In the age of ever-evolving technology, increasingly more people choose online entertainment over traditional digital solutions.

Like SVOD (Subscription Video-on-Demand), beating classic television year after year when it comes to attracting new audiences.

What is SVOD in media? It is one of the video-on-demand subtypes, charging regular fees for unlimited access to the service’s content.

The best example is Netflix taking the world by storm with fantastic originals, golden classics, brand-new TV shows, and more – all available in one of three affordable plans.

There is no need to download videos, as it is a streaming service operating purely via the Internet on TV, PC, smartphone, or tablet. As you can see, this type of video subscription service is much more flexible than traditional media – and that’s why it is growing in popularity each year. Want to learn more? Read on!

Popular Subscription Video-on-Demand Platforms

  • Netflix

Ranking first among the best on-demand streaming services, Netflix gathered 269.6 million paid subscribers worldwide in 2024. The platform owes this impressive success to pretty reasonable prices, a massive library of diverse content, and global reach.

What makes it unique among other choices? It’s rich original content, including wildly popular examples like Strangers Things, Orange is the New Black, and The Crown.

Moreover, its users can easily download their favorite titles on the app to watch them later or on the go. With essential features like parental controls, separate profiles within one account, and a wide range of family-friendly content, Netflix represents ​​a perfect choice for the entire family.

  • Hulu

Featuring an ad-supported plan for $7.99/month, Hulu lets you access its fantastic content selection, including movie classics, originals, episodes of current cable shows, and more.

However, users who crave even more can instantly choose from joined bundles involving extra Live TV channels or add-ons such as Max, Cinemax, Starz, and Paramount with Showtime.

In 2024, the most popular shows on Hulu are The Bear, The Handmaid’s Tale, American Horror Story, Fargo, and more. It truly is a streaming service that anyone can personalize according to their needs and viewing preferences.

  • Disney

As currently the second-best streaming service out there, Disney definitely knows how to satisfy its users. Contrary to appearances, it is not a platform reserved only for kids.

So far, Disney has 148 million subscribers, being second to Netflix in the fierce race for more audiences. Its diverse content includes legendary titles for the entire family, such as The Mandalorian, Encanto, Deadpool, West Side Story, or even timeless classics like The Sound of Music.

Moreover, users can bundle their Hulu account with Disney to enjoy two in one package.

Technology Behind Subscription Video-on-Demand

So, what exactly is the technological meaning of Subscription VOD? Unlike alternative media, it bypasses standard analog solutions like satellite or cable to rely solely on Internet streaming.

Therefore, any streaming service requires sufficient connection quality to work well. And since everyone can access the Internet from the comfort of their homes or smartphones, Subscription Video-on-Demand is conveniently accessible anywhere on the planet.

Benefits of Subscription Video-on-Demand

Unlike traditional solutions, Subscription VOD lets you control what you watch and when. Users can enjoy golden classics or explore a massive selection of brand-new shows across many genres, assuming there is an Internet connection.

And with its availability on many devices (including mobile), all this content stays at your fingertips wherever you need it.

One of the best parts about using streaming services is the recommendations. Depending on the genres you have previously viewed, the platform suggests what you should watch next. That arrives with a user-friendly interface for more convenient searching and accessibility options (like captions or audio descriptions).

Some platforms allow you to create separate profiles within one account so everyone can tailor the viewing experience to their preferences. And when it comes to kids, parental controls let you determine what the youngest can watch. Finally, all that comes at a much more reasonable price than traditional TV. And with the available plans, you decide how much you want to spend.

Challenges and Future Trends

Although the streaming services’ popularity increased tremendously during the pandemic, this unexpected trend calmed down when people worldwide returned to their daily lives.

Due to the uncertain economic situation, only some people want to pay for multiple subscriptions on platforms they no longer use so often, hence Netflix’s new strategies for earning more from remaining users.

Another issue of streaming services is the presence of too many similar platforms on the market – most offer too few popular productions, instead flooding users with low-budget alternatives not everyone wants to watch.

Nevertheless, the phenomenal popularity of streaming platforms continues to grow, and most forecasts predict the Subscription Video-on-Demand market will have approximately 1.6 billion users by 2027. And if the market consolidates its options to eliminate smaller platforms from the game, this number could be even higher.