This Streaming TV Service Has Grown the Most During the Pandemic

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Family watching Hulu streaming TV service
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The coronavirus pandemic has left us locked behind closed doors — and one streaming service has benefited greatly from that reality, a new survey finds.

The share of viewers who say they subscribe to Hulu has jumped 8 percentage points during the pandemic — from 25% in February to 33% in July, according to a report from Hub Entertainment Research.

That is the biggest leap among the top four streaming services, a group that also includes Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+.

All four of the largest services saw gains in the survey. The share of people who say they subscribe to Prime Video grew by 6 percentage points between February and July, while the shares of those with Netflix and Disney+ grew by 3 percentage points each.

And streaming overall appears to have grown during the pandemic, with more than 1 in 4 consumers (28%) saying they have signed up for at least one new TV service in the survey’s February-through-July time period.

Hub says previous research suggests that people turn to streaming services for three key features:

  • Exclusive shows
  • Good value for the money
  • A deep content library

As part of its survey, Hub polled more than 3,000 U.S. consumers between the ages of 14 and 74 who watch at least one hour of TV per week.

Finding the best streaming service for you

Of course, you aren’t limited to just choosing among the big four streaming services. Many other services offer streaming for a great price — sometimes even free.

Recently, we highlighted a bunch of services that offer gratis streaming. You can learn more about them in “15 Free Streaming Services to Watch While Stuck at Home.”

Free services tend to offer relatively limited program choices. So, if you are looking for a bit more variety, consider services such as:

However, before you dump your cable, make sure the world of streaming is for you. As we have reported, streaming services may not be for everyone:

‘It can be deceptively difficult to figure out whether switching to a streaming TV service or sticking with a traditional paid-TV provider would be cheaper for you.”

For more, check out “Why Cutting the Cord Can Be Confusing — and How to Decide If It’s for You.”

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