Netflix’s Cheaper Plan With Ads Is Becoming Surprisingly Popular
More and more people are choosing Netflix’s cheaper subscription plan that comes with ads, according to new data shared by Antenna and reported by Bloomberg.
Netflix first introduced this ad-supported option back in 2022, calling it “Basic with Ads.” It was meant to give people a more affordable way to subscribe, priced at $7.99 per month. That’s much cheaper than Netflix’s Standard plan, which costs $17.99, and the Premium plan, which is $24.99 a month.
Now, in 2025, it seems that this lower-priced option is becoming a big hit. Antenna’s data shows that about half of all new Netflix subscribers this year have picked the ad-supported plan.
This is a pretty big jump from last year, when only around 40% of new customers chose the ad plan. The number was even lower in 2023, when just about 20% of people signed up for it.
Lucas Shaw, a journalist from Bloomberg, posted a graph on social media showing exactly how fast this ad-supported tier has grown over the past few years. The data makes it clear that many people don’t seem to mind watching ads if it means paying less for their subscription.
About half of new Netflix customers in the US are signing up to its advertising tier, per @AntennaData.https://t.co/Px4MvuM4Io pic.twitter.com/VqYkdNgzcD
— Lucas Shaw (@Lucas_Shaw) July 14, 2025
Netflix started as a DVD rental company but now leads the global streaming market, offering original shows, movies, and classic favorites to millions of viewers. For years, streaming was seen as the way to watch shows without annoying commercial breaks. That was one of its biggest selling points when people moved away from traditional TV.
But things have changed. Over the last few years, more streaming platforms have started offering ad-supported tiers. Netflix isn’t alone in this. Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max also offer cheaper subscription options that come with ads. Even Prime Video now has ads in its standard plan, while ad-free viewing has been moved to a more expensive subscription tier.
What’s surprising is how quickly people are accepting these ad-supported deals. For many, paying less each month is worth the short ad breaks. Others might be used to commercials from regular TV, so ads on streaming don’t bother them much.
Netflix hasn’t said exactly how many subscribers it has on each plan, but Antenna’s report shows the trend is clear: more and more people are choosing the cheaper plan with ads.
As streaming prices continue to rise across the board, it looks like ad-supported plans could become the future for many services. People may have left cable to avoid ads, but now they seem happy to watch a few commercials if it saves them money.
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