If it feels like Netflix signs a new YouTuber every week, that's because it basically has been. Top creators like celebrity chef Nick DiGiovanni and the duo behind 'Good Mythical Morning' signed deals in the last week alone, joining Ms. Rachel, Mark Rober, and others. The setup is simple: Netflix pays a few million a year to stream creators' videos the same day they hit YouTube. And it's working: Ms. Rachel pulled 69M views on Netflix in the first half of 2026, beating plenty of shows that cost far more to make.
YouTube insists it's not worried, in the way you insist you're not worried when your best friend keeps getting dinner with someone new. The company maintains that success elsewhere just drives viewers back to YouTube. But behind closed doors, insiders say CEO Neal Mohan is debating whether to make a move. The concern is that YouTube starts looking like Hollywood's farm system, where creators "graduate" to streamers once they hit the big leagues.
To be fair, YouTube has fended off challengers before, launching Shorts to counter TikTok and luring top gaming streamers away from Twitch in a bidding war. A few moves are currently in play:
- YouTube is quietly steering ad dollars toward select creator "shows," a slate it unveiled to advertisers in May. It's a way to fund programming without directly bankrolling originals, which it has tried and failed at before.
- It's buying exclusives, spending real money on premium programming like NFL Sunday Ticket and streaming rights to the Oscars. Execs have also floated adding Sundance films and more scripted fare.
- One thing it has refused to do (so far) is pay creators to turn down Netflix, even though some have asked directly. The company's stance is that its 55% ad revenue split is already generous, and it doesn't want to start paying twice for videos it has.
Looking ahead… It's early days, but a battle does seem to be brewing. Netflix is reportedly in talks with several more top channels, and rival streamers are circling the creators it hasn't signed. We'll be watching to see if YouTube's patience holds.
