YouTube’s $40.4B Ad Revenue Surpasses Disney’s and Peers’ $37.8B Combined
YouTube posted $40.4 billion in ad revenue last year, surpassing the combined $37.8 billion ad sales of Disney, NBCUniversal, Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery. It also captured 12.5% of US television viewership in January versus the combined streaming share of those peers while generating nearly $22 billion in subscription revenue.
1. YouTube Tops Legacy Media Ad Revenue
Last year YouTube generated $40.4 billion in advertising revenue, exceeding the combined $37.8 billion haul from Disney, NBCUniversal, Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery. In 2024 YouTube trailed with $36.1 billion compared to $41.8 billion from those same studios.
2. Viewership Share Shift
YouTube accounted for 12.5% of US television viewership in January, outpacing the combined streaming share of Disney, NBCUniversal, Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery, while Netflix held an 8.8% share. This marks a significant shift in how audiences consume video content.
3. Subscription Growth and Outlook
YouTube’s paid services brought in nearly $22 billion in 2025 from YouTube TV, Premium, Music and NFL Sunday Ticket. Google’s planned launch of skinny bundles, including sports-focused options, aims to attract additional cord-cutters without full cable packages.