Bitmovin has released its ninth annual Video Developer Report.
Featuring insights from media and entertainment industry professionals across the world, The Video Developer Report 2025/26 provides an in-depth examination into the trends and challenges facing the video streaming industry.
According to the Report, cost control is the largest single challenge for video teams, with 38 per cent of respondents stating it is their number one concern. As providers seek to balance maximising ROI with expanding services, bandwidth, storage and infrastructure optimisation are the key cost areas under scrutiny.
At 37 per cent, ad insertion takes second place, with the maintenance of consistent monitoring and analytics, and ensuring reliable playback across all devices each recording a score of 31 per cent.
Highlighting a near parity between AVoD, at 37 per cent, and SVoD at 36 per cent, the Report suggests this reflects a maturing balance of monetisation strategies. FAST channels are also gaining ground, with 26 per cent of providers using them to extend reach and complement subscription models.
Server-side ad insertion (SSAI) remains the dominant approach among advertising workflows, with 37 per cent of providers selecting the option.
The Report also showed that the use of AI is gaining in popularity, with most providers deploying it to achieve operational gains and measurable ROI. The most common AI applications include:
- Accessibility improvements (46 per cent using transcription and speech-to-text)
- Personalisation (35 per cent)
- Video tagging and categorisation (35 per cent)
- Recommendations engines (33 per cent)
- Video quality optimisation (29 per cent)
- Quality of experience (20 per cent)
Commenting on the findings, Bitmovin’s CEO and co-founder, Stefan Lederer, said, “As always, the report shows how technologies are maturing, which strategies are gaining traction, and which challenges persist. It’s clear from this year’s report that economic pressures are continuing to shape strategy across the industry, and while monetisation workflows remain complex, the conversation has broadened to include efficiency gains across the streaming pipeline. The report findings underscore a market balancing growth ambition with the realities of tighter budgets, and the need to optimise workflows.”
The latest Bitmovin Video Developer Report 2025/26 Edition is now available for download.
