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I frequently use the STL containers but have never used the STL algorithms that are to be used with the STL containers.
One benefit of using the STL algorithms is that they provide a method for removing loops so that code logic complexity is reduced. There are other benefits that I won’t list here.
I have never seen C++ code that uses the STL algorithms. From sample code within web page articles to open source projects, I haven’t seen their use.
Are they used more frequently than it seems?
Short answer: Always.
Long answer: Always. That’s what they are there for. They’re optimized for use with STL containers, and they’re faster, clearer, and more idiomatic than anything you can write yourself. The only situation you should consider rolling your own is if you can articulate a very specific, mission-critical need that the STL algorithms don’t satisfy.
Edited to add: (Okay, so not really really always, but if you have to ask whether you should use STL, the answer is “yes”.)