though some procedures, like company registration, may still require in-person visits.

Europe and Asia dominate the top ten positions

The remaining positions in the ranking are filled by European and Asian countries. The Netherlands and Denmark rank just above the leading Asian countries, Singapore and Saudi Arabia, with an e-government score of around 84 percent.

Denmark and the Netherlands provide the same digitized public services, including company and individual registration, tax payments, and digital signature services. In the Netherlands, the DigiD system is used for online citizen registration, while in Denmark, the process is conducted through MitID. Regarding digital signatures, they are regulated by eIDAS (Electronic Identification and Trust Services), which ensures the validity of digital signatures across EU member countries.

In sixth position is Saudi Arabia, with an e-government score of 84.2 percent. Citizens must register on the Absher platform to access all online services. Of all the parameters analyzed, the only ones not yet enabled are online voting and e-residency.

Estonia, with a score of 82.8 percent, stands out as the only leading country to offer e-residency since 2014. E-residency has attracted digital entrepreneurs from around the world, allowing them to register a company online without needing to reside in Estonia. Additionally, Estonia is the only country to have enabled online voting since 2005 across all elections, including the European Parliament elections. Estonia was also the first country to implement digital marriages in 2023 and digital divorces this year. Both processes have been expedited through online procedures, although an in-person wedding ceremony is still required, and a meeting with an official is necessary to finalize the divorce. 

Singapore, ranked eighth with a score of 80.9 percent, is notable for its advanced e-government services, which are accessible to all citizens and residents through the Singpass digital identity system. 

The top ten positions in the table are rounded off by Finland (78.1 percent) and Ireland (77.1 percent), both of which share similar e-government profiles. The suomi.fi portal centralizes Finland’s digital services, while Ireland consolidates its services through the gov.ie portal. 

United States and China tie for position

The United States ranks eleventh on the list, with a score of 76.2 percent on the e-government index, making it the top American country in terms of digital government. Through the USA.gov platform, citizens can easily access a wide range of federal services. The United States does not offer an e-visa, but it provides the ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) for citizens of countries that do not require a visa. This process can be completed entirely online.

China, with a score of 73.1 percent, has been digitizing its public services for some time. However, some processes still require an in-person step, such as applying for visas or renewing passports. Procedures can be managed nationally via the government’s official portal gov.cn. 

Spain ranks second to last in the table with a score of 55.1 percent, providing a similar range of online services as most other European countries.

The most digitized public services: tax payments and registrations

The public services that are digitized across all the countries included in the table are the registration of individuals for online processes, company and freelancer registration, tax payments, and digital signature services.

However, e-residency is only available in Estonia, Lithuania, and South Africa among the countries in the table, although other nations, such as Portugal, are in the process of implementing it. Lastly, electronic voting is only fully implemented in Estonia for all elections, while pilot trials have been conducted in local elections in countries like Norway, Australia, and the United States.

Despite challenges related to security, data protection, and accessibility that hinder the development of e-government, the process continues to evolve in various countries. This ongoing development is driven by the significant improvements it brings in efficiency and transparency within public services.

The development of e-government is a key driver in helping governments create more efficient cities. At the upcoming Smart City Expo World Congress, innovations and initiatives being developed by governments to build cities that are more citizen-centric, efficient, prosperous, and sustainable will be explored and analyzed.

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Methodology 

• A selection of different countries were included in order to have a fair representation of all continents.
• Sources for the metrics analysed available upon request.
• Government website navigation – Source
• E-participation index – Source

All data points have been indexed in order to allow the comparison and obtain the overall position.

All the data is correct as of April 2025.