UK viewers trail Americans in daily streaming time, Bango survey notes

Over one in 10 British adults now spend the equivalent of 60 days a year streaming content, according to new data released May 7 by subscription bundling platform Bango.

The survey, based on responses from 40,000 U.K. consumers, found that 13% of respondents stream more than four hours of content daily. This equates to 1,460 hours per year, or roughly 60 full days.

Streaming services including Netflix, Disney+ and Prime Video were among those cited.

More than one-third (34%) of U.K. respondents said they watch two or more hours of streaming content daily. That figure is higher than that of other European countries surveyed, including Spain (29%), Italy and France (21% each) and Greece (18%).

Streaming also ranked as the top digital activity in the United Kingdom.

According to Bango’s data, 21% of U.K. adults spend at least two hours daily on social media, 18% on music streaming and 13% on platforms such as TikTok and Instagram Reels.

Younger consumers reported the highest usage, with 40% of Gen Z respondents in the U.K. watching at least two hours of content daily. However, Gen X consumers are more likely to pay for streaming subscriptions, with 62% covering the cost, compared to 51% of Gen Z.

Gen Z is instead allocating spending to other digital services. Forty percent of U.K. Gen Z respondents pay for music subscriptions, and 9% pay for premium social media services such as Snapchat+ or X Premium.

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In comparison, American consumers reported higher streaming engagement. Forty percent of respondents in the United States said they stream at least two hours daily, with nearly one in five watching over four hours daily.

U.S. Gen Z users are also spending more on digital content beyond streaming. Nearly one-quarter (23%) reported paying for premium social media features. On average, American consumers maintain 5.4 digital subscriptions, with two typically included in bundle offerings such as those from broadband or mobile providers.

The survey results were compiled using data from the GWI consumer insights platform.