U.S. Streaming Market: New Hierarchies in a Mature Ecosystem
In just a few quarters, the picture of the U.S. streaming market has shifted again, confirming how mature, saturated and yet still fluid this ecosystem has become. Recent data points to a phase where the priority is no longer growth at any cost, but the ability to retain increasingly selective users in a context of overlapping offers and rising prices.
According to JustWatch data on U.S. on‑demand streaming market share, in the fourth quarter of 2025 Netflix regained the lead with roughly 21% viewing share, narrowly overtaking Prime Video at around 20%. The Los Gatos‑based platform is once again number one in terms of viewing share, while Amazon’s service slips back into second place after leading the market for a significant part of 2023–2024. The gap between the two remains small, a sign that competition is now driven more by catalog depth, recommendation efficiency and the strength of IP than by the sheer size of the subscriber base.
Within this picture, the Disney universe also stands out. Taken together, Disney+ and Hulu account for roughly a quarter of U.S. streaming viewing, consolidating a solid double‑digit presence built on major film IP, general‑entertainment series and an increasingly integrated approach to library management. Max (formerly HBO Max) maintains a competitive position in the upper tier, with a strong concentration of drama and “prestige” titles that continue to act as subscription drivers even as households rationalize their media spending.
The breakdown of actual TV screen usage confirms these trends. Nielsen’s latest “The Gauge” report shows that in January 2026 overall TV viewing in the U.S. reached a 12‑month high, with streaming accounting for 47% of total TV usage, ahead of both broadcast and cable. Within this universe, Netflix remains the single most relevant brand, with a share of about 8.8% of all time spent in front of the TV, confirming its central role in U.S. viewing habits.
For European and Italian players, this scenario describes an extremely competitive market that is nonetheless still open to content capable of standing out in a context of abundant supply. In an environment where the battle is fought on retention, recognizable formats and IP with strong transmedia potential, the challenge – and the opportunity – for Italian producers is to develop stories with a clear creative identity, but conceived from the outset to align with the editorial and industrial strategies of these global platforms.
Sources: Justwatch, Episodemag, Nielsen
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In just a few quarters, the picture of the U.S. streaming market has shifted again, confirming how mature, saturated and yet still fluid this ecosystem has become. Recent data points to a phase where the priority is no longer growth at any cost, but the ability to retain increasingly selective users in a context of overlapping offers and rising prices.
According to JustWatch data on U.S. on‑demand streaming market share, in the fourth quarter of 2025 Netflix regained the lead with roughly 21% viewing share, narrowly overtaking Prime Video at around 20%. The Los Gatos‑based platform is once again number one in terms of viewing share, while Amazon’s service slips back into second place after leading the market for a significant part of 2023–2024. The gap between the two remains small, a sign that competition is now driven more by catalog depth, recommendation efficiency and the strength of IP than by the sheer size of the subscriber base.
Within this picture, the Disney universe also stands out. Taken together, Disney+ and Hulu account for roughly a quarter of U.S. streaming viewing, consolidating a solid double‑digit presence built on major film IP, general‑entertainment series and an increasingly integrated approach to library management. Max (formerly HBO Max) maintains a competitive position in the upper tier, with a strong concentration of drama and “prestige” titles that continue to act as subscription drivers even as households rationalize their media spending.
The breakdown of actual TV screen usage confirms these trends. Nielsen’s latest “The Gauge” report shows that in January 2026 overall TV viewing in the U.S. reached a 12‑month high, with streaming accounting for 47% of total TV usage, ahead of both broadcast and cable. Within this universe, Netflix remains the single most relevant brand, with a share of about 8.8% of all time spent in front of the TV, confirming its central role in U.S. viewing habits.
For European and Italian players, this scenario describes an extremely competitive market that is nonetheless still open to content capable of standing out in a context of abundant supply. In an environment where the battle is fought on retention, recognizable formats and IP with strong transmedia potential, the challenge – and the opportunity – for Italian producers is to develop stories with a clear creative identity, but conceived from the outset to align with the editorial and industrial strategies of these global platforms.
Sources: Justwatch, Episodemag, Nielsen
Share:
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