For the second year in a row, Netflix has been crowned the top subscription video on demand service in the United States. The latest rankings by Parks Associates actually show very little change in the overall top 10 list of U.S. SVOD services compared to last year.
What You Need to Know
- Netflix held onto the top spot among U.S. streaming services for the second straight year.
- The top five streaming services in the U.S. remained unchanged from last year.
- The only real change in the top 10 saw HBO Max and Paramount+ switching positions.
Based on estimated subscribers, last year’s list was notable as it marked a change at the top, with Netflix overtaking Prime Video as the top U.S. subscription streaming service in 2025. A change which brought Prime Video’s three-year reign to an end.
With no change in 2026, Netflix remains at the top of the pile, marking its second consecutive year. There was also no change in second through fifth places, with Prime Video the runner up, followed by Hulu in third, Disney+ in fourth, and Peacock in fifth.
Top 10 US SVOD Services (2026)
- Netflix
- Prime Video
- Hulu
- Disney+
- Peacock
- HBO Max
- Paramount+
- Apple TV
- YouTube Premium
- ESPN Select
The only notable change here is the switching of places between HBO Max (previously seventh) and Paramount+ (previously sixth). Skydance (formerly Paramount Skydance) completed its purchase of Warner Bros. Discovery last month, bringing HBO Max and Paramount+ together under the same umbrella.
“HBO Max couples a deep library of legacy titles, including The Sopranos, The Wire, Game of Thrones, and Friends, with hit new originals such as The Pitt and House of the Dragon,” said Michael Goodman, Director, Entertainment Research, Parks Associates. “Gaining access to HBO Max’s award-winning content library is one of the things that made Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) attractive to Skydance. Now that the acquisition is complete, the focus shifts to content strategy, bundling, and pricing, as well as how much the company can invest in streaming growth while managing significant acquisition debt.”
How the 2026 Top 10 compares to 2025 and 2024
| 2026 | 2025 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Netflix | Netflix | Prime Video |
| Prime Video | Prime Video | Netflix |
| Hulu | Hulu | Disney+ |
| Disney+ | Disney+ | Hulu |
| Peacock | Peacock | Peacock |
| HBO Max | Paramount+ | HBO Max |
| Paramount+ | HBO Max | Paramount+ |
| Apple TV | Apple TV | Apple TV |
| YouTube Premium | YouTube Premium | ESPN Select |
| ESPN Select | ESPN Select | YouTube Premium |
While there has been very little change over the past couple of years, next year may see some changes. Specifically in relation to HBO Max and Paramount+, as Skydance previously confirmed plans to bring the two services together into a single platform.
The first step will be the launch of a new HBO Max and Paramount+ bundle in early 2027, making it cheaper to subscribe to both services.
Start the conversation