OTT vs CTV: The Difference, and When Each Term Is Correct
OTT vs CTV explained: OTT is video delivered over the internet, CTV is the TV it plays on. Learn the difference and when each term is the right one to use.
OTT and CTV describe two different dimensions of the same shift in television. OTT (over-the-top) is a delivery method: video sent over the open internet instead of through cable, satellite, or broadcast, viewable on any device. CTV (connected TV) is a device category: a television screen playing that internet-delivered video. In short, OTT is how the video travels, and CTV is where it lands.
The two overlap constantly, which is why they get confused. A streaming app on a Roku is both OTT and CTV at once. The same app on a phone is OTT only. This article covers just that distinction: what each term includes, where they overlap, and which one to use in a given sentence.
What does OTT actually cover?
OTT means the video goes "over the top" of traditional distribution. No cable box, no satellite dish, no antenna. If the video arrives through an internet connection and an app or browser, it is OTT. That includes:
- Subscription streamers such as Netflix and Disney+
- Free ad-supported apps such as Tubi and Pluto TV
- FAST linear channels, which stream free 24/7 schedules over the internet
- YouTube, Twitch, and other open video platforms
- Live sports and news streams delivered through apps
The device does not matter for the OTT label. Phone, tablet, laptop, smart TV, streaming stick: all of it is OTT viewing if the internet carries the stream.
What does CTV actually cover?
CTV describes the screen, not the pipe. A connected TV is any television playing internet-delivered video: a smart TV with built-in apps, or any TV paired with a Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, Google TV device, or game console. We define the device category fully in what is CTV.
The strict reading matters to advertisers. When a media buyer says "CTV inventory," they mean ad impressions served on television screens only. Phone and laptop impressions are excluded, even when the same app served them. The screen defines the buy because attention, co-viewing, and completion rates differ on a TV.
OTT vs CTV, side by side
| Question | OTT | CTV |
|---|---|---|
| What does it name? | A delivery method | A device category |
| Core test | Did the video travel over the open internet? | Is it playing on a TV screen via the internet? |
| Devices included | Phones, tablets, laptops, TVs | TV screens only |
| Is Netflix on a phone included? | Yes | No |
| Is Netflix on a Roku included? | Yes | Yes |
| Is cable TV included? | No | No |
| Typical use of the term | Product and industry discussions | Advertising and measurement |
The overlap is the living room. Most OTT viewing hours now happen on TV screens, which is why the terms drift together in casual use. Streaming reached a record 47.5 percent of all US TV viewing in December 2025 (Nielsen, The Gauge), and that Nielsen figure measures television sets: OTT delivery landing on CTV screens. More sourced numbers live in our FAST industry statistics hub.
When should you say OTT, and when CTV?
Use a simple rule: talk about the pipe, say OTT; talk about the screen, say CTV.
Say OTT when the point is distribution or product scope. "We distribute OTT" means your content travels over the internet to every device class. An "OTT app" ships on phones, tablets, web, and TVs alike.
Say CTV when the point is the television screen, which usually means advertising. "CTV campaign," "CTV inventory," and "CTV measurement" all promise TV-screen delivery. US advertisers spent $33.35 billion on CTV in 2025, with roughly 14 percent growth projected for 2026 (eMarketer), and none of that budget counts a phone impression.
Two common mistakes to avoid. First, "OTT advertising" is vague: it could mean any device, so buyers who want TV screens should say CTV. Second, CTV is not a synonym for smart TV. A ten-year-old panel with a Fire TV stick is CTV. Keep the FAST TV glossary nearby when these terms stack up.
Why the distinction matters for channel operators
If you run or plan a FAST channel, the two terms map to two practical questions. OTT is your distribution question: which apps and devices can play your stream. CTV is your revenue question: how much of your viewing happens on TV screens, where ad rates run highest.
A channel on Vidiyo is OTT by definition: it streams over the internet to a web browser with no account needed, plus apps on Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, iOS, and Android. The Roku, Fire TV, and Apple TV viewing is your CTV audience. The same stream, one delivery method, two useful labels.
Quick answers
Is OTT the same as CTV? No. OTT is internet-delivered video on any device. CTV is specifically a TV screen playing internet-delivered video. All CTV viewing is OTT, but not all OTT viewing is CTV.
Is a phone streaming video OTT or CTV? OTT only. CTV requires a television screen. The same stream becomes CTV the moment it plays on a Roku, Fire TV, or smart TV.
Which term should advertisers use? CTV, when they mean TV screens. "OTT advertising" can include phones and laptops, so campaigns that promise the living-room screen are CTV campaigns.
Is FAST a type of OTT? Yes. FAST channels are free, ad-supported linear channels delivered over the internet, so they are OTT by delivery and mostly watched on CTV screens.
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