Netflix, Prime Video, and Apple TV+ have been competing with each other for a very long time. According to the latest reports, Prime Video was able to overcome its usual seasonal drop in Q1, showing that people are still seeing value in their bundled services, including Amazon Prime free delivery. Statistics also show that Prime Video achieved the highest share of new subscribers, hitting 17%, indicating how, as time goes on, the race to the top is intensifying.
Competition is Heating Up Between Streaming Services
In March 2025, 27% of people who subscribed to Prime Video said that it was their most-valued streaming service. Apple TV+, however, secured a 16% share of new subscribers, with Severance playing a huge role. 37% of people said this was their key reason for subscribing to the platform. For the first time since the platform launched, churn rates for Apple TV+ were in the single digits, too. One thing that is helping Apple right now is that they give all users a free three-month trial when they buy an Apple device.
You can also get a free 7-day trial when choosing a subscription plan, which essentially allows people to try before they buy. This promotional tactic is employed across other verticals as well, and is a great way to stay competitive within a digital niche. Adobe products, for example, offer a 14-day free trial that can be extended for a further 7 days if the user feels as though they need more time, which has helped Adobe to cement itself as a top software provider. Annual subscribers can also get a discount after the trial finishes, depending on the tier chosen.
Even in gaming, promotions are a big part of staying competitive. That’s why, particularly in iGaming, you’ll notice that slots bonus offerings usually take various forms. This could include getting £5 in slot bonuses when you stake £15, or getting free spins that can be used across numerous titles. As people can choose the bonus that aligns with them, people can tailor the promotion to meet the experience they are looking to have.
Price Hikes are Adding Fuel to the Fire
As time goes on, it seems that price hikes are helping to add fuel to the fire. Not only are streaming companies trying to battle it out to stay competitive, but they are also facing challenges with pricing. Netflix, for example, still has a huge share of the market, but its recent price hikes haven’t gone down very well. With that said, price hikes help them to maintain their 302 million subscriber count. Ad-free Netflix has doubled in price over the last 13 years. With Prime, however, 88% of users have the ad-free version.
Interestingly, streaming services all have the same goal: to be competitive by offering more content and top shows that people want to watch. At the same time, although price does come into it, with most streaming services offering a similar monthly fee, ad-free content preferences vary, so companies are now having to navigate this to try and gain the edge, while striking the fine balance between keeping services affordable and investing in new content to generate more user subscriptions.
