Netflix reportedly considers opening its app to other streamers
Netflix has reportedly discussed opening its app to allow subscriptions or content from rival streaming services, according to The New York Times. The talks are said to have focused on Peacock and Fox One, though it remains unclear whether Netflix would sell subscriptions to these services directly or simply incorporate their content into its own app. Such a move would mark a significant shift for Netflix, which has previously only participated in third-party bundles rather than opening its platform to competitors, unlike Amazon's Prime Video and Roku, which have long offered rival subscriptions.
No deal is currently imminent, but Netflix has already tested this approach in France, where it integrated live channels and content from broadcaster TF1 in June. Netflix co-CEO Greg Peters described the results of that partnership as "promising" during a July earnings call, adding that the company would consider further similar deals if they benefited both members and partners. Notably, YouTube, seen as Netflix's biggest rival, is also set to offer Peacock access through its Premium subscription from next year.
- Netflix reportedly explored adding rival streamers like Peacock to its app
- No imminent deal, but France's TF1 partnership seen as a model
- Rival YouTube will offer Peacock via its Premium tier next year
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Netflix is a subscription service for films, television programmes and some live content. It has generally kept its own viewing catalogue separate from rival services, while platforms such as Amazon’s Prime Video and Roku also let people access subscriptions from other providers.
Peacock is a streaming service owned by NBCUniversal, while Fox One offers programmes and live channels from Fox. Netflix has tested bringing another broadcaster’s content into its app in France through a partnership with TF1, and its co-chief executive Greg Peters has said the results were promising.
The issue matters because streaming companies are deciding whether viewers should use separate apps for each service or find more content in one place. Any wider arrangement could affect how Netflix works with competitors and how viewers access and pay for their programmes.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Opening the app to rivals could transform Netflix from a content company into a platform hub, capturing value from users who would subscribe to multiple services anyway. By taking a revenue share from third-party subscriptions and integrating competitors' content, Netflix converts its massive user base into a distribution advantage whilst offering customers the convenience of a single application. This model has already proven successful for Amazon Prime Video and Roku, and Netflix's own test in France produced "promising" results, suggesting genuine customer appetite for this bundling approach.
The case against
Allowing competitors to distribute through Netflix's app risks undermining the core advantages that made Netflix dominant—exclusive content and a focused user experience centred on Netflix's own offerings. Customers might reduce or cancel their Netflix subscriptions if they can access rivals' services through the same app, creating revenue cannibalism rather than growth. Furthermore, subsidising competitors' access to Netflix's user base transforms the company from a differentiated content provider into a middleman distributor, a strategic retreat that abandons the exclusivity that built Netflix's dominance in the first place.