Google-owned YouTube has overtaken Netflix in average daily viewing time per account, according to new data from London-based analytics firm Digital i.
YouTube users now spend an average of 99.1 minutes per day on the platform, up from 87.2 minutes in 2024. Netflix’s daily average fell from 100.5 minutes to 93.4 minutes over the same period.The shift reflects YouTube’s growing dominance on TV screens, with its share of viewing time rising from 28% to 35% between January 2024 and December 2025, while mobile viewing declined from 35% to 31%.
Audiences are increasingly treating YouTube as a primary entertainment destination rather than just social media.
Gen Z continues to be YouTube’s most engaged audience, averaging 111 minutes daily. However, the strongest growth came from men aged 55-64, whose viewing time rose 15% year-over-year, alongside increases among women of all ages.
“YouTube’s evolution from a social video service into a dominant global attention platform is one of the defining media shifts of the decade,” said Matt Ross, Digital i’s chief analytics officer. “Our data shows audiences increasingly treating YouTube not as social media, but as a primary entertainment destination.”
Digital i’s analysis covers major markets including the United States, Canada, several Latin American countries, Australia, Japan, South Korea, and key European nations.