YouTube surpasses Netflix in daily viewing time globally

YouTube Overtakes Netflix in Average Daily Viewing Time

YouTube has surpassed Netflix in average daily viewing time across global markets, marking what one analyst called “one of the defining media shifts of the decade.” The findings, published Wednesday in a report by London-based analytics firm Digital i, show the Google-owned platform pulling decisively ahead of the streaming giant for daily audience attention.

The Numbers Behind the Shift

According to Digital i’s report, “The YouTube Era: 2025 in Review,” average daily YouTube usage per account rose from 87.2 minutes in 2024 to 99.1 minutes in 2025, while Netflix dropped from 100.5 to 93.4 minutes over the same period. The data is based on measurement across 20 international markets over two years.advanced-television

The crossover was driven largely by YouTube’s migration to the living room. TV’s share of YouTube viewing time rose from 28% to 35% between January 2024 and December 2025, while mobile fell from 35% to 31%. This mirrors broader industry trends: YouTube CEO Neal Mohan noted in February 2025 that TV had surpassed mobile and desktop as the primary device for YouTube viewing in the U.S. by watch time, and Nielsen data has consistently shown YouTube as the most-watched streaming platform on American television sets.variety

Who’s Watching — and Where

Gen-Z remained YouTube’s most engaged age group, averaging 111 minutes per day, but growth was strongest among men aged 55-64, whose viewing increased 15% year-over-year. Women of all ages also increased their daily average usage. South Korea led all markets at 161.5 minutes per day, while France saw the largest growth in daily usage, up 33.6% from 2024 to 2025.advanced-television

Netflix, meanwhile, retains considerable cultural reach — its official YouTube channel had the highest reach of any channel on the platform in 2025, drawing 78.2 million unique accounts. YouTube has approximately 2.7 billion monthly active users worldwide, compared with Netflix’s 325 million paid subscribers and 780 million monthly average users.mediaplaynews

A Platform Redefining Its Identity

“Our data shows audiences increasingly treating YouTube not as social media, but as a primary entertainment destination,” said Matt Ross, Digital i’s chief analytics officer. The shift underscores YouTube’s transformation from a repository of user-generated clips into a platform that competes directly with premium streaming services for time on the biggest screen in the house.advanced-television