Spain is seeing growth in free streaming services usage, with YouTube being the dominant player, and streaming subscriptions experiencing a hit. Just ask GECA, an analytics, data, and consulting company focused on the Spanish and Hispanic markets, which has just launched FAST Barometer, a service designed to analyze the performance of free video streamers, whether FAST, AVOD or FVOD, in Spain.
It “tracks consumption across leading free video services and FAST channels, including YouTube, RTVE Play, Atresplayer, Pluto TV, DAZN, Rakuten TV, Samsung TV Plus, Twitch, Mediaset Infinity, LaLiga Sports TV, LG Channels and Mi TV+, among many others,” it said in unveiling the new tool at Iberseries & Platino Industria in Madrid.
“With the rapid evolution of the audiovisual landscape, it is essential that we understand what is happening within free platforms. This is the only way to unlock their full potential,” said Rafael Herrera, GECA’s business director. “This new tool is a natural step forward to complement the insights we have long been providing through our OTT Barometer, where we monitor traditional platforms.”
The FAST Barometer is based on a representative sample of 1,000 individuals aged 18+ in Spain.
GECA also shared key insights from its first FAST Barometer. “The findings highlight the growing role of free platforms in Spain’s media ecosystem, with direct implications for advertisers and programmers,” the company said, mentioning YouTube’s “dominance as the most widely used platform,” reaching 71.3 percent of users in the most recent quarter. It is followed by public broadcaster RTVE’s RTVE Play with 53.4 percent, Atresmedia’s Atresplayer with 37.1 percent, Paramount’s Pluto TV with 35.5 percent, and DAZN with 26.5 percent.
YouTube also leads the ranking of the preferred free platform among multi-platform users, with 46.7 percent of respondents picking it, followed by RTVE Player with 15.7 percent, and Pluto TV with 7.3 percent.
Overall, Spain’s users of FAST platforms are, on average, slightly younger and more male than SVOD users, according to the FAST Barometer.
Thematic programming is on the rise, the first report also found. “While the flagship generalist channels like La 1 and 24h still lead overall viewership, thematic content now shows significant strength,” it highlighted. “This is evident in the strong performance of specialized channels, including major sports outlets Teledeporte, DAZN F1 and popular niche offerings like SpongeBob SquarePants, Charmed, and Pluto TV Cine Acción.”Gen Z is the only age group in Spain that favors thematic channels over general programming.
“Their consumption is decisively mobile-first, with seven out of ten Gen Z viewers watching content on their smartphones, compared to just 45 percent of millennials,” the FAST Barometer found.
“Over half of free-platform users already watch live content, proving that FAST is not limited to on-demand viewing,” GECA’s report highlighted. “While perceptions of advertising being ‘excessive’ remain a challenge, it is encouraging that almost half of users acknowledge ads are relevant to their interests, underlining the potential of segmentation and personalization strategies.”
It also addressed the big question of whether free streaming options impact streaming subscriptions.
“Although only 12.8 percent of respondents report not subscribing to any paid platforms, there is a clear trend toward returning to free consumption,” GECA summarized the results of its first FAST Barometer. “13 percent of users have canceled at least one paid subscription due to increased FAST usage, while 23 percent have considered doing so.”
Concluded Kike Lozano, managing director of GECA: “The strategic value of the FAST Barometer goes far beyond consumption figures. It is a key tool for qualitative competitive analysis. It provides the insights needed to understand competitor strategies, identify where audiences are, and seize the growing opportunities in connected TV monetization, which continues to expand year after year.”