For the first time, YouTube has surpassed Netflix in terms of average time users spend on the platform daily. According to the study, in 2025, global audiences will spend an average of 99 minutes per day watching YouTube content, compared to 93 minutes per day on Netflix.

A year earlier, Netflix held the lead in this indicator.

According to research firm Digital i's report, "The YouTube Era: 2025 in Review," YouTube's average daily viewing time increased from 87.2 to 99.1 minutes over the past year, while Netflix's decreased from 100.5 to 93.4 minutes. The data is based on measurements in 20 countries over the past two years.

Analysts note that the increase in engagement is due to the YouTube audience shifting from laptops and phones to TVs. By the end of 2025, the share of YouTube viewing on TVs reached 35%, up from 28% at the beginning of 2024, while the share on mobile devices declined from 35% to 31%.

Generation Z remains the platform's most active audience, spending an average of 111 minutes a day on YouTube. The most significant increase in engagement was recorded among men aged 55 to 64, up 15% year-over-year. Among countries, users from South Korea spend the most time watching YouTube—161.5 minutes per day—while the largest increase in this indicator was recorded in France—by 33.6%.

Meanwhile, Netflix's official YouTube channel retained the largest reach of all channels, with 78.2 million unique accounts.