Comscore’s 2025 State of Streaming Report Reveals Surging Growth of Both Ad-Supported Platforms and FAST Channels
45% of Netflix U.S. Households Watch on the Ad-supported Tier Compared to 34% in 2024
RESTON, Va., Oct. 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Comscore, a global leader in measuring and analyzing consumer behaviors, today released its 2025 State of Streaming report, revealing how consumer behavior continues to reshape the streaming landscape. A key finding is that audience expansion in both ad-supported (AVOD) and FAST channels shows no signs of slowing with big gains across the board.
Powered by one of the industry’s largest and most comprehensive data sets across platforms, Comscore is uniquely positioned to remove the noise and highlight some of the most significant shifts in consumer behavior and platform behaviors to date. According to the report, total hours watched across major free ad supported streaming services grew by 43 percent year-over-year*.
As advertisers seek scalable, high-impact inventory and consumers demand both affordability and ease of use, FAST channels have emerged as a critical growth engine blending the familiarity of linear TV with the convenience of streaming.
At the same time, ad-supported tiers are gaining popularity across major subscription video on demand (SVOD) services. Netflix now sees 45 percent of total household viewing hours on its ad-supported tier, up from 34 percent just one year ago.
“Consumers are navigating crowded streaming options with the clear intention that they want value, simplicity, and content that’s easy to access,” said Jen Carton, SVP, Product Management, at Comscore. “This year’s State of Streaming reflects that shift and shows how FAST and ad-supported options are meeting those needs in a way that’s culturally resonant and commercially viable. For Comscore, our mission is to illuminate this transformation and help the industry understand what’s next.”
Overall, connected TV (CTV) streaming in internet-enabled homes reached 96.4 million households, an increase of 849,000 year-over-year. The time spent streaming rose to 13.9 billion hours, a 6 percent increase year-over-year. The average household watched content from 6.9 streaming services, reflecting modest growth as the market reaches maturity.
With households now spending nearly 5 hours per day streaming, it has become the default viewing experience for millions of Americans. For many households, creator-driven video sits alongside premium series, sports, and films as everyday viewing. Platforms like YouTube are no longer viewed as “separate categories” but as integral parts of the streaming diet, as the report points out, “more than half of U.S. households stream YouTube content monthly for free.”
The full State of Streaming 2025 report, which explores the trends shaping the future of content, advertising, and technology across screens, is available .
* Source: Comscore CTV Intelligence, August 2024 and August 2025, U.S.
About Comscore
Comscore is a global, trusted partner for planning, transacting and evaluating media across platforms. With an unmatched data footprint that combines digital, linear TV, over-the-top and theatrical viewership intelligence with advanced audience insights, Comscore empowers media buyers and sellers to quantify their multiscreen behavior and make meaningful business decisions with confidence. A proven leader in measuring digital and TV audiences and advertising at scale, Comscore is the industry's emerging third-party source for reliable and comprehensive cross-platform measurement.
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Marie Scoutas
Comscore, Inc.
