YouTube has overtaken Netflix in average daily viewing across global markets, according to new analysis from Digital i reported by The Guardian.
The data points to a major shift in how audiences use the Alphabet-owned video platform, with more viewing now moving from mobile and desktop to the television screen.
What the data shows
Digital i’s analysis, which covered 20 international markets, found average daily usage per YouTube account rose from 87.2 minutes in 2024 to 99.1 minutes in 2025.
Netflix moved in the other direction. Average daily usage dropped from 100.5 minutes to 93.4 minutes over the same period.
In the UK, Netflix remains ahead, but the gap has narrowed. Netflix averaged 88.2 minutes per viewer last year, compared with 84.8 minutes for YouTube.
YouTube’s TV shift accelerates
YouTube’s growth is being driven in part by connected TV viewing. TV’s share of YouTube viewing time increased from 28 per cent to 35 per cent between January 2024 and December 2025.
Mobile viewing fell from 35 per cent to 31 per cent across the same period, suggesting YouTube is increasingly competing for living room attention rather than only short-form mobile usage.
Netflix co-chief executive Ted Sarandos recently summed up the shift, saying: “YouTube is not just cat videos any more. YouTube is TV.”
Ted Sarandos
Why it matters for media companies
The findings highlight YouTube’s growing role as both a rival and distribution channel for traditional media and streaming companies.
Netflix’s official YouTube channel had the highest reach of any channel last year, reaching 78.2 million unique accounts. Its channel includes full episodes of Our Planet, narrated by David Attenborough.
Traditional media brands also drew major audiences. Digital i’s analysis said Saturday Night Live reached 55.8 million viewers on YouTube, while Universal Pictures reached 54.6 million.
Streaming platforms move into each other’s territory
YouTube has continued to expand into areas more closely linked with broadcasters and streamers. The platform secured exclusive rights to stream the Oscars in December under a multi-year deal covering red carpet and behind-the-scenes content.
It has also moved further into sport. Its first NFL game drew more than 17.3 million concurrent viewers, making it the platform’s most-watched livestream.
Netflix has responded by moving into video podcasts, a format that has grown strongly on YouTube. It has struck a deal with The Rest Is Football, featuring Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer and Micah Richards, to stream a daily edition during the World Cup.
YouTube becomes a primary entertainment platform
Matt Ross, Digital i chief analytics officer, said YouTube’s growth marked a defining shift in global media consumption.
“YouTube’s evolution from a social video service into a dominant global attention platform is one of the defining media shifts of the decade,” Ross said.
“Our data shows audiences increasingly treating YouTube not as social media, but as a primary entertainment destination.”
Gen Z remained YouTube’s most engaged age group in 2025, averaging 111 minutes per day. The fastest growth came from men aged 55 to 64, whose viewing increased 15 per cent since 2024.
Daily YouTube usage also increased among women across all age groups.
Global viewing patterns
South Korea recorded the highest YouTube usage among the territories surveyed, at 161.5 minutes per day.
France recorded the strongest growth, with daily usage rising by a third.
The findings come as regulators and governments pay closer attention to YouTube’s influence on local media markets. In the UK, policymakers have indicated they will require BBC and ITV content to be given prominence on the platform.