Parks Associates: Tubi Is Most-Used Free Streaming Service in U.S. Homes

Why It Matters

Tubi’s lead signals a shift toward ad‑supported streaming as a primary viewing option, reshaping advertising dollars and competitive dynamics in the video market. The trend pressures subscription services to justify higher fees while encouraging broadcasters to double down on free, ad‑rich offerings.

Key Takeaways

• Tubi reaches ~80 million monthly U.S. viewers, topping FAST services
• The Roku Channel follows with ~60 million monthly users
• Pluto TV holds ~50 million monthly viewers, third place
• FAST services gain as subscription prices rise across Netflix, Prime, Disney+
• Roku devices and Fire TV together control ~80% of U.S. CTV market

Pulse Analysis

Parks Associates’ latest Streaming Video Tracker shows Fox’s Tubi has become the most‑watched free, ad‑supported streaming television (FAST) service in U.S. broadband homes, attracting roughly 80 million monthly viewers. The platform’s rapid ascent reflects Fox’s strategy of layering premium‑quality titles onto a frictionless, zero‑price experience. By contrast, The Roku Channel and Paramount’s Pluto TV lag behind with about 60 million and 50 million monthly users respectively. The data underscores that FAST services are no longer niche add‑ons but core components of the American TV diet.

Tubi’s dominance is especially striking given its opt‑in model; users must locate and install the app, unlike Roku’s pre‑installed channel that benefits from the manufacturer’s near‑ubiquitous presence in living rooms. Roku and Amazon Fire TV together command roughly 80 % of the U.S. connected‑TV platform market, amplifying the advertising reach of The Roku Channel’s inventory. Fox capitalized on this environment, reporting nearly $2.2 billion in total ad revenue for the most recent quarter, a figure that executives say is heavily driven by Tubi’s ad sales.

The surge in FAST viewership coincides with rising subscription fees on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+, prompting cord‑cutters to supplement paid tiers with ad‑supported alternatives. As premium services continue to adjust pricing annually, advertisers are reallocating spend toward platforms that deliver large, engaged audiences without a subscription barrier. Industry analysts expect the FAST segment to capture an increasing share of total video ad dollars, prompting both legacy broadcasters and streaming giants to deepen content libraries and improve recommendation engines to retain viewers.