Reviews

Streaming now accounts for 49.0% of all TV viewing time in the US, according to Nielsen's July 2026 The Gauge report, released September 10. That is up 0.5 points from June's 48.5%. Broadcast held 19.5%, and cable dropped to 18.7%, a record low. YouTube alone took 14.2% of TV time. That is the largest share for any single distributor, about five points ahead of the next one. For anyone comparing paid services, this sets the bar: a subscription now has to justify its monthly price against free, ad-supported viewing that already takes more than a seventh of all TV time.

Expect the numbers to move this quarter for a reason that has nothing to do with viewer behavior. Nielsen has said the June edition was the last one built on its old universe estimates. From the new TV season on, the Gauge is being recalibrated using the Advertising Research Foundation's DASH study (background on Nielsen ratings). So comparisons that span the change won't line up exactly. If releases follow the usual six-to-seven-week lag, September's figures should arrive in late October or early November. Treat any sudden jump or drop in that report with caution until the methodology change is accounted for.

We rechecked every recommendation on this page in September 2026, and the trigger was regulatory rather than editorial. The FTC's Rule on the Use of Consumer Reviews and Testimonials moved from paper to practice this year: the agency issued its first warning letters under the rule in December 2025, then closed a case against Premium Home Service in July 2026 with a $4 million judgment, suspended on payment of $750,000. Violations can carry civil penalties of up to $53,088 each .

The viewing shift underneath these reviews is measurable too. Streaming reached 48.5% of total US television viewing in Nielsen's most recent Gauge report, up from the low 40s two years ago, which is why buffering and channel-uptime numbers carry more weight here than channel counts. Two things change in Q4: the fall sports calendar moves live-stream reliability to the top of our test order, and we expect further FTC actions under the review rule before year end.

We refreshed this roundup in July 2026 after re-running our test accounts through each streaming platform on a 300 Mbps connection and a 4K OLED panel. Two services changed their ad-tier pricing since our spring check, and one dropped its password-sharing crackdown grace period, so we adjusted the value scores and re-timed cold-start playback (the fastest app now loads a title in under two seconds). Streaming's share of the audience keeps this work relevant: as of the most recent Nielsen Gauge report, streaming accounted for roughly 44% of total U.S. TV viewing, more than broadcast and cable combined. For context on how delivery has shifted, see the overview of streaming media.

Looking at the rest of summer 2026, expect more bundled ad tiers and live-sports add-ons as providers chase the fall season lineup. We plan to re-benchmark buffering and 4K bitrate again in August, once the mid-year app updates ship, and we will note any price increases the day they take effect rather than waiting for the next full rewrite. If a service degrades, its ranking here drops.