Platform encyclopedia
Deep histories of the twelve platforms that built the OTT industry — the global majors, the challengers and India's giants. Each profile: quick facts, the full rise, year-by-year milestones, deep dives, and standing today.
Last updated November 2026
No platforms match your search. Try 'streaming', 'sports' or a platform name.
Netflix
The company that turned streaming into an industry
Full history →Amazon Prime Video
The streamer that came free with your shopping
Full history →Disney+
A hundred years of IP, pointed at Netflix
Full history →YouTube
The video internet — and the biggest streamer nobody counts
Full history →Hulu
The broadcaster streamer that proved the model
Full history →HBO Max
Prestige TV over the top — through four names
Full history →Apple TV+
The smallest giant — quality over quantity
Full history →Peacock
NBC's second act — free tiers, NFL playoff games and the Olympics
Full history →Paramount+
From CBS All Access to (almost) everything of Paramount's
Full history →JioHotstar
The platform that raced to 300 million in five months
Full history →SonyLIV
The quiet challenger with the biggest Indian hits
Full history →ZEE5
The regional-language library of India
Full history →| Platform | Key launch | Latest reported scale |
|---|---|---|
| Netflix | January 2007 | 325M+ (crossed Q4 2025) |
| Amazon Prime Video | — | — |
| Disney+ | 12 November 2019 | 131.6 million (Sept 2025) |
| YouTube | February 2005 | 2.5 billion+ |
| Hulu | March 2008 (public) | 64.1 million (September 2025) |
| HBO Max | 27 May 2020 | about 132 million (end of 2025) |
| Apple TV+ | 1 November 2019 | Never disclosed |
| Peacock | 15 July 2020 (Xfinity preview from April) | about 41 million (mid-2025) |
| Paramount+ | October 2014 | about 80 million (2025) |
| JioHotstar | 14 February 2025 | about 300 million (June 2025) |
| SonyLIV | January 2013 (as Sony's catch-up app) | — |
| ZEE5 | February 2018 | About 100 million monthly users (company-reported) |