Streaming services are defined as any fully online platform that offers various media content such as; movies, TV, and music. Major services like Netflix and Hulu started gaining popularity in the 2010s. With the app's extensive media options, these services eventually became major platforms for entertainment. According to The Jembe, since 2023, 85% of American households have at least 1 subscription to a streaming service, with cable as a primary source dropping from 76% to 56%.
As of 2025 Netflix was rated as the number 1 streaming service with over 300,000,000 subscribers globally. The average subscriber spends 3.2 hours per day streaming content on the platform.
The second most used streaming platform with an estimate of 200,000,000 users globally is Amazon Prime. With the average subscriber spending 2 hours a day watching their respected shows and movies.
With rise of streaming services there has been a noticeable decline in theater attendance. According to the Motion Picture Institute, theater attendance has dropped globally by 4% after 2021, partly due to the availability of films across streaming platforms. With effortless accessibility and affordability of streaming services, consumers have chosen to stay home for entertainment.