More than a third of streaming subscribers have cancelled a service because of a poor app experience rather than price or content, according to new research from CTAM and Hub Entertainment Research.
The study, Value by Design: Building a Better Streaming UX and Discovery Experience, found that 36% of viewers said user experience alone had prompted them to cancel a subscription. Among viewers aged under 25, the figure rose to 43%.
While overall satisfaction with streaming apps remains high – 90% of respondents said they were somewhat or very satisfied – the research found that frustration with navigation and content discovery remains widespread. Some 72% of viewers said they had experienced at least one issue they found “extremely frustrating”, while 80% reported encountering recurring problems.
One of the biggest complaints was the placement of key features such as Continue Watching and Watch Lists. The study found that making these permanently visible could improve retention, with 48% of respondents saying a pinned Continue Watching row would make them more likely to keep a subscription, while 43% said the same about a pinned Watch List.
The research also highlights changing consumer expectations, with streaming services increasingly being compared with social media and mobile apps rather than rival television platforms. Around 68% of viewers said they make at least some viewing decisions outside TV apps, often through platforms such as TikTok or Instagram.
Younger audiences were found to be particularly demanding. Nearly six in ten viewers aged 13-24 said streaming recommendations do not feel personalised to them, while almost half discover programmes through social media trailers before opening a streaming app.
Jon Giegengack, founder of Hub Entertainment Research, said: “This research underscores the extent to which TV apps are compared not just to other TV apps, but to all of the apps consumers use across categories. Viewers have high expectations, and even small moments of friction can quickly accumulate to cause frustration and abandonment.”
Vicki Lins, President and CEO of CTAM, added that while content and pricing often dominate industry discussions, user experience has become “a silent killer, quietly eroding loyalty while price and content grab the headlines.”
The study was based on a survey of 3,000 US consumers aged 13-64, supplemented by in-depth interviews with streaming subscribers and conducted in April 2026.
Source: broadbandtvnews.com