U.S. Set to Hit 450 Million SVOD Subs in 2026

A new study from Digital TV Research projects that the number of SVOD subscriptions in the U.S. for services delivering movies, linear channels and TV episodes will hit 450 million in 2026, a 33 percent increase from the end of this year.

By 2026, about 87 percent of TV homes (106 million) will have at least one SVOD subscription, up from 82 percent (99 million) this year. In 2026, the average U.S. SVOD household will pay for 4.26 platforms, up from 3.42 this year.

“We have substantially revised our forecasts to reflect recent market developments,” said Simon Murray, principal analyst at Digital TV Research. “For instance, we have markedly increased our subscriber numbers for Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max and the ‘others’ category.”

By 2026, Digital TV Research projects Amazon’s U.S. base will hit 101.4 million subs, with Netflix at 69.9 million, Disney+ at 59.5 million, Hulu at 54.3 million and HBO Max at 53 million. The top five platforms will be well ahead of other services in the market, including Paramount+ at 22.4 million, Peacock at 16.4 million and Starz at 15.9 million, among others.