Recalling the Early Days of Streaming Dominance: Who Led the Pack in 2018?

Cast your mind back a few years, specifically to 2018. It was a truly exciting, almost wild west, time for entertainment. We were all starting to cut the cord, or at least seriously consider it, and the conversation around streaming was absolutely buzzing. Everyone was asking, who's really winning this new streaming game? Who had the most subscribers? Netflix, of course, was a massive presence, but Hulu and Amazon Prime Video were very much in the running, each carving out their own unique niche.

Now, if you were to place a bet back then on who held the subscriber crown, your money would almost certainly have been on Netflix. Indeed, they weren't just big; they were colossal. Domestically, their subscriber count was staggering, reaching tens of millions, and internationally? Well, they were truly a global phenomenon, expanding rapidly and bringing original content to screens worldwide. Their relentless focus on a vast library and a steady stream of bingeworthy original programming, from captivating dramas to laugh-out-loud comedies, had completely redefined how we consumed television.

But it wasn't a one-horse race entirely, not by a long shot. Hulu, for instance, had a rather distinct proposition. Tied closely to traditional broadcast networks, it offered current season shows just a day or two after airing – a massive draw for many and something Netflix simply couldn't (or wouldn't) do. Plus, their ad-supported tier made it an accessible option for countless households, and their nascent live TV service was just starting to gain real traction, appealing to those who still wanted a taste of linear TV. Then there was Amazon Prime Video, a fascinating beast indeed. Its subscriber numbers were always a little fuzzy, simply because it came bundled with an Amazon Prime membership. So, while not everyone signed up just for the video content, a massive number of households had access, and many were actively using it for their own burgeoning slate of originals and a surprisingly deep catalog.

What's truly remarkable when looking back at 2018, from our current vantage point, is who wasn't yet a dominant force. Disney+, Max (then largely HBO Now/Go, or tied to cable subscriptions), Peacock, Paramount+ – these massive players we often take for granted today were either nascent ideas, niche offerings, or simply not in the standalone streaming game in the same way. It felt like a critical juncture, a moment when the future of television was being rewritten right before our eyes, with just a few main protagonists battling fiercely for our attention and our monthly subscription fees.

So, when the dust settled on 2018 and the numbers were tallied, the crown for subscriber leadership, by a significant margin, undeniably belonged to Netflix. Hulu and Amazon Prime Video were certainly strong contenders, each with their own unique strengths and loyal user bases, but they hadn't quite caught up to the red-N juggernaut. It’s a powerful reminder of how quickly this industry can transform, and how what was true just a few years ago can feel like a different era entirely today.