Study: 62% of Streaming Service Subscribers Say There Are Too Many Options

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Data source: Company financial documents and industry reports
Service	Subscribers
Netflix	301.6 million
Amazon Prime/MGM+	205 million
Disney+/Hulu/ESPN+	204.8 million
Disney+	126 million
HBO Max	122.3 million
Paramount+	79 million
Hulu	54.7 million
Apple TV+	45 million
Peacock	41 million
Starz	27.92 million
ESPN+	24.1 million
YouTube TV	9.4 million

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Data source: The Motley Fool surveys distributed via Pollfish on Jan. 4, 2024, and March 2, 2022.
How many streaming services are you subscribed to today compared to a year ago?	2022	2024
Fewer	13%	37%
The same	33%	17%
More	54%	46%

The narrowing gap between the percentage of those subscribed to more and fewer streaming services compared to the previous year suggests the video streaming space may be getting oversaturated, that viewers are nearing their budget for streaming, or streaming services are losing out to other sources of entertainment, like social media and gaming.

Data from Deloitte supports fading interest in maintaining multiple streaming service subscriptions. Thirty-nine percent of respondents to Deloitte’s 2025 Digital Media Trends survey said they had canceled a paid video streaming service subscription in the past six months. That percentage is higher for Gen Z and millennials, whose media consumption is much more diverse than older generations.

Gen Z and millennials spend more time consuming media than Gen X or baby boomers, but less time watching streaming services or cable TV, according to Deloitte. Instead, they spend more time on social media, watching user-generated content, playing video games, and listening to music. As a result, those younger generations may be more likely to part ways with streaming services, especially if they become more expensive or fragmented.

Hours per day by type of media and entertainment

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Data source: Deloitte (2025).
Activity	Gen Z	Millennials	Gen X	Baby boomers	Silent
Watching on streaming services	1.3	1.5	1.6	1.4	0.9
Watching on cable/live TV	0.8	0.9	1.3	2.1	2.3
Using social media	1.4	1.1	0.9	0.6	0.4
Listening to music	1	0.9	0.8	0.5	0.4
Watching user-generated content (UGC)	1	0.7	0.5	0.3	0.2
Playing video games	1.1	0.7	0.5	0.2	0.2
Listening to podcasts	0.3	0.4	0.3	0.2	0.2
Other	0	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1
Total	6.9	6.3	6	5.4	4.5

Fragmented content libraries are the largest complaint

As more streaming services become available, more content is produced, and existing content may move between services. Consequently, it's no surprise that the most common complaint among respondents who think there are too many video streaming services is that the shows they watch are spread across multiple platforms.

Another effect of the fragmenting and expanding streaming landscape is that watchers are unable to keep track of where they can watch their shows. That is the second most common complaint among those respondents.

Rising subscription costs were the third-most-cited issue among respondents who believe there are too many streaming options.

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Data source: The Motley Fool surveys distributed via Pollfish on Jan. 4, 2024, and March 2, 2022.
Why do you feel there are too many video streaming services?	2022	2024
I can’t keep track of which streaming service hosts the content I want to watch.	26%	32%
I wish my shows were all on one platform.	37%	38%
It’s getting too expensive to pay for all the content I want to watch.	35%	29%
Other	2%	N/A

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Data source: The Motley Fool surveys distributed via Pollfish on Jan. 4, 2024, and March 2, 2022.
How much do you spend per month on video streaming services?	2022	2024
$15 or less	20%	23%
$16 to $30	24%	20%
$31 to $45	17%	18%
$46 to $60	15%	16%
Over $60	17%	13%
I don’t know	7%	10%

Another sign that consumers feel as though they’re paying too much for their content libraries is that a lower percentage of respondents are willing to pay either more than $15, $30, or $60 per month for all of their video streaming subscriptions compared to 2022.

Among respondents to the 2024 State of Streaming survey, 58% are willing to pay more than $15 a month, 33% are willing to pay more than $30, and 8% are willing to pay more than $60. That’s down from 80% willing to pay more than $15 in 2022, 54% willing to pay more than $30, and 15% being willing to pay more than $60.

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Data source: The Motley Fool surveys distributed via Pollfish on Jan. 4, 2024, and March 2, 2022.
How much are you willing to spend per month on all video streaming services you are subscribed to?	2022	2024
$15 or less	20%	40%
$16 to $30	26%	25%
$31 to $45	18%	15%
$46 to $60	21%	10%
Over $60	15%	8%

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About the Author

Jack Caporal is the Research Director for The Motley Fool and Motley Fool Money. Jack leads efforts to identify and analyze trends shaping investing and personal financial decisions across the United States. His research has appeared in thousands of media outlets including Harvard Business Review, The New York Times, Bloomberg, and CNBC, and has been cited in congressional testimony. He previously covered business and economic trends as a reporter and policy analyst in Washington, D.C. He serves as Chair of the Trade Policy Committee at the World Trade Center in Denver, Colorado. He holds a B.A. degree in International Relations with a concentration in International Economics from Michigan State University.

TMFJackCap

Jack Caporal has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Netflix. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Streaming subscribers value original and exclusive content most and live sports least

Streaming subscribers place the most value on original and exclusive shows and movies, followed by a library of previously aired shows and movies. They value live programming -- cable, news, and sports -- least.

Features ranked from most to least valued among subscribers

Original, exclusive shows and movies

Previously aired shows and movies

Access to movies currently in theaters (access may require an additional fee)

Live sports

Live news

Live cable

That hasn’t changed much since 2022. Respondents then had the same top three but valued live cable over news and sports.

Are streaming stocks set for a blockbuster sequel or box office bomb?

There’s no doubt that competition among over-the-top streaming platforms is heating up -- and consumers are aware of it.

A majority of Americans who subscribe to streaming services already have three or more subscriptions. A majority also believes that there are too many options, and that they’re getting unwieldy to navigate between.

Beyond competing among themselves, streaming platforms also need to fend off other companies and activities that compete for customers’ screen time, including video games and pre-pandemic activities potentially making a comeback such as movie theaters, restaurants, and more.

Those factors may be reflected in the fact that the major over-the-top platforms have experienced a slower pace of new subscriptions in recent quarters. The next round of earnings from streaming companies should offer more insight into whether -- and how -- they can continue to expand their subscriber base.

62% of video streaming service subscribers believe there are too many options

Sixty-two percent of respondents to The Motley Fool’s State of Streaming survey say there are too many streaming options. That’s up from 53% in 2022.

This is likely a result of the proliferation of streaming services that have fragmented content libraries for viewers.

There are now a number of platforms offering original content, exclusive libraries of classic shows and movies, and, for some, live programming.

That being said, Netflix (NFLX -1.09%) still boasts the most subscribers, with 301.6 million subscriptions active around the world. Granted, this could be because some services are only available in specific countries. For example, Hulu is only available in the United States and its territories.

State of Streaming 2025: Streaming Services and Consumer Sentiment

We surveyed 2,000 Americans about their streaming habits and preferences to find out what the future might hold for streaming services.

Hours per day by type of media and entertainment

Fragmented content libraries are the largest complaint

About the Author

Stocks Mentioned

Premium Investing Services

Fewer are subscribing to more streaming services than previously

Hours per day by type of media and entertainment

Fragmented content libraries are the largest complaint

The average number of video streaming subscriptions per household

Streaming beats out cable and broadcast for viewership

47% of Americans who are subscribed to a video streaming service spend more than $30 a month on streaming services

Streaming subscribers value original and exclusive content most and live sports least

Are streaming stocks set for a blockbuster sequel or box office bomb?

Sources

Methodology

62% of video streaming service subscribers believe there are too many options