Netflix announced that its ad-supported subscription tier now reaches over 250 million monthly active viewers globally, up from 190 million in November 2025. Over 80% of these users engage weekly, according to the company.
Growing Influence in Advertising
During an upfront presentation to advertisers, Amy Reinhard, Netflix's president of advertising, emphasized the company's growing influence. "If the last couple of years were about proving we’re a durable player, this year is about establishing ourselves as a formidable one," Reinhard stated.
Popular Content Drives Growth
Netflix credits the increase partly to popular titles such as “Wednesday,” “The Night Agent,” “Happy Gilmore 2,” and “Stranger Things.” The company also highlighted its focus on “monthly active viewers,” a metric based on viewers watching at least one minute of ads per month. This figure is calculated internally by Netflix rather than through third-party metrics.
Challenges and Opportunities
Despite Netflix's content success, it faces challenges in competing with traditional media companies like Disney and NBCUniversal, which offer live sports content attractive to advertisers. Media buyers indicate that while Netflix is making progress in ad sales, it has been more successful with sponsorship deals for individual titles than selling large ad inventories.
Recent partnerships include a deal with State Farm featuring the character "Jake from State Farm" in the sports series “Running Point.”
Global Expansion of Ad Offerings
Looking ahead, Netflix plans to expand its ad tier to 15 new countries in 2027, including Austria, Belgium, Colombia, Denmark, Indonesia, Ireland, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, and Thailand. The company aims to introduce new commercial inventory in podcasts and vertical video formats globally. Additionally, Netflix will expand sponsorship opportunities on its fan site, Tudum.
Source: https://variety.com/2026/tv/news/netflix-claims-ad-tier-reaches-250-million-viewers-1236746219/
