Neither Netflix nor Disney, this streaming platform is the most popular in the United States

Nielsen’s TV viewing trends aggregator, The Gauge, reports that nearly half of U.S. viewers are turning to streaming as their primary media access channel. In this area, services like Netflix, Disney Plus or even Amazon’s Prime Video might be the first that come to mind as the outlets most likely to take the cake as the most popular streaming platform.

It seems that more and more people today are watching content such as video essays, plays, and short-form videos as their entertainment medium of choice. The Gauge reported in July 2026 that YouTube’s main app was the most viewed streaming service on the market. There’s little competition between the video-sharing platform, which 14.2% of Americans choose primarily for their entertainment needs, and competitors like Netflix, which ranks second at 7.8%. YouTube usurped the throne as king of streaming in February 2025 and has held onto its title firmly ever since. The last entity to hold this designation was The Walt Disney Company, which owns and operates an army of entertainment brands, including Disney Plus, Hulu and ESPN Plus. Given YouTube’s major lead over its competitors, the company doesn’t seem likely to lose its top spot anytime soon, even if it stuffs ads and intentionally makes your viewing experience worse.

YouTube’s recent dominance over other streaming services may be due, in part, to increased social interactivity and engagement opportunities. Production company Early Light Media pointed out that the video platform, unlike competitors like Netflix or Disney Plus, features social media aspects such as commenting, sharing and liking, which give it a crucial advantage that other services lack in a social media-driven society. It’s also free to download and watch videos on YouTube, providing major appeal over its subscription-based opponents. The company’s paid tier, YouTube Premium, is a relatively affordable compromise for features like ad-free viewing, access to YouTube Music, and background listening.

The overwhelming anxiety of choice presented by other services’ seemingly endless libraries might also cause some viewers to choose YouTube’s free service instead. “It seems like a lot of people don’t know what to watch on Netflix anymore and are just turning to YouTube,” one Reddit user wrote. Others like how you can log into YouTube from almost anywhere, while services like Netflix require users to access the app from their primary home. Thus, it constitutes an easily accessible source of entertainment when you are on the road or in a public space.