Protestantism is the second‑largest major group of Christians by number of followers. In 2025, the
World Christian Database reported 629 million historic Protestants, 409 million Independents, and 151 million unaffiliated Christians, collectively referred to as broad‑sense Protestantism. Estimates vary from 628 million in the
narrow sense to 1.2 billion in the broad sense, representing between 24% and 45% of all Christians. The main reason for this wide range is the lack of a common agreement among scholars as to which denominations constitute Protestantism. For instance, most sources include
Anabaptism,
Anglicanism,
Baptists and
non-denominational Christianity as part of Protestantism. However, widely used references like the World Christian Encyclopedia, which has been documenting the changing status of World Christianity over the past 120 years, classifies Independent Christians or non-denominational Pentecostals as a separate category from Protestantism. Moreover, Protestant denominations altogether do not form a single structure comparable to the Catholic Church, or to a lesser extent the Eastern Orthodox communion. However, several different comparable communions exist within Protestantism, such as the
World Evangelical Alliance, the
Anglican Communion, the
World Communion of Reformed Churches, the
Baptist World Alliance, the
World Methodist Council and the
Lutheran World Federation. Regardless, 900 million is the most accepted figure among various authors and scholars, and thus is used in this article. Note that this 900 million figure also includes Anglicans, Anabaptists, Baptists, as well as multiple other groups that might sometimes disavow a common "Protestant" designation, and would rather prefer to be called, simply, "Christian". According to
Mark Juergensmeyer of the University of California, "popular Protestantism" (that is to say all forms of Protestantism with the notable exception of the historical denominations deriving from the Protestant Reformation) is the most dynamic religious movement in the contemporary world, alongside resurgent
Islam.
Historical Protestantism – 400–600 million The number of individuals who are members of historical Protestant Churches totals to 400–600 million. There are 85–110 million Christians in Anglican tradition, mostly part of the
Anglican Communion, the third-largest Christian communion in the world, with 42 members (provinces). •
Anglican Communion – 85–110 million •
Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans – 52 million •
Church of Nigeria – 25 million •
Church of Uganda – 13.3 million •
Anglican Church of Kenya – 5.8 million •
Province of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan – 5 million •
Anglican Church of Rwanda – 1.5 million •
Province of the Anglican Church of the Congo – 0.5 million •
Anglican Church in North America – 0.1 million •
Reformed Evangelical Anglican Church of South Africa – 0.1 million •
Church of England – 25 million •
Church of South India – 5 million •
Anglican Church of Southern Africa – 3–4 million •
Anglican Church of Australia – 2.5–4.9 million •
Anglican Church of Tanzania – 2.0–3.3 million •
Church of Pakistan – 1.9 million •
Episcopal Church in the United States – 1.6–2.4 million •
Church of the Province of West Africa – 1.0 million •
Anglican Church of Burundi – 0.9 million •
Church of the Province of Central Africa – 0.9 million •
Church in the Province of the West Indies – 0.8 million •
Church of the Province of the Indian Ocean – 0.5 million •
Anglican Church of Mozambique and Angola – 0.5 million •
Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia – 0.4 million •
Anglican Church of Canada – 0.3–1.1 million •
Anglican Church of Papua New Guinea – 0.2 million •
Anglican Church of Melanesia – 0.2–0.4 million •
Episcopal Church in the Philippines – 0.2 million •
Continuing Anglican movement and independent churches – 0.7 million •
Traditional Anglican Church – 0.4 million ====
Baptist churches – 51–110 million==== Source The worldwide Baptist community numbers about 100 million. However, the
Baptist World Alliance, a world communion of Baptist churches, self-reports only 51 million baptized believers, as Baptists do not count children as members, since they believe in
believer's baptism, nor do all Baptists participate in the Alliance. •
Southern Baptist Convention – 12.3 million •
Nigerian Baptist Convention – 9.0 million •
National Baptist Convention, USA – 8.4 million •
National Baptist Convention of America International – 3.5 million •
Brazilian Baptist Convention – 1.8 million •
Baptist Community of the Congo River – 1.8 million •
American Baptist Churches USA – 1.1 million •
Baptist Convention of Malawi – 0.4 million •
Baptist Convention of Zimbabwe – 0.3 million •
National Association of Free Will Baptists – 0.2 million •
Convention of Visayas and Mindanao of Southern Baptist Churches – 0.2 million ====
Lutheranism – 70–90 million==== The number of adherents in the Lutheran denominations totals to 70–90 million persons (the
Lutheran World Federation reports 78 million and is the sixth-largest communion) •
Evangelical Church in Germany – 18.0 million, •
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania – 8.5 million •
Batak Christian Protestant Church – 6.3 million •
Church of Sweden – 5.4 million •
Church of Denmark – 4.2 million •
Malagasy Lutheran Church – 4.0 million •
United Evangelical Lutheran Churches in India – 3.9 million •
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland – 3.4 million •
Church of Norway – 3.4 million •
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America – 2.7 million •
Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria – 2.3 million •
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea – 1.8 million •
Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod – 1.7 million •
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia – 0.9 million •
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Cameroon – 0.7 million •
Evangelical Church of the Lutheran Confession in Brazil – 0.6 million •
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa – 0.6 million • The Protestant Christian Church – 0.5 million •
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zimbabwe – 0.3 million •
The Indonesian Christian Church – 0.3 million • Christian Protestant Church in Indonesia – 0.3 million •
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia – 0.2 million •
Protestant Church of the Augsburg Confession in Austria – 0.2 million •
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Brazil – 0.2 million •
Church of Iceland – 0.2 million •
Simalungun Protestant Christian Church – 0.2 million •
Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Slovakia – 0.2 million •
Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Hungary – 0.2 million •
Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church – 0.2 million •
Laestadianism (various denominations) – 0.2 million ====
Calvinism / Reformed churches – 85–100 million==== The churches of the
Reformed tradition (which includes the
Presbyterians,
Continental Reformed,
Congregationalists, and
Waldensians) together have about 70–80 million members. The
United Churches of Reformed origin have about 36 million members. the
World Communion of Reformed Churches is one of the largest Christian communions, having 100 million members, considering only full members denominations. •
Presbyterianism – 50 million •
Presbyterian Church of Nigeria – 5.8 million •
Presbyterian Church of East Africa – 4.0 million •
Presbyterian Church of Cameroon – 4.0 million •
Presbyterian Church of Africa – 3.4 million •
Church of Central Africa Presbyterian – 3.1 million •
National Presbyterian Church in Mexico – 2.8 million •
Church of Christ in Congo–Presbyterian Community of Congo – 2.5 million •
Presbyterian Church in Korea (HapDong) – 2.25 million •
Presbyterian Church of Korea (TongHap) – 2.19 million •
Presbyterian Church in Korea (BaekSeok) – 2.0 million •
Presbyterian Church in Cameroon – 2.0 million •
Presbyterian Church in Rwanda – 1.6 million •
Presbyterian Church of India – 1.6 million •
Presbyterian Church of Ghana – 1.4 million •
Presbyterian Church in Sudan – 1.0 million •
Presbyterian Church (USA) – 1.0 million •
Evangelical Church of Egypt (Synod of the Nile) – 0.7 million •
Presbyterian Church of Brazil – 0.7 million •
Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana – 0.6 million •
United Church of Christ in the Philippines – 0.5 million •
Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa – 0.5 million •
Presbyterian Church of Pakistan – 0.5 million •
Presbyterian Church in America – 0.4 million •
Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Cameroon – 0.4 million •
Kosin Presbyterian Church in Korea – 0.4 million •
United Church of Canada – 0.3 million •
Church of Scotland – 0.2 million or 1.5 million •
Uniting Church in Australia – 0.2 million •
Presbyterian Church in Taiwan – 0.2 million •
Presbyterian Church of Mozambique – 0.2 million •
Presbyterian Church in Ireland – 0.2 million •
Continental Reformed Protestantism – 30 million •
Church of Christ in Nations – 8.0 million •
Church of Jesus Christ in Madagascar – 6.0 million •
United Church in Zambia – 4.0 million •
Protestant Church in Indonesia – 3.7 million •
Evangelical Church of Cameroon – 2.5 million •
Protestant Church of Switzerland – 1.7 million •
Evangelical Reformed Church of Christ – 1.5 million •
Protestant Church in the Netherlands – 1.4 million •
Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa (NGK) – 1.1 million •
Church of Christ in the Sudan Among the Tiv – 1.0 million •
Reformed Church in Zambia – 1.0 million •
Reformed Church in Hungary – 0.9 million •
Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa – 0.9 million •
Evangelical Christian Church of the Land of Papua – 0.8 million •
Lesotho Evangelical Church in Southern Africa – 0.8 million •
United Church in Papua New Guinea – 0.7 million •
Central Sulawesi Christian Church – 0.5 million •
Christian Reformed Church of Nigeria – 0.5 million •
Reformed Church in Romania – 0.5 million •
Christian Church of Sumba – 0.3 million •
Evangelical Church in Kalimantan – 0.3 million •
Karo Batak Protestant Church – 0.3 million •
Evangelical Christian Church in Halmahera – 0.3 million •
Evangelical Reformed Church in Angola – 0.3 million •
Toraja Church – 0.2 million •
Evangelical Church of Congo – 0.2 million •
United Protestant Church of France – 0.2 million •
Sudanese Church of Christ – 0.2 million •
Christian Evangelical Church in Bolaang Mongondow – 0.2 million •
Javanese Christian Church – 0.2 million •
Indonesian Christian Church Synod – 0.2 million •
Christian Reformed Church in North America – 0.2 million •
Christian Evangelical Church of Sangihe Talaud – 0.2 million •
Evangelical Reformed Church in Germany – 0.2 million •
Congregationalism – 5 million •
United Congregational Church of Southern Africa – 1.5 million •
Evangelical Congregational Church in Angola – 1.0 million •
United Church of Christ – 0.7 million •
United Church of Christ in Zimbabwe – 0.2 million ====
Methodism – 46–60 million==== Methodism, including the
Holiness Movement, has about 46 million members worldwide.
United Churches of Methodist origin have another 14 million members. The
World Methodist Council (WMC), with
39,8 million members is the ninth-largest communion. Not all of the following churches are member churches of the WMC. The largest Methodist denomination, the
United Methodist Church, had about 25 percent of their churches disaffiliate between 2019 and 2023, some of whom joined the
Global Methodist Church, thus figures for the two denominations are an ongoing process. •
United Methodist Church – 9.9 million •
Church of the Nazarene – 2.7 million •
African Methodist Episcopal Church – 2.5 million •
Methodist Church Nigeria – 2 million •
The Salvation Army – 1.8 million •
Methodist Church of Southern Africa – 1.7 million •
African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church – 1.4 million •
Korean Methodist Church – 1.1 million • United Methodist Church of Ivory Coast – 1.0 million •
Free Methodist Church – 0.9 million •
Christian Methodist Episcopal Church – 0.9 million •
Methodist Church Ghana – 0.8 million •
Methodist Church in India – 0.6 million • Methodist Church in Kenya – 0.5 million •
Global Methodist Church – 0.4 million •
Wesleyan Church – 0.4 million •
Methodist Church in Brazil – 0.2 million •
Methodist Church of Fiji and Rotuma – 0.2 million ====
Adventism – 24 million==== •
Seventh-day Adventist Church – 23.6 million •
Church of God (Seventh Day) – 0.2 million •
Advent Christian Church – 0.1 million •
Seventh Day Adventist Reform Movement – 0.042 million ====
Restoration Movement – 4 million==== •
Churches of Christ – 2 million •
Christian churches and churches of Christ – 1.1 million •
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) – 0.3 million ====
Anabaptism – 4 million==== •
Mennonites – 2.1 million •
Schwarzenau Brethren (German Baptists) – 1.5 million •
Amish – 0.4 million •
Hutterites – 0.05 million ====
Plymouth Brethren – 3.4 million==== •
Open Brethren – 3.3 million •
International Brethren Conferences on Mission – 3.25 million •
Exclusive Brethren – 0.1 million •
Plymouth Brethren Christian Church – 0.05 million • Darbyists – 0.04 million ====
Hussites – 1.2 million==== •
Moravian Church – 1.1 million •
Czechoslovak Hussite Church – 0.099 million •
Unity of the Brethren Baptists – 0.035 million ====
Quakers – 0.4 million==== : •
Friends World Committee for Consultation – 0.4 million •
Evangelical Friends Church International – 0.2 million •
Friends United Meeting – 0.17 million •
Friends General Conference – 0.03 million ====
Shakers – 3==== • United Society of Believers in Christ's Second Appearing
Modern Protestantism – 400–500 million The denominations listed below did not emerge from the
Protestant Reformation of the 16th century or its commonly acknowledged offshoots. Instead, they are broadly linked to
Pentecostalism or similar other independent evangelical and revivalistic movements that originated in the beginning of the 20th century. For this reason, several sources tend to differentiate them from Protestants and classify them together as Independents, Non-core Protestants etc. Also included in this category are the numerous, yet very similar
non-denominational churches. Nonetheless, most sources combine their numbers to the Protestant tally, while others do not since these churches do not self-identify with mainline Protestant traditions. According to the Center for the Study of Global Christianity (CSGC), there are an estimated 450 million Independents world-wide, as of mid-2019. ====
Pentecostalism – 200–280 million==== Those who are members of the Pentecostal denomination number around 280 million people. •
Apostolic Church – 15 million • International Circle of Faith – 11 million •
China Gospel Fellowship – 10 million •
Fangcheng Fellowship – 10 million •
Universal Church of the Kingdom of God – 9.9 million •
Foursquare Church – 9 million •
Ethiopian Kale Heywet Church – 9 million •
Church of God in Christ – 6.5 million •
Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee) – 6 million •
Ethiopian Full Gospel Believers' Church – 4.5 million •
The Church of Pentecost – 4.2 million •
International Pentecostal Holiness Church – 4 million •
Indonesian Bethel Church – 3 million •
The Pentecostal Mission – 2.5 million •
Christian Congregation in Brazil – 2.3 million •
Church of God of Prophecy – 1.5 million • – 1.5 million •
Pentecostal Church in Indonesia – 1.5 million •
Apostolic Faith Mission of South Africa – 1.2 million •
God is Love Pentecostal Church – +1 million • Association of Pentecostal Churches of Rwanda – 1 million •
Jesus Is Lord Church Worldwide – 1 million • – 0.75 million •
Pentecostal Church of God – 0.5 million •
Indian Pentecostal Church of God – 0.5 million •
Association of Vineyard Churches – 0.3 million •
Worldwide Church of God's Power – 0.3 million ====
Non-denominational Christianity – 35–50 million==== •
Calvary Chapel Association – 25 million •
Alliance World Fellowship – 6 million •
Born Again Movement – 3 million •
Church of God (Anderson, Indiana) – 1.2 million ====
African initiated churches – 45–60 million==== 60 million people are members of African initiated churches. •
Zion Christian Church – 15 million •
Cherubim and Seraphim – 10 million •
Kimbanguist Church – 5.5 million •
Redeemed Christian Church of God – 5 million •
Church of the Lord (Aladura) – 3.6 million • Council of African Instituted Churches – 3 million • Church of Christ Light of the Holy Spirit – 1.4 million • African Church of the Holy Spirit – 0.7 million •
African Israel Church Nineveh – 0.5 million ====
Chinese Patriotic Christian Churches – 38 million==== Source ====
New Apostolic Church – 10 million==== The New Apostolic Church has around 10 million members. ====
Local churches – 1–10 million==== ====
Messianic Judaism – 0.3 million==== Messianic Judaism has a membership of 0.3 million people. ===
Eastern Protestant Christianity – 22 million=== Eastern Protestant Christianity (or Eastern Reformed Christianity) encompasses a range of heterogeneous
Protestant Christian denominations that developed outside of the
Occident, from the latter half of the nineteenth century and yet keeps elements of
Eastern Christianity, to varying degrees. Most of these denominations came into being when existing
Protestant Churches adopted
reformational variants of
Eastern Orthodox liturgy and worship; while others are the result of
reformations of Eastern Orthodox beliefs and practices, inspired by the teachings of Western Protestant missionaries. Some Protestant Eastern Churches are in
communion with similar Western Protestant Churches. However, Protestant Eastern Christianity within itself, does not constitute a
single communion. This is due to the diverse polities, practices, liturgies and orientations of the denominations which fall under this category. •
Ethiopian–Eritrean Evangelical Church – 16.5 million, Alexandrian Rite •
Believers Eastern Church – 3.5 million, West Syrian Rite •
Mar Thoma Syrian Church – 1 million, Syro-Antiochene Rite (in communion with the
Anglican Communion) •
Evangelical Church of Romania – 0.16 million, Byzantine Rite •
Kosovo Protestant Evangelical Church – 0.15 million, Byzantine Rite ==Eastern Orthodoxy – 170- 220 million==