PORTSMOUTH, N.H.—Free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) has moved from the margins of the streaming landscape to the center of how Americans watch TV, according to a new study from Hub Entertainment Research.
The "FAST: Full Throttle” report finds that many U.S. TV viewers now use FAST services, and roughly half of those users now describe FAST as "must-have." The findings reframe free streaming as more than a down market compromise and reveal that FAST viewers are remarkably similar to the paying streaming customer.
“‘Free’ is a reason for people to try a service, but it’s not enough to create real engagement over the long term,” said Jon Giegengack, principal at Hub and one of the authors of the study. “However, this research shows the library content most FASTs are built around is actually a selling point for many users, as is the low-friction user experience of services that often don’t even require you to create an account. As the cost of streaming — and everything else — keeps rising, free streaming will keep gaining ground.”
Other key findings from Hub’s inaugural FAST report include the fact that FAST is now a fixture, not a fallback.
A majority of TV viewers (55%) have used at least one FAST service, and roughly half of regular FAST users (46%) say those services are a “must-have” part of the entertainment ecosystem. Use is also sticky: 28% of FAST users say they watch every day.
In addition, FAST viewers aren't who the industry thought they would be, the study finds.
Free services were expected to appeal mainly to consumers who don’t care enough about TV to pay for it. The data says otherwise. FAST users spend just as much time watching TV: FAST viewers report watching about 24 hours of TV per week, statistically in line with the 22 hours watched by those who don’t use FAST platforms.
They also spend almost as much money: FAST users estimate they spend about $75 per month on TV services, only slightly less than non-FAST users ($84). Plus, 60% say they use FAST as a complement to their paid services, rather than a replacement for paid services.
These users are just as invested in TV: 67% say watching TV is an important part of their lives – the same percentage as among those who only use paid sources of TV.
“Free” is the biggest draw — but it’s not the only one. When asked to name the benefits of free streaming compared to other kinds of services, 87% of viewers mention the fact that they don’t cost anything to use. However, a near-frictionless experience (many FASTs don’t require a login at all) and the depth of the library content are also major factors.
Quick to access (40%) is important: Unlike pure SVOD services, viewers can find live streaming shows playing as soon as they open the app. To add, many free services don’t even require an account.
Easy to discover (33%): A third of users say that it’s easier to find new things to watch on FAST services than on other platforms.
Nostalgia viewing (32%): Free streaming skews more toward library content, and for many consumers, that’s the appeal: 46% of FAST users say they most often watch older shows, whether titles they’ve never seen or favorites they’re rewatching.
The researchers also found that FAST is a bridge between traditional TV and creator content — especially YouTube.
YouTube — once a home for cat videos — now sits atop the Nielsen Gauge as the most-watched streaming platform on TV sets. FAST services may be how traditional media companies follow viewers into that new kind of TV experience.
Free streaming users are more likely to watch YouTube: 85% of FAST users are also regular viewers of YouTube, compared with 66% of those who don’t use free streaming.
They’re more engaged with creator content in general: Half (48%) of free-streaming users say that creator content is a “must-have” part of their entertainment diet, compared with only 32% of non-users.
Free-streaming viewers are younger: 38% of FAST users are under the age of 35, compared to just 25% of those who don’t use free streaming.
Creator content can attract new users to long-form TV platforms: 59% of FAST users and 36% of non-users say they would try a new free streaming service if it offered creator content, they follow alongside traditional shows and movies.
“FAST is becoming the bridge between traditional television and the creator economy, and platforms like Tubi are proving that the model works,” said Yuliyana Beleva, Senior Research Analyst at Hub. “Viewers want simplicity, which is why a unified platform where creator content lives alongside traditional long-form TV is the natural next step. Creator content is no longer just a social media story — it's shaping the next chapter of free streaming.”
These findings are from Hub’s 2026 “FAST: Full Throttle” study, based on a survey conducted in February 2026 among 3,009 U.S. TV consumers — 2,500 monthly FAST users and 509 non-users. All respondents were age 16–74, watched at least five hours of TV per week, and had high-speed internet at home. Five qualitative in-depth interviews with monthly FAST users were also conducted in April 2026 to provide behavioral context to the survey results. A free excerpt of the findings is available on Hub’s website.
