YouTube has firmly established its supremacy in India’s OTT landscape, claiming a massive 37.7 percent share of the Rs.37,940.4 crore streaming market in the financial year 2024-25. The findings were revealed in the latest annual report by Chrome OTT (COTT), offering a sweeping view of the shifting dynamics in India’s booming digital entertainment sector.

According to an official press release issued by Chrome OTT, the research, covering the period from April 2024 to March 2025, paints a vivid picture of an industry that continues to lean heavily towards advertising-driven models. YouTube’s commanding position, driven primarily by its ad-supported structure, reflects the clear preference among Indian consumers for free, flexible viewing options, complemented by a strong mobile-first consumption trend.

The report highlights that YouTube generated Rs.14,300 crore in total revenue, of which Rs.12,425 crore came solely from advertisements. Jio Cinema, now operating as JioHotstar following the merger, followed in second place with Rs.8,835 crore in revenue, maintaining its stronghold by offering a hybrid model that blends both ad-supported (AVOD) and subscription-based (SVOD) content. Meanwhile, global giant Netflix secured the third spot with Rs.2,900 crore in pure subscription revenue, showcasing that premium paid services still have a sizeable, albeit niche, audience.

An interesting insight from the COTT report was the staggering dependence on advertising across the Indian OTT ecosystem, accounting for nearly 78 percent of the total revenue. This stands in stark contrast to mature international markets, where subscription models overwhelmingly dominate. Dr. Pooja Shrivastava, Group Head, Data Science at COTT, emphasized that the platforms embracing hybrid revenue streams are seeing the most success, indicating a nuanced evolution unique to the Indian market.

Further supporting this trend, Pankaj Krishna, Founder and CEO of Chrome DM, pointed out that while YouTube leads by a significant margin, JioHotstar’s steady growth shows a maturing market that is increasingly welcoming to diversified content delivery and pricing models. Platforms like Amazon MX Player, Sony Liv, and Zee5, though smaller in comparison, continue to carve out their niches through regional programming and affordable pricing.

The COTT study also included comprehensive metrics such as viewership patterns, content performance analytics, and demographic insights, offering advertisers and content creators a powerful lens into consumer behavior. Chrome OTT’s “COTT for Business” tool, in particular, is designed to help brands and creators navigate this fragmented but thriving space through sharp, data-driven decisions.

The findings ultimately underscore the fact that India’s OTT revolution is still very much a work in progress, shaped heavily by its affordability-driven user base, regional language diversity, and the growing appetite for both short-form and premium storytelling.