In a crowded streaming ecosystem, Netflix is still far and away the most popular service on the market. It remains the biggest streaming service at over 325 million worldwide paid subscribers, with 67 million coming from the U.S. Content curation is Netflix’s biggest strength, as the streamer’s library features over 10,000 titles—movies, TV shows, documentaries, and specials.
In 2026, Netflix continues to adapt and adjust to the times by providing subscribers with more options outside streaming movies and TV shows. Offering movies and TV shows is Netflix’s bread and butter. However, the streamer has ventured into other avenues in hopes of becoming a one-stop shop for all forms of content. Here’s what Netflix’s U.S. audience can do when they’re not watching Thrash or the final season of Stranger Things.
Watch podcasts
Netflix’s attempt to become YouTube
When streaming services like Netflix talk about the fight for attention, their biggest competition is YouTube. According to the Pew Research Center, 85% of U.S. adults use YouTube. People want to watch videos. It’s also become a competitor to Spotify and Apple Music in the podcast space. Nearly every major podcast now has video, so fans can watch entire episodes or clips of viral moments.
Netflix has signed several deals with multiple podcasts to stream the video from each episode. Shows like The Bill Simmons Podcast, Pardon My Take, Murder with My Husband, and Rory & Mal are now available to stream on Netflix. The streamer has also created original podcasts to pair with its most popular shows. For example, a Bridgerton podcast was paired with the show’s most recent season so that fans could dive deeper into each episode. I’ve even streamed a few episodes of The Rewatchables in my spare time. It won’t replace YouTube, but it’s an intriguing alternative.
Bridgerton
Release Date
December 22, 2020
Network
Netflix
Directors
Tom Verica, Tricia Brock, Alex Pillai, Alrick Riley, Bille Woodruff, Cheryl Dunye, Sheree Folkson, Julie Anne Robinson
Play games
Game night comes to Netflix
Any gamers in the building? Netflix now has a section dedicated entirely to playing games. You can best experience it on your mobile device using the Netflix app. Your classic games, like solitaire and pinball, are ideal for passing the time. However, the games on Netflix have gotten more intricate. Subscribers can now play Red Dead Redemption and WWE 2K25: Netflix Edition on their phones, which is a fascinating development in the mobile gaming space.
To make Netflix a social app, the service has added party games to facilitate your next game night. Pictionary: Game Night, Tetris Time Warp, Boggle Party, and LEGO Party can be played on your TV, with your phone serving as the controller. Personally, I think Dead Man’s Party: A Knives Out Game has the most potential, considering the rise of escape rooms and murder mystery parties.
Netflix Playground
Entertainment for your kids
I am not a parent. However, I’ve experienced the difficulty of capturing a child’s attention. Keeping a child entertained for 10 minutes might be more difficult than rocket science. Netflix is a parent’s best friend thanks to all the kid-friendly movies and television. Netflix is helping parents out even more with the addition of Netflix Playground.
Games don’t just have to be for adults. Netflix Playground is a mobile app with games for kids aged 8 or younger. Included in all Netflix memberships, these special games feature recognizable characters from shows your kids love, including Sesame Street and Peppa Pig. The best part is that these games have no ads or hidden fees. There is no scarier visual than when an ad interrupts a kid’s game. Hopefully, Netflix Playground can prevent future tantrums.
Watch sports
Netflix wants more live sports
If you’re not familiar with ratings and viewership, I’ll give you a brief synopsis. In 2025, 83 of the most-watched U.S. telecasts were NFL football games. If you are a major network in the United States, you need the NFL to survive. The same principles now apply to streaming services that have jumped into the world of live sports.
In 2024, Netflix made a historic deal to broadcast NFL football games on Christmas Day. That tradition will continue in 2026. Netflix has added soccer, baseball, boxing, MMA, and the WWE to its roster. I’ll definitely be tuning in for Ronda Rousey’s comeback fight against Gina Carano on May 16. As for the presentation, there are some glitches in every broadcast that are unavoidable. However, Netflix smartly hired reputable commentators to legitimize their announcer teams. I only expect Netflix to add, not subtract, more live sporting events to its roster.
Stream concerts
The streamer is getting the top artists
Remember when I said Netflix is competing with YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Music in the podcast space? The streaming service also wants to carve out space in the music industry. Netflix has always produced renowned documentaries. However, the service has upped its music presence with the addition of live specials and concerts.
Look at what Netflix just did with BTS, the biggest boy band in the world. The streamer broadcast the group’s comeback concert last month in honor of their new album. Netflix did a similar stunt with Harry Styles and his One Night Only concert in Manchester. I love to put on music in the background when I’m cooking, typing, or lounging. If Netflix continues to add more concerts to their arsenal, then they’ll receive some streams from yours truly.
More Netflix content coming your way
If you end up wanting to watch movies or TV shows on Netflix, our team has some recommendations. For blockbuster movies, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple and a Red Hot Chili Peppers documentary are intriguing selections. For shows where order doesn’t matter, try Black Mirror or Seinfeld.
Subscription with ads
Yes, $8/month
Simultaneous streams
Two or four
