Streaming stocks are publicly traded companies that provide content directly to consumers via the internet. New streaming TV options have launched at a frenzied pace over the last few years. With many subscription internet TV services to choose from, streaming entertainment has become ubiquitous in U.S. homes.
Consumers are spending increasingly large amounts of time on streaming media, so TV providers are responding by rapidly migrating their advertising activities to those streaming platforms.
The streaming phenomenon
We stream a lot of content. The average person spends three hours and six minutes streaming video content each day. Our streaming habits are generating a growing stream of revenue for content companies from subscriptions and advertising. The streaming market is on track to grow from almost $345 billion in 2025 to more than $465 billion in 2030.
That growing revenue stream is making streaming stocks look like compelling long-term investments. Here's a look at the best streaming TV service stocks to invest in.
State of Streaming
The Motley Fool surveyed 2,000 Americans about their streaming habits and preferences to find out what the future might hold for streaming services.
Best streaming service stocks in 2025
There are many ways to gain portfolio exposure to streaming services. Here, we focus on the companies that are either pure plays or earn outsize returns on streaming. The best streaming entertainment stocks include:
| Name and ticker | Market cap | Dividend yield | Industry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX) | $424.7 billion | 0.00% | Entertainment |
| Walt Disney (NYSE:DIS) | $188.0 billion | 0.95% | Entertainment |
| Roku (NASDAQ:ROKU) | $14.8 billion | 0.00% | Entertainment |
1. Netflix
NASDAQ: NFLX
Key Data Points
As the company that started the streaming TV party, Netflix remains the largest pure-play streaming service, with more than 300 million subscribers in over 190 countries. More than a third of video streamers rate Netflix as their favorite streaming platform due to its interface and user experience.
Netflix is a prolific producer of TV shows and movies, providing its growing user base with an ever-expanding content library. It has also expanded into new areas to accelerate its business growth, including live sporting events and video games. Netflix has also started allowing advertisers to tap into its engaged user base.
And the company's strategy has paid off. It's generating a growing stream of free cash flow, which is enabling it to start returning money to shareholders through a meaningful share repurchase program.
The company was reportedly exploring a bid for Warner Bros. Discovery's (WBD +6.28%) studio and streaming businesses in late 2025 to bolster its content vault and production capabilities. The entertainment conglomerate Warner Bros. Discovery formed via the merger of Discovery and WarnerMedia and offers the HBO Max streaming service.
2. Walt Disney
NYSE: DIS
Key Data Points
The much-anticipated Disney+ streaming service was launched in late 2019, just in time for the COVID-19 pandemic. By mid-2025, Disney had 128 million Disney+ subscribers. Disney also owns streaming services Hulu (with more than 55 million subscribers) and ESPN+ in the U.S.
After years of heavy investment, Disney's direct-to-consumer streaming services are now profitable. That helped boost the entertainment, sports, and experiences giant's overall profitability.
The company's vertically integrated operations -- spanning valuable real estate assets in its theme parks, merchandising, broadcast television, and in-house video production technology -- give it plenty of cash to invest in new content. Now well established in the online TV era, Disney is poised to continue leading the streaming revolution.
Vertically Integrated
3. Roku
NASDAQ: ROKU
Key Data Points
Streaming TV has been a boon for the smart TV and streaming device maker. Roku has become the largest TV platform in the U.S., distributing content via The Roku Channel and acting as a hub for households to manage all their streaming subscriptions.
The company has about 90 million active accounts worldwide, streaming a combined 36.5 billion hours of content in the third quarter of 2025 alone. Roku distributes its smart TV software and streaming devices at minimal cost, making money instead through advertising and subscription management.
Acting as the gateway into internet-based TV for tens of millions of households, Roku is a top way to invest in the growing streaming industry.
Best streaming advertising stocks in 2025
Advertising software firms play a crucial role in helping streaming video content creators monetize their work and capture new subscribers. They also help companies advertise on streaming media.
In this new era of abundantly available at-home entertainment, traditional media companies face new challenges. Chief among them is paying for and profiting from the production of a TV show or movie.
Streaming shows and movies are monetized via monthly subscriptions and online ads rather than global box office or cable TV advertising. As companies seek to advertise via streaming media and content producers look for businesses wanting to purchase ad time, The Trade Desk (TTD +1.77%) and PubMatic (PUBM +0.99%) are well positioned to profit.
| Name and ticker | Market cap | Dividend yield | Industry |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Trade Desk (NASDAQ:TTD) | $19.4 billion | 0.00% | Media |
| PubMatic (NASDAQ:PUBM) | $426.1 million | 0.00% | Media |
1. The Trade Desk
NASDAQ: TTD
Key Data Points
This cloud-based software company is a buy-side platform, meaning it helps automate the purchasing and management of marketing campaigns for companies that pay for advertising.
Streaming television, also known as connected TV (CTV), has been one of the fastest-growing segments for The Trade Desk. And it's likely to remain so for some time as the entertainment industry rapidly migrates to internet-based video.
2. PubMatic
NASDAQ: PUBM
Key Data Points
PubMatic is a sell-side ad platform, meaning its cloud software works with content creators themselves. A sell-side platform is a counterparty to a buy-side platform, such as The Trade Desk. The company's profitability has been hit or miss in recent years, although its focus is on ramping up profit margins in the years ahead.
Media conglomerate companies offer streaming exposure, too
Telecommunications companies have also launched their own streaming services, such as Comcast's (CMCSA +0.39%) NBCUniversal, which introduced Peacock. Comcast unveiled plans to spin off its news, sports, and entertainment assets (which include USA Network, CNBC, MSNBC, and others) in 2026. That will enable the company to focus on growing its broadband, wireless, streaming, studios, and theme park operations. Comcast was also reportedly exploring a bid for Warner Bros Discovery's studio and streaming businesses in late 2025 to further enhance its capabilities.
Many tech giants offer TV streaming subscription services as well. Amazon (AMZN +0.16%) has Prime Video, an add-on for Prime e-commerce subscribers. Apple (AAPL -0.68%) TV+ has been a steady addition to the iPhone company's Services segment. And Alphabet's (GOOG +1.16%) (GOOGL +1.09%) YouTube TV is a newer subscription service designed as an internet-based alternative to cable.
Legacy companies are also offering new ways to consume live TV over the internet as replacements for traditional cable packages and broadcast television. Paramount Skydance (PSKY -9.82%), created through the 2025 merger of Skydance Media and Paramount Global, aims to build on Paramount's legacy in Hollywood to create a leading entertainment company of the future. The combined company operates the Paramount+, BET+, and ad-supported service Pluto TV. The company has also gotten into the bidding for Warner Bros. Discovery, reportedly offering $60 billion for the entire company.
Is investing in streaming services right for you?
Investors need to consider the benefits and drawbacks of streaming services before investing in the sector. Some pros of investing in streaming stocks include:
- Growth: The long-term growth potential of internet-based TV streaming is immense, with streaming services in the next decade set to recreate the way entertainment is consumed.
- Increasing profitability: Consolidation in the industry over the years has enabled a few leaders to emerge, with a focus on profitably accumulating subscribers and bringing their ad marketplaces online.
- Ad revenue: More streaming companies are tapping into lucrative ad revenue by adding ad tiers to their streaming subscriptions.
Some of the cons include:
- Lots of competition: The streaming TV industry is a crowded space with new competitors emerging all the time.
- Not necessarily lucrative: Investors should keep in mind that not all companies in this nascent segment of the entertainment industry are profitable.
- Volatility: As a result of the sector's rapid changes, stock prices of streaming media companies can be volatile.
What to look for when investing in streaming stocks
Investors considering adding a streaming stock to their portfolio should evaluate the following factors when choosing between these companies:
- Business model: Some companies focus on streaming video or audio content under a subscription-based business model. Meanwhile, other streaming stocks focus more on generating revenue from advertising.
- Diversification: Some companies focus solely on streaming, while others have more diversified businesses, such as operating theme parks and linear cable networks.
- Scale: Larger streaming companies are more likely to survive economic downturns and competitive pressures, while smaller streaming companies have more risk but also higher growth potential.
Related investing topics
How to invest in streaming stocks
Anyone can invest in streaming stocks. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to add one to your portfolio:
- Open your brokerage app: Log in to your brokerage account where you handle your investments.
- Search for the stock: Enter the ticker or company name into the search bar to bring up the stock's trading page.
- Decide how many shares to buy: Consider your investment goals and how much of your portfolio you want to allocate to this stock.
- Select order type: Choose between a market order to buy at the current price or a limit order to specify the maximum price you're willing to pay.
- Submit your order: Confirm the details and submit your buy order.
- Review your purchase: Check your portfolio to ensure your order was filled as expected and adjust your investment strategy accordingly.
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