As platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+ continue to slug it out for the top spot in the digital streaming space, Paramount+ has quietly carved off a sizable piece of the U.S. market.
Owing to the success of new shows like 1883 (and the growing “Sheridan-Verse”), Tulsa King, and SEAL Team; as well as a deep back catalog that includes hits like Frasier, RuPaul’s Drag Race, Avatar: the Last Airbender, and the entire Star Trek universe; Paramount+ has slowly, but surely establishing itself as a dark horse contender in the streaming wars.
So, we wanted to check in on Paramount’s performance over the past few months. Particularly in the United States, where we analyzed the app’s downloads, top chart rankings, and monthly active users (MAU).
Here’s what we found (click the links to jump to the relevant sections):
- Paramount+ Has Been Downloaded 5,225,670 Times Since October 2022 and 1,350,651 Times Since January 2023
- Paramount+ Rose 59 Spots in the U.S. App Store and Ranked in the Top 5
- The Android Version of Paramount+ Had 1,773,762 Monthly Active Users (MAU) Heading Into 2023
Paramount+ Has Been Downloaded 5,225,670 Times Since October 2022 and 1,350,651 Times Since January 2023
The chart above depicts daily U.S. downloads for the Android (purple) and iOS (orange) versions of Paramount+ since October 1st, 2022.
In total, the two apps tallied 5,225,670 downloads. While the Android version registered 1,910,938 downloads, the iOS notched 3,314,732.
But things have taken off a bit in January. Check it out:
This chart focuses on the period between January 1st, 2023 and January 24th, 2023, when the Paramount+ apps combined for 1,350,651 downloads.
There’s some fluctuation, but in general the apps have routinely combined for well over 50,000 daily downloads since the beginning of the new year. The latest data even has the iOS version of the app soaring into the six digit range, when it hit 103,514 downloads on January 23rd. Not too shabby.
Paramount+ Rose 59 Spots in the U.S. App Store and Ranked in the Top 5
Paramount’s downloads have translated to strong top chart rankings. Currently, the iOS version is the top app in the “Entertainment” genre, while the Android version ranks 9th. However, in the period we looked at, both versions of the app have held the top spot in their respective stores and neither have fallen outside the top 20.
What’s more, the iOS version of Paramount+ rose a whopping 59 spots in the overall U.S. charts, making it the number 4 app in the country on January 23rd, 2023. Amazingly, this was good enough to (briefly) surpass apps like TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, and, well, everyone else. See here:
The Android Version of Paramount+ Had 1,773,762 Monthly Active Users (MAU) Heading Into 2023
Finally, we come to monthly active users. Paramount’s Android user base has grown significantly in recent months. According to our data, the app had just 523,854 MAUs in November 2022, before improving to 1,773,762 in December.
Considering that Paramount has performed even stronger thus far in 2023, it’s likely January’s numbers will be similar, if not better than, Decembers.
Moreover, while we don’t have the iOS numbers yet, they’re likely even better. As noted above, the Android and iOS versions of Paramount+ were downloaded 1.9 and 3.3 million times, respectively, in the period we analyzed. If these downloads correlate to MAUs, then it’s safe to assume that Paramount+ has well over 3 million users in the United States alone.
Final Thoughts
Now, to be clear, we’re not by any means suggesting that Paramount+ is on a collision course for the top spot in the streaming space. Indeed, while it’s a huge win for the platform that it’s been downloaded 5.2 million times in the United States since October 2022, Americans downloaded Netflix well over 14 million times in the same period. Likewise, Disney+ was downloaded 10+ million times and Amazon Prime Video was downloaded 7+ million times.
Nevertheless, Paramount has come a long way in recent months. Buttressed by a spate of hit new series, a gem-ladened back catalog, and streaming rights for the NFL, NCAA, UEFA, and others, it’s well-positioned to flourish in the years to come.