Netflix is borrowing YouTube’s playbook

1. Creators. Netflix has signed some of YouTube’s biggest names, including Ms. Rachel, Mark Rober, Alan Chikin Chow and the Stokes Twins (141M subscribers). Its most expansive deal so far is an exclusive development deal with Jordan and Salish Matter. The approach works. Ms. Rachel was Netflix’s most-watched kids title in the first half of 2026, while the same videos stayed free on YouTube.

2. Video podcasts. Netflix now streams video podcasts from Spotify, iHeartMedia and Barstool, and some of those shows are no longer available in full on YouTube. Netflix and Spotify also reportedly bought the exclusive video rights to Jay Shetty’s On Purpose in a deal worth up to $100 million.

3. Simulcasts. Netflix no longer insists on exclusivity. It’s happy to stream shows alongside other platforms, as long as it gets the audience.

India shows the model clearly

Two of India’s biggest youth franchises made the move this year:

  • India’s Got Latent, Samay Raina’s show that started on YouTube, returned for Season 2 in June 2026 as a first-of-its-kind simulcast on Netflix and YouTube. A Netflix-exclusive comedy special is in development
  • Roadies Rebirth premieres today on Netflix and JioHotstar while also airing on MTV. It’s the first time the show has been on two streaming platforms at once. New episodes drop every Friday and Saturday, a weekly rhythm that looks more like YouTube than a Netflix binge.

YouTube is fighting back

YouTube has warned creators that posting on both platforms hurts their YouTube viewership. It is now offering financing and brand deals to keep them loyal. YouTube still has the bigger audience: in August 2026, 92% of Netflix users also used YouTube, but only 16% of YouTube users also used Netflix.

Ads are Netflix’s next big business

Netflix’s ad tier, once something it resisted, is now a major growth engine:

  • 250M+ monthly active viewers on the ad plan, up from 94M a year earlier
  • 60% of new sign-ups in ad markets choose the ad plan
  • Ad revenue went past $1.5B in 2025 and is on track to double to $3B in 2026
  • 4,000+ advertisers, up 70% year on year
  • 15 new markets get the ad tier from 2027

Creator content, video podcasts and weekly episodes all suit ads well. They are cheaper to make than prestige drama, people watch them by habit, and they’re easy to integrate brands into. India is the notable gap: all plans there are still ad-free, and it isn’t on the 2027 list. But the Latent and Roadies deals suggest Netflix India is building an ad-friendly library before it switches ads on.

What this means for brands

  1. Creator IP is now premium TV. Today’s YouTube creator could be tomorrow’s Netflix show. Partner early
  2. Video podcasts are premium inventory. Long-form brand conversations are no longer a niche format.
  3. Weekly episodes keep audiences coming back. Integrations in episodic formats get repeated attention, not one-time views.
  4. Plan for premium CTV ads. Where Netflix ads are live, test them. Where they aren’t yet, like India, get ready.

The bottom line: Netflix isn’t replacing YouTube. It’s taking YouTube’s best creators and formats into a premium, ad-supported space.

Sources: Tubefilter, OutlierKit, TechCrunch, The Hollywood Reporter India, Social Nation, Bloomberg, Streaming Media Blog, Subscription Insider and Netflix India’s plan listings.