Nielsen: YouTube's US TV Viewing Share Widens Lead Over Netflix
The gap between YouTube and Netflix in US TV viewing share nearly doubled year over year, according to Nielsen data released on October 22, 2026.
YouTube held a much larger share of US TV viewing than Netflix in August 2026, according to Nielsen data released on October 22, 2026. The platform accounted for 15.8% of all US TV viewing, up from 13.1% a year earlier, while Netflix held 7.7%, down from 8.7% in the same period last year.
The year-over-year figures show YouTube's lead over Netflix growing from 4.4% to 8.1%. YouTube also outranked Disney+, Roku, Paramount+, Tubi and Peacock in the same Nielsen report.
Netflix's share of viewing slipped by 1% over the year as YouTube's rose by 2.7%. The Nielsen report measures share of total US television viewing time rather than subscriber numbers.
Netflix's path from DVD rentals to streaming
Netflix was founded on August 29, 1997, by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph as an online DVD rental business. It launched in 1998 and began offering monthly DVD rental subscriptions in September 1999, before introducing its internet streaming feature, originally known as Watch Now, on January 16, 2007.
Quick answers
What share of US TV viewing did YouTube and Netflix have in August 2026?
Nielsen reported that YouTube accounted for 15.8% of all US TV viewing in August 2026, while Netflix accounted for 7.7%.
When was the Nielsen data released?
The Nielsen data was released on October 22, 2026.
Which other platforms did YouTube outrank in the report?
YouTube outranked Disney+, Roku, Paramount+, Tubi and Peacock in the same Nielsen report.