In an increasingly saturated streaming market, a growing number of U.S. consumers are choosing subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) services as their “default” television destination, according to Hub’s newly released 2025 “Decoding the Default” report. The study, based on a survey of 1,600 U.S. broadband users aged 16 to 74 who watch at least one hour of TV per week, reveals that 40% of respondents now begin their TV sessions on a paid streaming platform, while 17% start on a free streaming service like YouTube. In contrast, only 32% default to live TV through pay-TV, virtual MVPDs, or antennas.
The trend is most pronounced among younger audiences. Among viewers under 35, 56% begin their content consumption on paid streamers and another 22% turn to free platforms, with just 15% starting with live TV. This digital-first preference starkly contrasts with older viewers, where live TV still maintains greater share.
Netflix continues to hold the top position as the leading default streaming platform, with 19% of viewers naming it their starting point for TV—a figure nearly double that of YouTube at 11%, and significantly ahead of Hulu, the next closest paid SVOD service, at 5%. However, the report notes that Netflix’s share of default status has declined from 23% in 2020, suggesting a slow erosion of dominance in the face of rising competition. In fact, more viewers (21%) now identify a paid streaming service other than Netflix as their home base for content.
“YouTube is making notable gains, particularly among younger users,” the report highlights, with 18% of viewers under 35 citing the platform as their default—surpassing live TV and closing the gap with Netflix. The data also reveals that being a viewer’s default platform significantly boosts retention. Respondents who named a service as their default were five to six times more likely to say they would keep it if forced to cancel all but one platform.
“This year’s findings underscore how crowded and competitive the TV ecosystem has become,” said Jon Giegengack, Founder and Principal at Hub and co-author of the study. “Netflix is the dominant streaming platform and now offers something for everyone: scripted and unscripted TV, original movies, live events and now sports. But this opens an opportunity for the legion of smaller, more specialized services that focus on super-serving specific audiences.”
Christina Pisano, consultant at Hub and co-author of the study, added, “The data is clear: being a viewer’s default dramatically increases the likelihood they’ll keep you. First-stop status drives more sessions, more time spent, and higher retention. That’s why the battle for the TV home base is the most important fight in today’s entertainment landscape.”
The “Decoding the Default” report, part of Hub’s syndicated “Hub Reports” series, underscores the increasing strategic value of engagement metrics over pure subscriber counts in a fragmented media environment. As the shift away from live TV accelerates and viewers become more selective, securing default status may prove to be the streaming industry’s most critical long-term success factor.
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