Zattoo, a company that sells TV streaming, publishes a yearly survey on how people in Switzerland receive and watch television. The 2026 edition appeared on 19 May 2026. This post reads its figures, shows what moved since 2025 and says how far to trust them (state: October 2026).
01
TV reception in Switzerland: what the 2026 figures show
Internet TV is the leading way to receive television: 71% of households get TV via the internet. Of these, 39% use IPTV from a telecom operator and 32% use TV streaming services, and both shares were stable compared with 2025. The traditional routes slipped: cable from 32% to 30% and satellite from 10% to 9%.
The shares add up to more than 100%, so many households use more than one route at once.
| Way of receiving TV | 2026 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| IPTV from a telecom operator | 39% | stable |
| TV streaming service | 32% | stable |
| Cable | 30% | 32% |
| Satellite | 9% | 10% |
02
How the Swiss watch TV most: IPTV leads as the main way
Asked for the main way they receive TV, 37% name IPTV, up from 34% in 2025. TV streaming follows with 29% (30%), cable with 25% (unchanged) and satellite with 4% (3%). Added together, the two internet routes are the main way for 66%.
| Main way of receiving TV | 2026 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| IPTV from a telecom operator | 37% | 34% |
| TV streaming service | 29% | 30% |
| Cable | 25% | 25% |
| Satellite | 4% | 3% |
03
Why some people do not stream yet
The release also reports why people who do not use TV streaming hold back. Most of the objections are fading, and one is new:
| Reason given by non-users | 2026 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Streaming is too expensive | 22% | 27% |
| Worry about the stability of the internet connection | 4% | 10% |
| Traditional TV is enough | 31% | 41% |
| Too many apps and subscriptions | 12% | first time named |
04
TV streaming statistics for Switzerland: content and screens
Among online video offers YouTube is used most (63%, against 65% in 2025). Live TV via the internet holds at 41%, video on demand slipped from 24% to 22% and broadcaster media libraries from 22% to 21%.
The smart TV is the favourite screen for TV streaming at 58% (53% in 2025), well ahead of the smartphone, laptop and tablet. That fits the question in Do you need a TV box in Switzerland?: for many households the television already runs the app.
| Device used for TV streaming | 2026 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Smart TV | 58% | 53% |
| Smartphone | 43% | 45% |
| Laptop or PC | 38% | 39% |
| Tablet | 24% | 28% |
05
Short subscriptions and price pressure
Streaming is used more flexibly: 27% take out a subscription only for a limited time, for one series, film or sporting event (26% in 2025). Price pressure shows too: 19% cancelled a streaming subscription in the past year for cost reasons (21%). Of those who cancelled, 53% moved to a cheaper service and 23% to a free alternative.
29% can imagine changing TV provider within twelve months (31%), and 82% expect still to be using live TV in five years (81%). If the monthly bill is your worry, TV costs in Switzerland per month shows how to add it up.
06
How to read these figures
Four things to keep in mind before you quote or act on a survey like this:
- Who publishes it: Zattoo sells a TV streaming service, so it has an interest in the subject. These are its survey results, not an independent measurement
- What they are: answers about habits, not recorded viewing. The 2025 edition was an online YouGov survey of 1,021 people aged 16 to 69, weighted to be representative; the 2026 release text read for this post gives no sample size or margin of error
- Small moves: survey percentages shift by a point or two from sampling alone, so read 'stable' as stable and do not build a story on 30% against 29%
- Different bases: the 2026 reception shares are for households, while the device, subscription and cancellation figures are for respondents or for non-users. Zattoo's 2025 release put the internet share at 61% of the population, a different measure from the 71% of households in 2026, so do not read 61 to 71 as growth
07
What this means when you choose TV
Read as context, not as advice to buy anything:
- Internet TV is the norm, so an operator package and a streaming service are both mainstream: compare them in Swisscom vs Sunrise vs Salt vs Zattoo
- Try the app on your smart TV before you buy a box: see Do you need a TV box?
- Count the whole bill, including the fee every household pays: TV costs per month and the radio and TV fee
- Check the minimum term on the provider's own page before you sign, especially if you only want TV for one season
- Be wary of a very cheap offer with thousands of channels: IPTV scams and red flags
08
Where to go next
For the whole picture, start from IPTV Switzerland: licensed providers compared. A household with more than one screen should read a second TV in Switzerland.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What share of Swiss households watch TV via the internet?
71%, according to Zattoo's 2026 survey: 39% through IPTV from a telecom operator and 32% through TV streaming services. Both shares were stable compared with 2025.
What is the most common main way to watch TV in Switzerland?
IPTV, named by 37% of respondents as their main way (34% in 2025), ahead of TV streaming at 29%, cable at 25% and satellite at 4%.
Is cable TV still used in Switzerland?
Yes. 30% of households still receive TV by cable, down from 32%, and 25% name it their main way of receiving TV.
Which device do the Swiss use most for TV streaming?
The smart TV, used by 58% of respondents for TV streaming, ahead of the smartphone at 43%, the laptop or PC at 38% and the tablet at 24%.
How many people cancel a streaming subscription because of the cost?
19% cancelled a streaming subscription in the past year for cost reasons. Of those, 53% moved to a cheaper service and 23% to a free one.
Sources
Read next
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