【AI前沿】Netflix’s ad ambitions just keep growing

StreamingEntertainmentNewsNetflix’s ad ambitions just keep growingThe streaming service’s ad-supported tier now reaches 250 million viewers each month.The streaming service’s ad-supported tier now reaches 250 million viewers each month.byEmma RothMay 13, 2026, 6:45 PM UTCLinkShareGiftIllustration by Nick Barclay / The VergeEmma Rothis a news writer who covers the streaming wars, consumer tech, crypto, social media, and much more. Previously, she was a writer and editor at MUO.For the second year in a row, Netflix’s ad-supported tier more than doubled its monthly viewerbase. During its 2026 upfront presentation, Netflix revealed that its $8.99-per-month plan reaches more than 250 million people around the globe, a significant leap from94 million users reported last year.The streaming servicereported earning $1.5 billionfrom ads in 2025, and now it’s finding more areas to stick them across its service. Starting next year, Netflix will start showing ads inthe vertical video feedit just launched on its mobile app, and in thelineup of podcastsit began adding to the platform late last year.Netflix firstrolled out its ad-supported Basic tier in 2022, and since then, it has not only grown in memberships but also in price. The streaming service has included the Basic plan in itsrecent hikes, making it cost $2 more than its $6.99 launch price. This week, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton cited Netflix’s ad-supported planin a lawsuit against the company, claiming the service misled subscribers about the data it’s collecting about them for ads.RelatedNetflix earned $1.5 billion from ads in 2025Here’s what Netflix’s new vertical video feed is likeNetflix is expanding its ad-supported tier to 15 new countries as well, including Austria, Belgium, Colombia, Denmark, Indonesia, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, the Philippines, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, and Thailand. The service is also testing a new personalization tool that adjusts the ads its subscribers see “based on their viewing behaviors.”Follow topics and authorsfrom this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.Emma RothEntertainmentNetflixNewsStreamingMost PopularMost PopularWhy does the Googlebook exist?Google announces its Chromebook successor: the GooglebookAndroid Auto is now one (screen) size fits allThe Apple Studio Display could have been so much moreThe 9 biggest new features in Android 17The Verge DailyA free daily digest of the news that matters most.Email (required)Sign UpBy submitting your email, you agree to ourTermsandPrivacy Notice.This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the GooglePrivacy PolicyandTerms of Serviceapply.Advertiser Content FromThis is the title for the native ad