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The most popular streaming platforms in the US might not be what you think

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The most popular streaming platforms in the US might not be what you think

Netflix isn't America's most-watched streaming platform on TV, and two free services are giving bigger names some competition.

The streaming platform Americans spend the most time watching on TV doesn't require a subscription. In July 2026, YouTube had the largest share of US television viewing at 14.2 percent, which is almost double Netflix's 7.8 percent. The other surprises came farther down the rankings: The Roku Channel outpaced Peacock, while Tubi beat Warner Bros. Discovery's streaming services, including HBO Max.

These numbers come from Nielsen's The Gauge, which tracks viewing time on TV, not subscriber numbers, app downloads or viewing on a phone. In July 2026, 49 percent of all TV time was spent on streaming. Live channels watched via YouTube TV count toward broadcast or cable viewing, so the standalone pay TV service doesn't inflate YouTube's streaming share. It's interesting that the platform most focused on individual creators beat core streaming services so handily, especially when this is TV-only and thus doesn't include people looking up tutorials on their phones.

For July 2026, Disney's streaming services (Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+) accounted for 4.7 percent of streaming's viewing share, followed by Prime Video at 4.2 percent. The Roku Channel was fifth at 2.9 percent, just ahead of Peacock's 2.6 percent. Paramount's services, including Paramount+ and Pluto TV, accounted for 2.2 percent. Tubi's 2 percent was enough to outperform the 1.4 percent earned by Warner Bros. Discovery's services (HBO Max and discovery+).

Disney, Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery each have several services grouped together, while The Roku Channel and Tubi are counted individually.


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