Zattoo Report 2026: IPTV Solidifies Its Leading Position in Switzerland

Zattoo Report 2026: Internet TV Dominates TV Viewing in Switzerland

TV Streaming in Switzerland – this catchphrase sums up what Zattoo’s annual TV Streaming Report for 2026 confirms: Internet TV is no longer a niche phenomenon in Swiss households, but rather the most widely used method of viewing. 71 percent of households receive their television programming via the internet—a figure that remains stable compared to the previous year. Of these, 39 percent rely on IPTV offerings from telecommunications companies, and 32 percent use TV streaming services. The report is based on a representative online survey conducted by YouGov on behalf of Zattoo, in which 1,000 people in Switzerland participated between February 9 and 19, 2026. The results are weighted and representative of the Swiss population aged 16 to 69.

IPTV Expands Its Leading Position

The shift is particularly evident when looking at the primary viewing method: IPTV leads the way at 37 percent, marking a further increase from the previous year (34 percent). TV streaming follows with 29 percent (2025: 30 percent), cable accounts for 25 percent, and satellite for just four percent—both figures remain stable year-over-year. More than half of those surveyed can imagine using TV services exclusively via the Internet or already do so (54 percent; 2025: 56 percent).

The benefits of TV streaming continue to win people over: 41 percent of respondents cite time-shifted viewing as the most important benefit (2025: 42 percent), followed by the ability to watch on various devices (38 percent) and the ability to watch TV on the go (35 percent). Better picture quality is gaining slightly in importance, rising from 19 to 20 percent.

Traditional barriers to entry for TV streaming in Switzerland are disappearing

Traditional reservations about TV streaming are noticeably losing ground in Switzerland. The percentage of non-users who find streaming too expensive fell from 27 to 22 percent. Concerns about the stability of the internet connection dropped significantly from 10 to 4 percent. The argument that traditional television is sufficient is also losing ground: the percentage dropped from 41 to 31 percent. For the first time, however, 12 percent of non-users cite the multitude of apps and subscriptions as a barrier—a new navigation problem emerging in the increasingly fragmented streaming landscape.

Video on the Internet: YouTube Leads, Live TV Holds Its Ground

YouTube remains the most widely used video platform on the Internet, with 63 percent (2025: 65 percent). The use of live TV via the Internet remains stable at 41 percent. Video-on-demand services decline slightly from 24 to 22 percent, and video libraries from 22 to 21 percent. Viewing habits are thus consolidating at a consistently high level. A look into the future also reveals continued confidence in live TV: 82 percent of respondents expect to still be watching live TV in five years (2025: 81 percent).

Smart TV as the primary streaming device

Smart TVs are cementing their role as the primary device for TV streaming: 58 percent of respondents already use them for this purpose (2025: 53 percent). Other devices lag significantly behind: 43 percent stream via smartphone (2025: 45 percent), 38 percent via laptop or PC (2025: 39 percent), and 24 percent via tablet (2025: 28 percent).

More flexible subscription models are gaining importance

Short-term subscription models continue to gain in importance: 27 percent of Swiss people specifically sign up for streaming subscriptions for a limited period of time, such as for individual series, movies, or sporting events (2025: 26 percent). Price pressure remains noticeable: 19 percent canceled a streaming subscription last year for financial reasons (2025: 21 percent). More than half—53 percent—switched to a cheaper plan after canceling (2025: 52 percent), while 23 percent used free alternatives (2025: 26 percent).

Willingness to switch TV providers also remains high: 29 percent can imagine switching TV providers within the next twelve months (2025: 31 percent). Swiss households thus continue to be open to changes in their own TV setups.

According to the report, the trend shows that streaming services are being used in an increasingly flexible and situational manner, while traditional long-term subscription models are losing importance for many users. Zattoo has been conducting this study annually since 2015 to analyze trends in TV and streaming usage in Switzerland.

Further information and the full report are available at https://zattoo.com.