Although every premium streaming service released less original content in the second quarter of 2024 versus a year ago, overall streaming adoption continues to rise, as well as regular usage for nine top entertainment premium services, according to MoffettNathanson Research.

When asked which services you or someone in your home currently use to stream content, industry leader Netflix tallied 55% penetration of U.S. homes (up 155 basis percentage points), while Amazon came in at 47% (195 points), followed by Hulu with 36% (60) and Disney+ at 28% (170).

Paramount+ climbed to 26% (110), while Peacock rose to 21% (220), Max was up 20% (85); Apple TV+, up 11% (60); and Discovery+, up 8% (85).

Daily usage for nearly all streamers also increased, including Netflix, Hulu, Paramount+, Max, Peacock, and Amazon Prime Video, while Disney+ and Discovery+ slipped.

At the same time, original content has slowed for virtually all streaming channels. Netflix was slightly down to 92 original seasons in the second quarter of this year from 97, with Amazon down to 34 from 37, Disney+ down to 16 from 30, and Hulu down to 14 from 16. Max and Paramount+ were each at 19, down from 23 and 22, respectively.

Overall streaming penetration of U.S. households is now at 84% to 85%, according to the study. 

Much of the growth isn’t about the cost of streamers. Those who have switched to streamers from pay services because of cost has steadily declined to around 30% to 35% for the big streamers -- Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu.

The number of average streamers that people watch is also up -- to average 4.2 who "watch" a streamer (from 4.1) and 4.0 for those who have "subscribed" (from 3.8) in the previous quarterly period.

Research came from HarrisX data from 22,737 households between April and June -- a monthly survey on U.S. video consumption and streaming.