83% of U.S. adults use streaming services, far fewer subscribe to cable or satellite TV

Streaming use varies by age and income. But it’s still relatively common across groups.

• By age: About nine-in-ten adults under 50 ever watch programming on streaming services. But majorities of older adults do, too.
• By income: Adults with higher incomes are most likely to watch streaming services. Still, about three-quarters or more of those with middle or lower incomes do the same.

While most adults are current streaming users, another 7% have used streaming services in the past. Just 10% have never used streaming services.

Streaming, cable or both?

Streaming’s rise has also prompted conversations about “cord-cutting” and the future of cable.

Compared with those who watch streaming, far fewer Americans (36%) say they subscribe to cable or satellite TV at home. Americans ages 65 and older are most likely to say they subscribe to cable or satellite, at 64%. Smaller shares of those 50 to 64 (44%), 30 to 49 (23%) and 18 to 29 (16%) say the same.

Still, 28% of Americans both subscribe to cable or satellite TV and watch streaming services. Another 55% watch streaming but do not also have a cable or satellite subscription.

In addition, 8% of Americans subscribe to cable or satellite TV but don’t watch streaming services. And another 8% neither subscribe to cable or satellite nor watch streaming services.

What streaming platforms are people watching?

As new streaming platforms continuously emerge, Americans have a wealth of options. We asked about nine of them in the survey.

Netflix and Amazon Prime Video are the most widely used of the streaming platforms we asked about. Some 72% say they ever watch programming on Netflix, and a slightly smaller share (67%) say this about Amazon Prime Video.

By comparison:

• About half of Americans say they use Hulu (52%) or Disney+ (48%).
• 44% say they use Paramount+.
• 41% say they use Peacock or Max.
• Fewer say they use Apple TV+ (25%) or ESPN+ (21%).

(The April survey asked about “Max, formerly known as HBO Max.” In May, its parent company announced plans to change the name back to HBO Max.)

By age

For nearly every platform we asked about, adults under 50 are more likely than those 50 and up to use it. And those 65 and older often stand out further as being least likely to do so.

For example, 80% of adults under 30 and 81% of those 30 to 49 use Netflix, compared with 70% of those 50 to 64 and 53% of those 65 and older.

On two platforms, the youngest age groups differ from each other:

• 18- to 29-year-olds stand out on Hulu: 72% use this service, versus 60% of those 30 to 49, 48% of those 50 to 64, and 29% of those 65 and older.
• 30- to 49-year-olds stand out on Amazon Prime Video: 78% use it, versus 67% of those 18 to 29, 70% of those 50 to 64, and 50% of those 65 and up.

The exception to these patterns is ESPN+, which adults of all ages are about equally likely to use.

Are streaming services seen as worth the cost?

On balance, streaming users are relatively satisfied with the content they watch. Four-in-ten users say they are extremely or very satisfied. Half say they are somewhat satisfied, and 10% say they are not too or not at all satisfied.

At the same time, rising subscription fees have drawn widespread attention.

The largest share of users (44%) say the streaming services they use are worth the cost, while 31% say they’re not. And 25% aren’t sure.

Are people sharing passwords?

Some streaming platforms have cracked down on password sharing in recent years.

We find 26% of streaming users say they use the password to a streaming service from someone outside their household.

Younger adults are particularly likely to do this. About half of streaming users under 30 (47%) say they use someone else’s password, compared with 26% of users 30 to 49 and 15% of those 50 and up.

How likely are people to use streaming services in the future?

Finally, we asked people how likely they are to watch programming on streaming services in the next year – regardless of whether they currently do.

Overall, 65% of Americans say they’re extremely or very likely to use streaming services in the next year. Another 19% say they’re somewhat likely to do this, and 15% say they’re not too or not at all likely.

But views differ based on whether they currently use these services:

• 76% of streaming users say they’re extremely or very likely to watch these services in the next year. Another 19% are somewhat likely and 4% are not too or not at all likely.
• 10% of those who don’t use streaming services say they’re extremely or very likely to do so in the next year, 20% are somewhat likely, and 70% are not too or not at all likely.