Disney+ subscribers to exceed Netflix users in 2026

The fast-growing Disney+ streaming service will reach more subscribers than Netflix in 2026, according to an analyst’s latest forecast.

Digital TV Research shared the prediction in a new report on Monday. It projects that the number of subscribers to Disney+ will reach 294 million in 2026, exceeding the 286 million that it estimates Netflix will reach then.

“However, Disney+ will only have more subs than Netflix in one country — India: 98 million Disney+ Hotstar subscribers versus 13 million for Netflix,” the report highlighted.

Said Digital TV Research’s principal analyst Simon Murray: “Disney+ Hotstar will roll out to 13 Asian countries by 2026. These countries will supply 108 million (37 percent) of the global Disney+ subscriber total, but only $2.62 billion (13 percent) of the platform’s revenues by 2026. Hotstar subscribers pay less than a third of the monthly subscription fee of their U.S. counterpart.”

The research firm forecasts that global revenue for Disney+ will hit $20.76 billion by 2026, half of Netflix’s $39.52 billion. The management teams of Disney and Netflix have vowed to continue investing in original programming, which have helped drive subscriber gains. Disney+ has benefited from such originals as The Mandalorian, while Netflix has seen strong viewing for the likes of Bridgerton and The Crown.

The company predicts that Chinese streaming services will reach 279 million subscribers that year, Amazon’s Prime service 184 million globally, AT&T-owned WarnerMedia’s HBO Max 50 million, and technology giant Apple’s Apple TV+ 11 million. Hollywood Reporter