Women use the Internet as much as men, but men are more likely to shop online, says new research.
Nearly half the population now uses the Internet on a daily basis, according to The Royal Bank of Scotland.
Women are more likely to go online to gather information than men, with 64 per cent against 61 per cent using it to find things out.
The over 65s are almost as likely to use it in this way as 16 to 24-year-olds, with 65 per cent compared to 66 per cent using it to get information.
But women are less likely to have bought something online than men, with just 43 per cent making a purchase over the Internet compared to 54 per cent of men.
The research found that 63 per cent of people who use the Internet do so to get information, 20 per cent use email, 18 per cent go online to shop, but just 7 per cent bank over the Internet.
About 43 per cent of people claim to use the Internet at least once a day, 22 per cent use it three times a week, and further 15 per cent say they use it on a weekly basis.
According to the survey, it is inertia rather than security worries which stops most people from banking online, with 26 per cent giving this as the reason why they do not use the internet to keep tabs of their finances.
But a further 26 per cent said they preferred other channels such as branches and telephone banking. Only 19 per cent of those questioned said security fears put them off opening an Internet account.
But the Royal Bank of Scotland said fears about security seemed to be diminishing and it was mainly people in the 45 to 64 age group who expressed concern about it.