YouTube has overtaken Netflix in average daily viewing among users worldwide, according to analysis by Digital i, marking what analysts describe as one of the defining media shifts of the decade. The Alphabet-owned platform saw average daily usage per account rise from 87.2 minutes in 2024 to 99.1 in 2025, while Netflix dropped from 100.5 to 93.4 minutes.
In the UK, Netflix still leads but by a narrow margin: 88.2 minutes per day for Netflix versus 84.8 for YouTube. The gap is expected to close as YouTube’s television viewing share grows. TV’s share of YouTube viewing time rose from 28% to 35% between January 2024 and December 2025, while mobile fell from 35% to 31%.
Netflix itself is a major presence on YouTube, with its official channel reaching 78.2 million unique accounts last year. The rivalry has intensified as both platforms move into each other’s territory. YouTube secured exclusive rights to stream the Oscars in December and aired its first NFL game last year, drawing over 17.3 million concurrent viewers.
Netflix has responded by venturing into video podcasts, striking a deal with The Rest Is Football podcast for a daily World Cup edition. Unlike Netflix and traditional broadcasters, YouTube does not commission content, having closed its YouTube Red and Originals projects.
Digital i’s chief analytics officer, Matt Ross, said: “YouTube’s evolution from a social video service into a dominant global attention platform is one of the defining media shifts of the decade. 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, averaging 111 minutes daily, but the strongest growth was among men aged 55–64, with a 15% increase since 2024. South Koreans used YouTube the most, at 161.5 minutes per day, while France recorded the biggest growth, up by a third.
