While Netflix still remains the most downloaded VOD app in the world, Disney+ has been able to wrest the leadership from it at least in the United States, according to data collected by Apptopia. In detail, Disney+ acquired 45.2 million mobile downloads while Netflix gained 44.7 million, a small but notable margin given the short history of Disney+.
The Walt Disney’s streaming platform was also one of the highest grossing apps in the United States. In fact, the app took in $201 million in the country last year, good enough to put it in third place behind YouTube and Tinder.
Launched in 2019, Disney+ shook the market and plunged into the streaming wars by scoring a historic 10 million accessions on its first day alone. Little more than a year later, the platform maintains its marked growth, growing to 86.8 million subscribers and projecting to have between 230 million and 260 million total paid subscribers by the end of fiscal year 2024.
Netflix, the long-established leader of the SVOD segment, is currently accessible in more regional territories compared to Disney+. Once Disney expands its platform into more countries it could close the gap in worldwide downloads. Most recently, Disney+ launched in eight more countries in Europe: Portugal, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, Belgium, and Luxembourg.
In addition to Disney+, HBO Max and Roku are rising in popularity in the app market. HBO Max is currently the fastest growing SVOD in the United States, and Roku remains one of the most popular connected TV devices while quickly climbing in the stock market thanks to its recent acquisition of Quibi’s content library.