Succession is a basic natural process of ecosystem recovery, it may start completely de novo (primary succession) or after serious disturbance of the previous ecosystem (secondary succession). Despite most reclamation and restoration approaches depending on it and despite extensive previous research, we found no worldwide review that would describe the pattern of vegetation cover and woody vegetation recovery in individual types of succession and explore major factors that affect the speed of vegetation recovery. To fill this gap we have searched world literature and extracted data about 244 succession series about total vegetation cover and 113 about woody vegetation cover. The rate of vegetation cover recovery is significantly slower during primary succession than during secondary succession, this however not apply to woody vegetation. The type of disturbance affects the speed of recovery, post‐mining sites recover fastest among primary succession and older fields were the fastest among secondary succession, the slowest one being succession in glacier retreats. Latitude, soil pH, the size of the disturbed area, temperature, and actual evapotranspiration affect the rate of vegetation recovery in primary succession, while only latitude affects secondary succession. Some other factors affect succession after a specific disturbance. The study shows that succession can be an effective tool to restore vegetation cover and woody vegetation on many occasions. We expect that differences in the nutrient availability determine differences in the rate of total vegetation cover recovery, while soil porosity (compaction) may be an important factor affecting woody vegetation recovery.