In September 2024, The Try Guys said subscriptions to 2nd Try accounted for 20% of the company’s revenue, roughly three months after the streaming service launched. That was an encouraging early signal, not proof that the service was profitable—and it does not establish how 2nd Try is performing in 2026.
What did The Try Guys mean when they said the strategy was working?
The 20% figure was the share of company revenue attributed to 2nd Try subscriptions, according to The Try Guys in a September 2024 report by TechCrunch. It described an early contribution to the business, not a verified measure of profit, subscriber retention, or long-term growth.
In the same report, the company said it was on track to reach profitability, while co-founder Zach Kornfeld described the service as exceeding expectations. Those statements were company claims about its trajectory; they were not confirmation that 2nd Try or the company had already become profitable. The report also noted that the business continued to earn revenue from other sources, including YouTube advertising.
Why did they launch a paid service?
The founders said the economics of producing their established shows had become difficult as advertising and brand-deal revenue came under pressure. Kornfeld told CNBC, in a statement quoted by TechCrunch: “We got to a point where it cost more money for us to make the shows our audience loved than we got in from YouTube.” That explains the company’s stated motivation; it is not independently audited financial data.
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A subscription service offered another way to fund production while building a direct relationship with viewers. In an October 2024 Fast Company interview, Kornfeld and Keith Habersberger described a strategy that kept YouTube central rather than abandoning it. Habersberger called YouTube the company’s big platform, while Kornfeld said the intent was to preserve familiar shows and use new series and seasons to give viewers reasons to try 2nd Try.
How did the programming support the strategy?
The service was positioned as a paid home for exclusive programming alongside the Try Guys’ broader YouTube presence. The official 2nd Try site describes subscriber access to exclusive series and a catalog of older and new shows, ad-free viewing, and streaming on devices. Its catalog includes programs such as Trolley Problems, Escape the Kitchen, Smoke Show, New Guy Tries, and Eat the Menu, as well as aftershows and live programming. The lineup can change over time.
The founders also pointed to early viewing patterns as a sign that new programming could attract attention. In the Fast Company interview, Kornfeld said that three of the five most-watched 2nd Try episodes at that time came from the new show Escape the Kitchen; he also said five Trolley Problems episodes were in the top ten. These were founders’ descriptions of rankings from the service’s first months, not independently audited figures or current rankings.
How does 2nd Try fit alongside YouTube?
| Channel | Role described by the company and founders |
|---|---|
| YouTube | Audience reach, advertising revenue, and a continuing home for established shows. |
| 2nd Try | Paid subscriber access, exclusive programming, ad-free viewing, and a direct relationship with viewers. |
The approach is therefore a combination, not a clean replacement: YouTube can introduce and serve a broad audience, while the subscription catalog offers programming and access behind a paywall. The Try Guys’ About page similarly describes the company as having expanded beyond YouTube and presents 2nd Try as a home for exclusive shows and early access. These descriptions explain the positioning, but do not disclose current subscriber numbers or financial results.
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Fast Company reported launch-era pricing of $5 per month or $50 per year in October 2024. Those are historical prices, not verified current checkout terms. The reviewed official 2nd Try page describes the service and catalog but does not state a current price.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Is 2nd Try still working in 2026?
The available figures establish an early, company-reported revenue share in 2024 and founders’ early descriptions of episode rankings. The official service pages establish that 2nd Try is presented as a continuing subscription catalog. None of those sources establishes its 2026 revenue share, subscriber count, profitability, or current pricing. A confident claim that the strategy remains financially successful today would require a newer company or executive disclosure.
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