For a long time, YouTube was known as the place to find funny cat videos or the occasional viral video of a child doing something funny, but in recent years that has all begun to change. While there have been “YouTubers” who have been committed to consistently making good quality content on the platform for years, only in the past couple of years has YouTube truly begun to blow up. YouTube has become a very popular thing, especially among the younger generations, with some of the most popular YouTubers having tens of millions of subscribers and an incredibly devoted fan base.

A large part of this is due to the fact that in recent years, YouTubers have been able to make a living off of YouTube through sponsorships or ad money, with some sources reporting that the largest YouTubers make millions every year. And YouTube only seems like it will only continue to grow from here—this past year they have even released “YouTube Red,” which gives fans of YouTube creators access to exclusive content and series for a monthly fee. Many YouTubers have even been able to gain so much popularity that they have begun to transition into main stream media with YouTuber’s starring in their own TV show shows or Netflix original series. So why watch YouTube when you could just watch regular TV or use Netflix?

1. The diverse content.

The amount of content that is available for users to watch on YouTube is so varied that anyone can find videos that appeal to them. You can go from watching a comedy video to a cooking tutorial or a short film. The options are endless and you can customize what you watch to your interests so your subscription feed is always filled with things that you are excited to watch.

2. The price in comparison to other streaming platforms.

YouTube is free! While YouTube Red is now an option it is definitely not necessary and most videos on YouTube are available to everyone for now charge, unlike Netflix or cable TV. And as YouTube has begun to grow, the quality and content of a great deal of videos is just as good as anything you would find on more mainstream media for none of the cost.

3. The length of videos.

Watching YouTube is a great option for people who have short attention spans or don’t want to commit to watching an entire TV show. Watching a single 5-10 minute YouTube video is much easier to work into a busy schedule than a 40-minute episode of a TV show.

4. The personal touch.

While a good number of YouTube videos nowadays are heavily produced and edited, a good deal of them don’t feel this way. With entire channels now being dedicated to “vlogging” (a video blog of a person’s daily life), YouTube videos have a tendency to feel much more personal and “real” than TV could ever be.