Streaming Showdown: Tubi’s 97M Users Prove Free Might Just Be the Future

By Black Film Wire Editorial Team

Do you have a Tubi account? We just opened one.

From our back end at the Black Film Wire

While all eyes tend to be on Netflix and YouTube, it’s Tubi, Fox’s free, ad-supported streaming service, that’s been quietly building an empire of its own. Purchased for just $440 million in 2020, Fox has reportedly turned down offers around $2 billion, and with good reason: Tubi now boasts 97 million monthly active users and is expected to cross $1 billion in revenue this fiscal year, according to Fox CEO Lachlan Murdoch (via TheWrap).

Source: TUBI Corporate

With CANAL+ also on the verge of finalizing its acquisition of MultiChoice, the French-owned media conglomerate could soon hold distribution power over both Netflix and Showmax in many African markets. That’s no small feat. And if you're an African streamer, content creator, or viewer... it’s time to pay attention.

So how does Tubi compare to the rest?

Platform	Monthly Active Users/Subscribers	Business Model
Youtube	2.5 billion+	Free + Premium
Netflix	270 million+ paid subscribers	Subscription only
Prime Video	~200 million+ accounts (bundled w/ Prime)	Subscription (bundled)
Disney+	117.6 million (Q2 2025)	Subscription
Hulu	50 million+ (U.S. only)	Subscription + Ad tiers
Tubi	97 million + (global)	Free, ad- supported
MAX (HBO)	95 million +	Subscription
Peacock	34 million (paid & free combined)	Free + Premium tiers
Pluto TV	80 million +	Free, ad-supported

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Why Tubi Matters for Black Creators

Tubi has also become a breakout platform for Black indie films, Nollywood titles, and under-the-radar gems from across the diaspora. Its ad-supported model means lower barriers to entry for audiences and higher discoverability for independent creators—especially those shut out by the premium paywalls of larger platforms. 

In short: while Netflix is global, and YouTube is massive, Tubi is the scrappy underdog making serious noise—and offering real opportunities for Black storytellers to reach audiences at scale.

We’re watching this space, popcorn in hand.

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