HBO Max has reached 3.1 million UK households in its debut appearance in Barb’s publicly reported streaming data, as the British subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) market continues to expand through multiple subscriptions and growing adoption of advertising-supported services.
According to Barb’s Establishment Survey for the third quarter of 2026, 21 million UK households, representing 71% of all homes, had access to at least one streaming subscription. This marks an increase from 20.7 million households in the previous quarter and highlights the continued resilience of the UK streaming market.
However, the strongest growth came from households subscribing to multiple platforms. The number of homes accessing two or more SVOD services increased by nearly 600,000 to 15.4 million, accounting for 52% of UK households.
This expansion was approximately twice the overall increase in households accessing subscription streaming, suggesting that existing streaming customers are increasingly adding services rather than the market relying solely on new subscribers.
HBO Max enters an increasingly competitive market
HBO Max made its first appearance in Barb’s publicly reported subscription figures with access in 3.1 million UK homes, equivalent to 10% of households.
The figure places HBO Max alongside Apple TV, which also reached 3.1 million homes following growth from 2.8 million in the second quarter.
Doug Whelpdale, Head of Insight at Barb, compared HBO Max’s initial position with Disney+, which entered the organisation’s streaming tracker in Q3 2020 with 3.9 million households.
Disney+ has since expanded to 9 million UK homes, highlighting the potential for streaming platforms to build their presence over time.
Netflix maintained its leadership position, reaching 18.3 million households, up from 18 million in Q2.
Amazon Prime Video recorded the largest quarterly increase among the tracked services, adding approximately 700,000 households to reach 14.3 million.
Disney+ increased its household reach from 8.9 million to 9 million, while Paramount+ remained stable at 4 million.
NOW maintained access in 2 million households, whereas Discovery+ experienced a slight decline from 3.7 million to 3.6 million.
Advertising-supported streaming gains momentum
Alongside the expansion of multiple subscriptions, advertising-supported streaming continued to strengthen its position across major platforms.
Netflix reported 8.1 million UK households accessing its advertising-supported subscription tier, compared with 7.3 million in the previous quarter.
This increased the proportion of Netflix households using its ad-supported offering from 41% to 44%.
Disney+ recorded similar momentum, with advertising-supported access rising from 3.6 million to 3.9 million households. The tier now represents 43% of Disney+ households, up from 40%.
Amazon Prime Video maintained the largest advertising-supported household base among the reported services, reaching 12.7 million homes compared with 12.1 million in Q2.
Approximately 89% of Prime Video households access its advertising-supported offering, reflecting Amazon’s different approach to incorporating advertisements into its streaming service.
Streaming competition shifts towards household spending
The latest figures suggest that competition in the UK streaming market is increasingly centred on securing a greater share of household entertainment spending.
With more than half of UK households accessing multiple streaming platforms, content differentiation, competitive pricing and subscription flexibility are becoming important factors in attracting and retaining customers.
The growing adoption of advertising-supported subscriptions also indicates that streaming providers are developing revenue models that combine subscription payments with advertising income.
For platforms entering established markets, including HBO Max, long-term growth will depend on retaining viewers, offering compelling content and demonstrating value alongside existing subscriptions.
Barb cautioned that its Establishment Survey measures household-reported access rather than independently audited subscriber totals. Responses may also be affected by uncertainty surrounding bundled subscriptions and access through third-party providers.
Source: MEA Tech Watch Press Reporter
