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Shifts in the Streaming Platforms Market
The US Streaming Platforms market is tightening, with more platforms shutting down than launching. In 2024, 36 new services emerged, but 39 became inactive, signaling an industry shift toward consolidation. This follows the 2020 peak, when 68 platforms debuted, highlighting how growth has given way to restructuring.
BB Media’s analysis also found that US viewers engage with an average of five subscription streaming services. With users already juggling multiple subscriptions, new entrants face a tough landscape. To survive, platforms must bring a strong strategy, whether through unique content, strategic bundling, or differentiated monetization models. Those without a clear value proposition risk fading out as the industry continues to evolve.
Streaming Service Consolidation
Major companies have restructured their offerings. Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount Global led platform shutdowns, each discontinuing eight services. Paramount primarily integrated closures into Paramount+, demonstrating a strategic approach to content centralization. In total, 24 platforms merged into existing services, a stark contrast to 2023, when shutdowns often resulted in complete discontinuance.
Bundling Strategies for 2025
Bundling strategies have gained traction. The Disney+, Hulu and Max bundle, available in both ad-supported and ad-free versions, aims to simplify user experience and attract broader audiences. Likewise, Prime Video expanded its catalog by integrating Apple TV+ content.
Additionally, Sling TV and The Roku Channel enhanced their offerings by incorporating Max, with The Roku Channel also adding Crunchyroll to its lineup. These strategies reinforce content unification, improving user accessibility and engagement. By 2025, more streaming services are expected to adopt similar bundling strategies to remain competitive.
Account Sharing Trends in 2024
During the first three quarters of 2024, the market share of subscription-based platform users kept its TOP 3. Netflix leads in first place, followed by Prime Video and Hulu in second and third place, respectively. To counter rising subscription costs, account sharing remained steady across subscription-based (19%) and TV Everywhere (18%) platforms. However, streaming services have introduced legitimate alternatives:
Max will launch a similar feature in 2025.
Netflix in January 2025 unveiled an ad-free “extra member” plan.
These measures aim to balance accessibility with profitability.
Growth of Ad-Supported Plans
Ad-supported streaming plans gained momentum in 2024. While food brands dominated the number of ads, streaming platforms were the most recurrent advertisers. This reflects an evolving landscape where advertising plays a crucial role in revenue models. Main streaming services, led by Netflix (14,82%), Prime Video (12,02%), Hulu (9,63%), Disney+ (9,11%), Peacock (7,11%), Paramount+ (7,14%) Max (6,13%) and Apple TV+ (4,7%), expanded their ad-supported tiers to attract price-conscious viewers.
Alongside this growth, subscription price hikes were notable:
Max increased its Monthly plan to $16.99 (+6%) and its Ultimate plan to $20.99 (+5%) on June 2024.
Prime Video introduced an ad-supported tier, starting to compete with Discovery+ and moving away from Amazon Freevee, its free ad-supported platform.
Ad volume fluctuated across platforms:
Freevee increased its ad time by 1.2 minutes per hour even though the service is set to be discontinued in 2025.
Max raised its ad time to 3 minutes per hour, surpassing Discovery+, which saw a decline.
Paramount+ reduced its ad time by 4 minutes per hour.
Netflix maintained approximately 45 seconds to 1 minute of ads per hour, with projections to stay between 1 and 1.5 minutes in 2025.
Ad-supported streaming continues to grow, with 66% of users now expressing tolerance for ads, an increase of 2% over the past year.
Looking Ahead to 2025
Streaming services will likely continue expanding their ad-supported models while balancing ad volume and user experience. Further consolidation and bundling strategies will shape the market, as platforms strive to remain competitive and meet evolving viewer demands.
Want to learn more about the platforms business models? Dive into BB Media’s Streaming Services Directory and get free data of the local players!
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