Parks Associates has released its updated list of the top 10 U.S. subscription over-the-top (OTT) video services. The list is based on estimated number of subscribers through October 2019, prior to the launch of Disney+ and Apple TV+, and includes paid subscriptions.
CBS All Access made the biggest move from 2018 to 2019, jumping from eighth place to fifth this year. MLB.TV dropped from sixth to eighth place, despite having gained subscribers since 2018. Sling TV has stayed in the top 10 with more than 2.5 million subscribers, retaining its position as the top vMVPD service in the United States. Other vMVPD services include Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, and AT&T Now (previously DIRECTV Now).
Top 10 U.S. subscription OTT video services:
- Netflix
- Amazon Prime Video
- Hulu (SVOD)
- HBO NOW
- CBS All Access
- STARZ
- Showtime
- MLB.TV
- ESPN+
- Sling TV
"Competition in live streaming services is intensifying as several big brand names are competing for a small but growing slice of the OTT subscription base," said Brett Sappington, Parks' senior research director and principal analyst. "Consumers continue to sign up for multiple OTT video services. If this trend holds, many services can continue to grow as the market grows. However, a slowdown will suggest that consumers are finally drawing the line on the amount they will spend each month."
"The Walt Disney Co. announced it had reached 10 million subscribers upon initial launch, which would put its Disney+ service fourth on the list, ahead of HBO Now," Sappington said. "Their entry, along with Apple TV+ and other direct-to-consumer services upcoming in 2020, has been a major disruptor to the OTT space and will require all players from top to bottom to ensure they are delivering unique value to their subscribers in order to retain their base."
Other findings indicate:
- 71% of U.S. broadband households have at least one OTT entertainment product, such as a smart TV or streaming media player.
- Nearly three-quarters of U.S. broadband households now subscribe to an online video service.
- 49% of recent OTT subscribers signed up through the service's website; 33% through the service's app; and 11% through a cable or satellite TV provider.