Netflix may be the largest subscription [abc]streaming[/abc] platform, but it is gradually losing ground to another giant: YouTube, the leading video-sharing service. According to recent data shared by the Nielsen institute, YouTube captured 14.2% of total TV viewing time in the United States in July 2026, a record. For its part, Netflix fell to 7.8%, even though the platform remains ahead of its main competitors, Disney+ and Prime Video.
The decisive weight of content creators
According to analysts, YouTube stands out thanks to its army of content creators, the most popular of whom are funded directly by the service in exchange for exclusivity. In fact, competitors like Netflix cannot attract these creators to their ranks. “In our view, YouTube is benefiting from an increasingly mixed reception to Netflix’s original content,” explains HSBC analyst Mohammed Khallouf. “And its change of strategy is further intensifying competition.”
A redesigned interface for “binge-watching” in the living room
Notably, YouTube has also redesigned its interface to offer Netflix-like episodic structures, in order to make it easier to binge-watch long-form content on living-room televisions. “These measures further blur the line between video-sharing platforms and scripted TV and film streaming services, and are likely to increase the cost associated with Netflix’s plan to build a rival library of creator content,” adds Mohammed Khallouf.
