YouTube has overtaken Netflix in average daily viewing among users worldwide, according to a new analysis that underscores the digital platform's growing dominance. The study, conducted by Digital i across 20 international markets, found that average daily usage per YouTube account rose from 87.2 minutes in 2024 to 99.1 minutes in 2025, while Netflix dropped from 100.5 to 93.4 minutes.
In the UK, however, Netflix remains ahead, though the gap is narrowing. British viewers spent an average of 88.2 minutes per day on Netflix last year, compared with 84.8 minutes on YouTube. The shift towards watching YouTube on television has accelerated, with TV's share of YouTube viewing time rising from 28% to 35% between January 2024 and December 2025, while mobile viewing fell from 35% to 31%.
Both platforms are increasingly encroaching on each other's territory. YouTube, owned by Alphabet, has secured exclusive rights to stream the Oscars and has shown its first NFL game, which attracted more than 17.3 million concurrent viewers. Netflix, meanwhile, has struck a deal with The Rest Is Football podcast to stream a daily edition during the World Cup.
Despite its growth, YouTube does not commission content, unlike traditional broadcasters and streamers. It previously attempted to produce shows through YouTube Red and YouTube Originals but closed both projects. The Digital i analysis highlighted that traditional media channels, such as Saturday Night Live and Universal Pictures, have also achieved significant reach on the platform.
Gen Z remains YouTube's most engaged age group, averaging 111 minutes per day, but the strongest growth was among men aged 55 to 64, whose viewing increased by 15% since 2024. South Koreans used YouTube the most, at 161.5 minutes per day, while France recorded the biggest growth in daily usage, up by a third.
YouTube's impact in the UK has drawn regulatory attention, with the government indicating it will give the BBC and ITV enforced prominence on the platform. Matt Ross, Digital i's chief analytics officer, 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.'
