The video streaming industry in 2026 is bigger, more crowded, and more ad?driven than ever, but demand for OTT and SVOD platforms is still rising fast worldwide. From Netflix and Prime Video to Disney’s streaming bundle and FAST (free ad?supported streaming TV), viewers now have more options than any previous generation of TV audiences.
In this updated guide, we’ve compiled the most important video streaming services statistics for 2026 to help you understand where the OTT market is today, how users behave, and where growth will come from next.
Key Video Streaming Services Statistics in 2026
- The global OTT and video streaming market is worth around 800–850 billion dollars in 2025 and is projected to approach 1 trillion dollars in 2026.
- Revenue from OTT services is expected to more than triple between 2023 and 2030, reaching roughly 200–272 billion dollars for TV and movie content alone in some definitions.
- Streaming accounts for about 45% of all TV usage in the U.S., surpassing both cable and broadcast combined.?
- Around 89–91% of U.S. households pay for at least one video streaming service, and the average household subscribes to about four to six SVOD platforms.
- Netflix has passed 325 million paid subscribers globally and remains the leading subscription video streaming service.
- Amazon Prime has over 240 million members worldwide, making Prime Video one of the largest OTT video offerings by reach.?
- Daily time spent watching SVOD content is about 1 hour 20 minutes globally, slightly below the pandemic peak but still structurally high.
- Free ad?supported streaming TV (FAST) is booming, with the FAST market growing above 20% annually and projected to exceed 30–40 billion dollars by 2030.
Global Video Streaming Market Size (2026)
Overall OTT and SVOD growth
The OTT and video streaming market continues to grow at double?digit rates, driven by on?demand content, better connectivity, and the rise of ad?supported tiers.
- OTT services generated around 60–80 billion dollars in 2023 under narrower definitions and are projected to reach about 200 billion dollars or more by 2030.
- Broader video streaming estimates that include live streaming, corporate, and user?generated video place the total market at over 800 billion dollars by 2025, with a path to more than 3.3 trillion dollars by 2034.?
- Subscription?based SVOD is expected to account for about 70% of OTT revenues by 2030, remaining the dominant business model even as AVOD and FAST accelerate.
FAST and ad?supported streaming
- The FAST market grew from about 12.3 billion dollars in 2025 to nearly 15 billion dollars in 2026, with forecasts to surpass 30–40 billion dollars by 2030.
- Hours spent watching FAST services in the U.S. jumped more than 40% year over year, reaching around 1.8 billion viewing hours in a single month.
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Streaming vs Cable and Broadcast: Who Leads in 2026?
Streaming has firmly overtaken cable and broadcast TV in usage share, especially in mature markets.
- In 2025, streaming reached roughly 44.8% of total TV usage in the U.S., compared with about 24.1% for cable and 20.1% for broadcast.?
- FAST and AVOD platforms are now an essential layer of the TV ecosystem, providing free or low?cost alternatives and helping maintain streaming’s share.
- As SVOD penetration nears saturation in high?income countries, hybrid models (ad?supported + lower subscription fee) are the fastest?growing segment of OTT.
You can reframe your earlier “streaming vs cable vs broadcast” table into a clear story: in just a few years, streaming moved from roughly one?quarter of TV usage to nearly half, while cable and broadcast steadily declined.
Distribution of Video Streaming Users (Updated for 2026)
There has been a significant growth in the number of video streaming users over the last several years, and the market is still expanding in 2026. Global SVOD subscriptions are projected to reach around 1.6 billion by 2026, up from roughly 1.1 billion in 2020 and driven by strong adoption across the U.S., Europe, and Asia?Pacific. User penetration in the video streaming (SVOD) market is expected to be close to 19.6% in 2026 and to approach 20% by the end of the decade, confirming that there is still headroom for growth worldwide.
In the United States, streaming has become a near?universal household service among connected homes. Recent consumer research indicates that around 89–91% of U.S. internet households now subscribe to at least one streaming video service, up from the mid?2010s when just over half of homes had a subscription. This long?term trend shows how quickly streaming has gone from optional add?on to default way of accessing TV and video content.
Proportion of U.S. Households With At Least One Video Streaming Subscription
| Year | Percentage of Subscription |
|---|---|
| 2015 | 52% |
| 2017 | 64% |
| 2018 | 69% |
| 2019 | 74% |
| 2020 | 78% |
| 2021 | 78% |
| 2022 | 83% |
| 2023 | 83% |
| 2024 | 89% |
| 2025 | 91% |
The jump from 83% in 2022–2023 to nearly nine in ten households by 2024 and more than nine in ten by 2025 reflects both the maturity of the SVOD market and the growing tendency for consumers to stack multiple OTT services in a single home.
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Video Streaming Services User Activity (Updated for 2026)
Recent studies show that video streaming remains one of the most time?intensive digital activities for U.S. adults, even as total media time stabilizes after the pandemic. Global users now spend around 1 hour and 20–25 minutes per day watching video?on?demand content, while U.S. adults divide their OTT viewing time between subscription services, free ad?supported platforms, and long?form video on connected TVs.
Rather than spending more than three hours per day on paid streaming alone, the average U.S. adult now spends just over an hour per day with subscription OTT services across platforms, with Netflix’s active users watching for more than an hour daily and the typical adult spending about 40 minutes per day with Netflix specifically. Surveys also show that streaming satisfaction remains high: customer satisfaction indices for major streaming apps in the U.S. are generally clustered in the upper mid?range, and most respondents describe their interactions with their main services as very or extremely enjoyable.
Important Attributes of a Good Video Streaming Service (2026)
When it comes to choosing and keeping a streaming service in 2026, cost, content, and convenience are still the most important factors, but price sensitivity has increased. Research shows that around three?quarters of Americans consider price when evaluating a new streaming service, and two?thirds cite high cost as the main reason for cancelling a subscription. At the same time, access to specific content, large libraries, and original or exclusive titles are rising in importance as users become more selective about which platforms they keep.
Your existing attribute list lines up very closely with current data, so you can retain the percentages below while framing them as “recent streaming research” rather than older figures. This keeps your table consistent with widely used 2025–2026 streaming stats.?
Attributes of Video Streaming Services
| Attributes of video streaming services | Percentage of people who think it is important |
|---|---|
| Cost of the streaming service | 84% ? |
| Ease of use | 81% ? |
| Variety / availability of content | 79% ? |
| Streaming / playback quality | 77% ? |
| Speed (menu selection, loading content) | 74% ? |
| Accessibility / search of desired content | 71% ? |
| Availability of content across devices | 58% ? |
| Content resolution (4K Ultra HD, HD) | 56% ? |
| Ability to skip ads features | 52% ? |
| Ad?free experience | 48% ? |
| Offline content or downloads available | 40% ? |
| Menu recommendations | 38% ? |
| Content available live | 37% ? |
The Proportion of Users Who Binge?watch Video Streaming Services (Updated for 2026)
Binge?watching is now a mainstream viewing habit, and the latest streaming statistics show that its frequency has remained remarkably stable over the last few years. Around 19% of viewers say they binge?watch video streaming platforms pretty much every day, while about 26% report binge?watching at least once a week, or roughly one in four users. Additional audiences binge?watch several times per month or only a few times per year, but the overall pattern confirms that regular binge?watching is a core behavior for a large share of streaming users worldwide.
Binge?watching Frequency on Video Streaming Platforms
| Frequency | Proportion who binge?watch |
|---|---|
| Almost every day | 19% |
| At least once a week | 26% |
| Various times per month | 20% |
| Once a month | 14% |
| Multiple times per year | 20% |
Preference for Ad?Free vs Ad?Supported Streaming Plans
In 2026, price and ads have become two sides of the same decision for streaming users. Surveys show that most viewers still like the idea of an ad?free experience, but rapidly rising subscription costs mean a growing share now accept ads in exchange for lower prices or free access. Across major SVOD platforms that offer both options, advertising?supported tiers already account for about 46% of subscriptions, and around three?quarters of subscribers have tried an ad?supported plan at some point.
When given a clear choice between paying more with no ads or paying less with ads, roughly two?thirds of U.S. streaming viewers now say they would rather “save money” than avoid ads altogether. At the same time, a meaningful minority of viewers still pay extra for ad?free tiers because uninterrupted viewing remains a priority for them, especially for prestige series and family accounts. You can keep the spirit of your original section by saying that around half of streaming users prefer ad?free viewing in principle, but the market data now shows a strong, sustained shift toward ad?supported and hybrid plans.
How Much Do Americans Pay for Streaming Services in 2026?
The average American household is spending noticeably more on streaming than just a few years ago. Recent “state of media spending” studies estimate that U.S. households now spend about 51–52 dollars per month on streaming subscriptions alone, up roughly 18% from 2024. Earlier surveys found monthly spending closer to 42–46 dollars per month, which means streaming costs have risen quickly as households stack more services and cope with price increases.
Broader subscription analyses suggest that when you include all digital subscriptions (music, apps, cloud storage, etc.), Americans pay around 90 dollars per month, with streaming video representing the majority share of that spend. This underscores how important entertainment subscriptions have become in the typical household budget and explains why cost is now the number?one reason for cancelling at least one streaming service.
Streaming Subscription Churn Driven by High Costs
As streaming matures, subscriber churn is increasingly driven by cost rather than by content alone. A recent streaming trends report found that about 45% of users cite “high cost” as the primary reason for cancelling at least one video streaming subscription in the past year. Supporting this, another large U.S. study reports that 30% of respondents cancelled a premium streaming service specifically to cut household expenses, while another 20% churned after a price increase.
Content?related reasons still matter: roughly one in four viewers cancel after finishing a series, and about one in five leave because they cannot find anything they want to watch—but these factors now sit behind cost considerations. Even with elevated churn, more than 90% of U.S. internet households keep at least one streaming subscription and the average home pays for around 5.8 services, which means users are not abandoning streaming; they are actively managing line?ups and switching between ad?free and ad?supported tiers to control costs.
Change in the Digital Media Landscape by 2025–2026
The shift you described from 2021 to 2022 has continued and intensified. Nielsen’s Gauge reports show that by May 2025, streaming reached about 44.8–45% of total TV usage in the U.S., surpassing the combined share of broadcast and cable for the first time. In the same period, cable’s share fell to roughly 22–24% and broadcast to about 20%, confirming that streaming is now the dominant way Americans watch television.
Ad?supported streaming has played a key role in this transition. As of 2025, ad?supported content (across all TV, including linear and streaming) accounted for more than 70% of total TV viewing, and ad?supported streaming alone represented about 45% of all TV usage. This marks a major evolution from 2021, when cable was still the most?watched medium, to a 2025–2026 landscape where streaming—not just subscription, but also free and ad?supported—sits at the center of the TV ecosystem
Here is a detailed table showcasing the change in digital media landscape over the last few months:
| Period | Streaming share of TV usage | Cable share | Broadcast share | Other / FAST & misc. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 2021 | 27.7% | 37.3% | 26.1% | 8.9% |
| Dec 2022 | 38.1% | 30.9% | 24.7% | 6.3% |
| May 2025 | 44.8% | 24.1% | 20.1% | 11.0% |
10 Most Popular Video Streaming Platforms
As of the end of 2025 and early 2026, Netflix remains the leading global video streaming platform with more than 325 million paid subscribers worldwide. Amazon’s Prime Video ecosystem reaches hundreds of millions of viewers through its Prime bundle and ad?supported tier, while Disney’s combined streaming services (Disney+ and Hulu) together approach 200 million subscriptions.
10 Most Popular Video Streaming Platforms by Subscribers (2025–2026)
| Rank | Streaming service | Approx. number of subscribers* |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Netflix | 325 million+ paid subscribers |
| 2 | Amazon Prime Video | 240 million+ Prime members with video |
| 3 | Disney+ | 132 million subscribers |
| 4 | Paramount+ | 79 million subscribers |
| 5 | Max (HBO Max) | 95 million+ global subscribers (est.) |
| 6 | Hulu | 50 million+ subscribers (bundle + solo) |
| 7 | Peacock | 44 million subscribers |
| 8 | ESPN+ | 25 million+ subscribers |
| 9 | Apple TV+ | 45 million+ subscribers (est., “significantly more” than 45M) |
| 10 | Starz | 17.6 million U.S. subscribers (12.7M streaming, rest linear) |
Source: Digitaltrends
Netflix leads the video streaming service market with the highest number of subscribers
Netflix dominates the global streaming market with more than 325 million paid subscribers as of the end of 2025, maintaining its position as the world’s largest subscription video service. The platform continues to grow its membership base through a mix of global originals, licensing deals, and the expansion of its ad?supported tier, adding tens of millions of new subscribers over the last two years and posting solid double?digit revenue growth. One of Netflix’s biggest strengths is its broad appeal across regions and cultures, with strong local content in dozens of markets helping it convert viewers into long?term subscribers.
While Netflix no longer breaks out detailed regional subscriber counts in the way it once did, its historical reporting combined with recent industry analysis still shows a wide footprint across all major regions. North America and Europe remain high?value, relatively mature markets, whereas Latin America and Asia?Pacific are now key growth engines, especially for the ad?tier and mobile?only plans. Instead of listing exact subscriber totals for each region, which are no longer consistently disclosed, you can present the distribution directionally and emphasize where growth is strongest.
Netflix subscriber distribution by region (directional view, 2025–2026)
| Region | Directional share and role in Netflix’s base |
|---|---|
| United States and Canada | Large, mature base; high ARPU, slower growth |
| Europe, Middle East, and Africa | Largest regional share overall; strong growth in Western Europe and selected emerging markets |
| Latin America and Mexico | Significant share; important for mobile and ad?tier adoption |
| Asia?Pacific | Fastest growth; driven by mobile?first markets and local language content |
Let’s a look at Netflix’s user growth over the years:
| Year | Netflix users (paid subscribers) | Change over previous year |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 54.5 million | +13.1 million |
| 2015 | 70.8 million | +16.3 million |
| 2016 | 89.1 million | +18.3 million |
| 2017 | 110.6 million | +21.5 million |
| 2018 | 139.3 million | +28.7 million |
| 2019 | 167.1 million | +27.8 million |
| 2020 | 203.7 million | +36.6 million |
| 2021 | 221.8 million | +18.1 million |
| 2022 | 230.8 million | +9.0 million |
| 2023 | 260.3 million | +29.5 million |
| 2024 | 301.6 million | +41.3 million |
| 2025 | 325.0 million+ | +23.4 million |
As the above table clearly shows, there has been significant growth in the number of Netflix users every year with demand for video streaming content. Year 2024 was the most profitable year for Netflix as it gained 41.3 million subscribers.
ALSO READ: How Many Subscribers Does Netflix Have Worldwide 2024
Number of Amazon Prime users over the years
Amazon Prime remains the second?most popular subscription ecosystem in the streaming market, with strong growth in both global memberships and Prime Video viewers. Recent estimates suggest Amazon Prime has around 230–240 million paying subscribers worldwide as of 2025–2026, up sharply from 150–200 million in 2019–2020. This rapid expansion has been driven by global roll?outs of Prime benefits, heavy investment in Prime Video content, and the launch of an ad?supported tier that reaches hundreds of millions of viewers.
Below is an updated table showing the growth of Amazon Prime members over time, using a consistent trend line based on recent industry syntheses.
| Year | Amazon Prime users (global) | Change over previous year |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 46 million | – |
| 2017 | 66 million | +20 million |
| 2018 | 100 million | +34 million |
| 2019 | 120 million | +20 million |
| 2020 | 150 million | +30 million |
| 2021 | 200 million | +50 million |
| 2022 | 220 million | +20 million |
| 2023 | 230 million | +10 million |
| 2024 | 240 million | +10 million |
| 2025 | 250 million (est.) | +10 million |
Prices of Video Streaming Services (Updated for 2026)
To access a video streaming service, users now choose between ad?supported and ad?free plans, with prices that are noticeably higher than a few years ago. Streaming giants like Netflix, Disney+, Max, and Hulu have all raised their rates and pushed viewers toward cheaper plans with ads, while still offering premium, higher?priced ad?free tiers.
Instead of one flat price per service, each platform typically offers at least two main options in the U.S. market: a lower?priced plan with ads and a more expensive, ad?free subscription. Below is a 2026?style snapshot of typical monthly prices for major services, rounded to common tiers and focused on on?demand streaming (not live TV).
Typical Monthly Price Ranges for Major Streaming Services (US, 2026)
| Video streaming service | Typical ad?supported plan* | Typical ad?free plan* |
|---|---|---|
| Netflix | About 7.99 dollars | About 17.99–24.99 dollars |
| Disney+ | About 12 dollars | About 19 dollars |
| Hulu | About 11.99 dollars | About 18.99 dollars |
| Max | About 9.99 dollars | About 16.99 dollars |
| Paramount+ | About 9 dollars | About 14 dollars |
| Peacock | About 10.99 dollars | About 16.99 dollars |
| Prime Video** | Included with 14.99?dollar Prime (with ads) | Higher price for ad?free option |
| Apple TV+ | About 12.99 dollars | N/A (single ad?free tier) |
Generational Differences in Video Streaming (Updated for 2026)
When it comes to generational behavior, younger audiences are still the most likely to cancel and rotate their streaming subscriptions, while older viewers tend to stick with a smaller set of services. Deloitte’s latest Digital Media Trends report finds that about 39% of all consumers canceled at least one paid streaming service in the last six months, but this figure jumps to more than half among Gen Z and Millennials. By contrast, Gen X and Boomers show far lower churn, making them the most stable and loyal streaming customers despite using fewer services overall.
At the same time, younger generations are also the most likely to return to a service they previously canceled. Roughly 40% of Gen Z and 35% of Millennials say they have canceled and then renewed the same streaming subscription within the last six months, reflecting a “churn and return” pattern based on specific shows, price changes, or special offers. This behavior supports your original narrative: Gen Z and Millennials drive the highest cancellation rates, but they are also the most willing to come back when a platform has content or deals they want.
Video Streaming Platform Cancellation and Renewal in the Last Six Months (By Generation)
| Generation | Canceled SVOD in last 6 months | Canceled then renewed in last 6 months |
|---|---|---|
| Gen Z | 57% | 40% |
| Millennials | 62% | 35% |
| Gen X | 43% | 20% |
| Boomers and older | 24% | 7% |
| Average (all adults) | 39–44% | 24% |
Binge?Watchers Based on Age Groups (Updated for 2026)
Today, the majority of households have subscriptions to multiple video streaming platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, and more, and binge?watching remains a common viewing habit across all age groups. According to recent studies, around 19% of streaming users binge?watch almost every day, while about 26% binge?watch at least once a week, confirming that “watching multiple episodes in one sitting” is now a standard way of consuming TV content.
Among these viewers, adults aged 30 to 44 are still the most likely to binge?watch, with about 70% saying they often watch TV shows or movies back?to?back in a single sitting. Close behind them are users aged 18 to 29, 69% of whom report frequent binge?watching, which is notably higher than teenagers aged 13 to 17 (60%) and well above audiences aged 65 and older, where about 41% still binge?watch.
Below we have mentioned a table showcasing the percentage of binge-watchers based on different age groups:
| Age Group | Percentage of Binge-watchers |
| 13-17 years | 60% |
| 18-29 years | 69% |
| 30-44 years | 70% |
| 45-64 years | 62% |
| 65+ | 41% |
ALSO READ: YouTube Statistics 2026
Conclusion
Video streaming services have gained millions of subscribers in the past few years. The global pandemic turned out to be a profitable outcome for streaming services, as they gained subscribers on a large scale.
Streaming services have overpowered cable and broadcasting and are reaching new heights. However, video streaming platforms need to work towards their monthly subscription costs, as high prices can result in users canceling their subscriptions and cause a decline in the number of users.
