Video engagement reached new heights in Q4 2025
Video engagement reached new heights in Q4 2025
New data from TiVo shows that viewers are streaming at a growing rate, but are allocating their entertainment dollars with care.
TiVo may not be the name in live video recording that it once was, but the company still has a large presence in TV. Recently, TiVo released its Video Trends Report for the fourth quarter of 2025, a detailed look at how Americans are consuming television and movies. The report indicates that, far from pulling back their video consumption, Americans are watching more than ever before, though they are keeping a close eye on how their entertainment budget is allocated.
Key Details:
- Big budget: Monthly entertaimment spending rose to over $160 in Q4 2025.
- Watching more: Daily video viewership rose to over 5 hours in the fourth quarter.
- Going FASTer: FAST viewers are now watching an average of 7.5 channels.
The new report from TiVo shows that audiences are now using an average of just over 10 video sources as of Q4 2025. Broken down into paid versus free streamers, the study shows that viewers have 6.71 paid video services versus 3.63 non-paid services on average. Viewers with a household income of between $100,000 and $200,000 use the most video sources, with an average of 13.12 each.
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Average spending on video rose slightly year-over-year in Q4, reaching $161.17. Sixty-five percent of respondents rate video as a moderate or high priority in the study, showing that despite the rising cost of access, viewers are consistently turning to video as a main source of entertainment.
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Daily viewership has risen as a result. The data from TiVo shows that in Q4, respondents were watching just over 5 hours of video per day — an increase of nearly a full half-hour YoY. It was the first year that average daily viewing rose over the 5-hour mark since at least 2020.
Viewers are spending more time getting to know their favorite free streamers, as well. The average watcher streams an average of 7.5 channels as of Q4 2025, an increase of more than 2 channels YoY. Seventy percent of respondents said they used free streaming services overall, and 42% of free streaming content is consumed during primetime. That data dovetails with a recent study from Samsung Ads which showed that free streamers are doing a better and better job of capturing audience attention.
Smart TV operating systems are playing a critical role in helping viewers find their next watch. Owners spend 57% of non-viewing time on their TV home screen, making it a vital gateway for both content discovery and advertising. Roku recently updated its home screen to offer more personalized content recommendations, likely due to data that reflects similar statistics about viewer habits.
The data from TiVo offers fascinating insight into the response viewers have had to increasing entertainment prices. Viewers aren’t cutting back on their use of video, but they are continuing to shift behaviors and spending habits to prioritize their favorite content and increasing their use of free streaming platforms to fill any gaps.
Roku Channel
The Roku Channel is a free, ad-supported streaming service that offers a broad mix of movies, TV shows, live linear channels, and original programming. Available to all viewers — not just Roku device owners — the service features licensed content from major studios alongside Roku Originals, which include exclusive series, movies, and specials previously produced for Quibi, as well as new original projects developed specifically for the platform.