Netflix considers adding rival streaming services to its app

MUMBAI: Netflix may be getting ready to share the streaming shelf. The company is exploring whether rival services such as Peacock and Fox One could be made available through its own app, according to The New York Times, potentially turning Netflix from a streaming destination into a broader storefront for competing platforms.

The discussions are still internal and no deal has been confirmed. Under the model being considered, Netflix could potentially allow users to subscribe to third-party streaming services through its app or bring their content into the Netflix experience. The exact commercial structure remains unclear.

Such a move would mark a notable shift for Netflix, which has traditionally centred its platform on its own catalogue and licensed content rather than acting as an aggregation layer for rival streaming services.

The approach would bring Netflix closer to models already used by Amazon Prime Video and Roku, where users can discover and subscribe to multiple streaming services from a single platform.

Peacock and Fox One are reportedly among the services discussed, although Netflix has not indicated that an agreement with either is imminent.

The company has already begun testing the broader concept of third-party integration. In France, Netflix added live channels and streaming content from broadcaster TF1 in June.

Netflix co-CEO Greg Peters said during the company’s July earnings call that early results from the TF1 partnership were promising. He added that Netflix would consider similar arrangements where they worked for the company, its members and its partners.

The potential strategy comes as consumers contend with an increasingly fragmented streaming market, often requiring multiple subscriptions to access different shows, films and live content.

Peacock, for example, recently increased prices across its plans. Its ad-supported Select tier now costs $8.99 a month, while Premium costs $12.99 and Premium Plus $19.99.

For consumers, putting multiple services inside one familiar interface could make the streaming hunt less of a subscription maze. For Netflix, it could offer another way to remain at the centre of viewing habits even when the content audiences want sits outside its own library.

The move also reflects a wider shift in streaming, with platforms looking beyond simply adding subscribers and focusing on becoming more useful destinations. Netflix continues to expand its own content offering, including a stronger South Indian content push in India, while also investing in advertising and other ways to deepen engagement.

For now, Netflix’s marketplace ambitions remain firmly in the discussion stage. But if the idea becomes reality, the company could find itself doing something it has rarely done before: opening its front door to the competition.