Max Streams Through YouTube as Consumers Feel App Fatigue

With the number of streaming apps proving frustrating to consumers, leading players are finding ways to collaborate to avoid getting cut.

Most recently, Max is now making its content available through YouTube.

The streaming service’s ad-free tier will be available for viewing via YouTube’s Primetime Channels beginning Friday (Dec. 15), enabling consumers to watch it from their YouTube app, as Warner Bros. Discovery announced this week. The move does not save on cost for viewers, with the subscription still costing $15.99 per month, but it does address consumers’ app fatigue, making it possible to stream the content without downloading Max.

PYMNTS Intelligence indicated that consumers want more unified mobile apps rather than standalone ones for each of their day-to-day activities. The study “Consumer Interest in an Everyday App,” a PYMNTS Intelligence and PayPal collaboration, drew from a survey of more than 3,300 consumers in the United States and Australia. It found that 35% of those in the U.S. expressed a strong desire for a unified everyday app.

Moreover, with streaming services specifically, consumers are feeling fatigued. Per a study from last year highlighted in PYMNTS’ Subscription Commerce Tracker®, created in collaboration with Vindicia, 55% of consumers think there are too many streaming options and 58% of Americans subscribed to video streaming services are subscribed to three or more platforms.

By enabling their content to be viewed through other platforms, streaming services have the option to make their offerings fit more seamlessly into consumers’ existing digital routines.

Some streaming services are already doing this via add-ons. For instance, Hulu’s Disney+ (With Ads) add-on enables consumers to watch Hulu’s content through the Disney+ app. Hulu also has the option to add HBO content on the Hulu app. Amazon Prime Video offers the option to add channels, including Max, Paramount+ and others, through the Prime Video app.

Additionally, Paramount+, AMC+ and Starz are also available as YouTube Primetime Channels, such that YouTube users feeling fatigued may soon be able to treat the app as a one-stop streaming destination, should more major players join.

The move to enable streaming on competitors’ platforms can help streaming services keep these app-fatigued consumers engaged at a time when many subscribers are tempted to cancel.

The PYMNTS Intelligence report “The One-Stop Bill Pay Playbook: Drivers of Consumers’ Bill Payment Priorities,” created in collaboration with Mastercard, drew from a survey of more than 2,100 U.S. consumers. It revealed that when people are unable to pay all their bills, streaming subscriptions are the first to get cut. Fifty-five percent of respondents said they cancel their streaming subscriptions under these circumstances, a greater share than said the same for any other service.

As consumers continue to feel overwhelmed by the number of streaming apps available, collaborations like the one between Max and YouTube offer a promising solution. By making their content accessible through popular platforms, streaming services can cater to consumers’ desire for a unified experience and ensure their continued engagement in an increasingly competitive market.