While Netflix and Amazon Prime Video are still the world’s most popular streaming services, I thought I’d look at the top 10 US-based paid on-demand streaming services as of 2026. Like last year’s post, accurate streaming subscriber numbers are hard to come by, as most of them have stopped reporting such (for “reasons”). Thus, estimates (as well as the figures listed on Wikipedia) are all I have to go on.
Criteria
Unless otherwise indicated, the information below is taken from Wikipedia. Also, unless otherwise unavailable, I’m counting each service separately, not combined.
I’ve left YouTube Premium out, as it’s more of a “pay to avoid ads in YouTube videos” service versus a traditional streaming service. Also not included: free ad-supported streaming services, such as Tubi and Pluto TV. I also didn’t include sports-related services like ESPN+, as it’s more for streaming live sports versus on-demand media.
The top 10 US-based streaming services worldwide
- Netflix, 325 million subscribers
- Amazon Prime Video, 205 million subscribers
- HBO Max/Discovery+, 140 million subscribers
- Disney+, 131.6 million subscribers
- Paramount+, 79 million subscribers
- Hulu, 64.1 million subscribers
- Peacock, 46 million subscribers
- Apple TV, 45 million subscribers
- Curiosity Stream, 23 million subscribers
- Crunchyroll, 21 million subscribers
My thoughts
As usual, Netflix and Amazon Prime, two of the traditional “Big Three” US streaming services, are still the most popular ones by a mile. The traditional third one, Hulu, isn’t as big as it once was, but is still in the top 10.
HBO Max by itself likely clocks in behind Disney+ at #4, but given available numbers (or estimates), I’ll have to consider it as in third place (combined with Discovery+), with Disney+ by itself just behind. People seem to like “Heated Rivalry” and other HBO shows a lot more than I thought. Unfortunately (but unsurprising), purging everything animated that isn’t from Adult Swim or DC hasn’t hurt HBO Max’s popularity. (*Sigh.*) Given the pending merger with Paramount+, that would put a combined HBO Max/Paramount+ at #2, behind Netflix and just ahead of Prime Video. (*Another sigh*)
Disney+ is still popular, coming in at #4. The Disney Bundle (Disney+/Hulu) would clock in with about 196 million subscribers, which would put it at #3.
Paramount+ is also still reasonably popular at #5, beating out Hulu by itself (at #6) and fellow secondary streaming services Peacock (#7) and Apple TV (#8, formerly known as Apple TV+). Supposedly Apple TV has more than 45 million subscribers, but since Apple, like the others, treat subscriber numbers like they’re state secrets, I’ll have to go with the above numbers as-is. As for Paramount+, the fact they’ve managed to grow to that many subscribers mostly on “Star Trek”/”SpongeBob”/”South Park” (plus Taylor Sheridan/CBS cop shows/sports) suggests they don’t need Warner Bros. Discovery to stay competitive. But again, why merely beat Peacock when a combined Paramount+/HBO Max puts them in Netflix/Prime Video territory? (*Yet another sigh*)
Hulu of course is still popular, even if it’s being (eventually) combined with Disney+. Not everyone wants Disney+, and Hulu’s often available for cheap during specials like Black Friday sales.
Peacock… exists. Guess reality shows and NBC sports have made up for losing some stuff (Hallmark, almost all WWE wrestling)?
Apple TV also has a dedicated fan base, even if its library’s smaller than other services.
At #9 is Curiosity Stream, which is pretty popular for a service specializing in educational and documentary material. Of course, some libraries (like mine) also include free passes for Curiosity Stream as part of digital services like Hoopla.
At #10 is a newcomer to this list: Crunchyroll, the Sony-backed anime streaming service. It’s certainly a sign of anime’s popularity, as well as the fact Sony bought their former rival Funimation. This also makes it the most popular streaming service exclusively focused on animation—a lot better fate than Western-oriented services like the late Boomerang.
Image: Netflix displaying “Dead End: Paranormal Park.” (Netflix)
