It’s official. YouTube and other streaming services now bigger than TV

Streaming has reached a “historic milestone” as services like YouTube and Netflix eclipse traditional broadcast and cable.

In May, streaming outpaced total television usage for the first time in history, representing 44.8% of views in 2025 so far, while broadcast and cable combined represent 44.2% of TV viewership.

Streaming usage has increased by 71%, encompassing 11 platforms as of May 2025

The original list included services like Netflix, YouTube, Hulu, Prime Video, and Disney+, and it has since added six additional streaming services.

“Among subscription services, Netflix has gone wire-to-wire as the leading subscription video on demand (SVOD) provider in total TV usage for four straight years,” according to a report from Nielsen’s “The Gauge.”

The platform's viewership has risen 27% since May 2021, and Netflix achieved the “biggest day in streaming history” due to its two exclusive NFL games streamed in 2024.

Besides paid streaming services, free services like YouTube have grown exponentially, as the video hosting platform has grown by more than 120% since 2021.

“YouTube represented 12.5% of all television viewing in May, its fourth consecutive monthly share increase and the highest share of TV for any streamer to date,” Nielsen reports.

YouTube even eclipsed the popular streaming service Netflix, which accounted for 7.5% of all total TV viewing in May.

Reasons for this might include YouTube’s varying content, platform features like YouTube shorts, and overall accessibility.

Furthermore, Netflix previously lost almost a million subscribers due to increased subscription prices and a lack of valuable content on the platform.

Other notable mentions include PlutoTV, Roku Channel, and Tubi, which combined account for 5.7% of total TV viewing in May.

“When comparing TV usage in May 2021 and May 2025, it’s clear that streaming has been the dominant viewing format with a usage increase of 71%. And while broadcast and cable viewing have declined (down 21% and 39%, respectively, compared with May 2021), traditional TV has shown surprising resilience,” Nielsen said in its report.

This resilience may be due to traditional media’s adaptability. It moulds itself around the viewer and adapts to the rise of subscription culture and free entertainment.