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Netflix retains lead, HBO Max gains in new Parks Associates streaming rankings

Netflix maintained its dominance as the most-used streaming service in most American homes during 2026, holding its own against Amazon’s Prime Video for the second year in a row, according to the latest research shared by Parks Associates this week.

The firm’s annual Streaming Video Tracker was updated on Tuesday, found Netflix was used in 67 percent of American broadband households through September, compared with 64 percent during the same time period last year.

Netflix reclaimed its title as the top streaming service in American homes last year after falling behind Prime Video from 2022 to 2024, according to Parks Associates data.

The research firm bases its rankings on estimated subscriber totals, drawing from its own Streaming Video Tracker, which incorporates corporate disclosures, third-party information and proprietary models.

Michael Goodman, the Director of Entertainment Research at Parks Associates, pointed to HBO Max’s established programming library, including “The Sopranos,” “The Wire” and “Game of Thrones,” along with newer series such as “The Pitt.”

“Gaining access to HBO Max’s award-winning content library is one of the things that made Warner Bros Discovery attractive to Skydance,” Goodman said in a statement. “Now that the acquisition is complete, the focus shifts to content strategy, bundling and pricing, as well as how much the company can invest in streaming growth while managing significant acquisition as well.”

Closer to home, Goodman said the next front in the streaming space “will be defined by how effectively providers balance subscription pricing, advertising revenue and customer retention.”

“Our research shows that 54 percent of U.S. internet households subscribe to five or more SVOD services, yet household video spending is relatively stable,” Goodman noted. “Consumers are willing to maintain multiple subscriptions, but providers cannot assume that more subscriptions will translate into spending.”

Parks Associates is scheduled to take a deeper dive into its data on video subscriptions during its next “Future of Video: Business of Streaming” event in Marina del Rey, California, which takes place from November 17 to November 18. The Desk is an editorial partner of the event.

From the article, "Netflix retains lead, HBO Max gains in new Parks Associates streaming rankings" by Matthew Keys

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