‘Golden era’ of subscription streaming growth may be over, says YouGov

YouGov has identified a “concerning” trend for SVOD providers—a significant number of people already have or are contemplating cancelling streaming subscriptions.

The research company found that, among a survey of more than 2,000 UK consumers, 29% have cancelled or removed at least one streaming service in the past 12 months; and 38% say they are likely to cancel at least one service in the next 12 months.

YouGov claimed the “’golden era’ of subscription growth may be over” and that SVOD brands need to focus on retention.

However, it also found that some SVOD providers are more vulnerable to potential churn than others.

Current users of established players like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video show the greatest intent not to cancel (70% in Netflix’s case and 67% in Amazon’s), but 50% of DAZN users and 45% of Apple TV+ users says they are likely to unsubscribe.

The survey also found that the most important factors leading people to cancel were low use and high costs.