Netflix says its ad-supported subscription tier now reaches more than 250 million monthly active viewers globally, as the streamer continues its push for a larger share of advertising budgets.
As per Variety, the figure, shared during Netflix’s upfront presentation to advertisers on Wednesday, is up from the 190 million monthly active viewers the company cited in November 2025.
Netflix revealed that more than 80% of its members actively watch every week.
A bigger ad pitch
Amy Reinhard, Netflix’s President of Advertising, stated that the company is moving from proving its durability in the ad market to establishing itself as a bigger competitor.
“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 said.
Netflix pointed to the success of titles including Wednesday, The Night Agent, Happy Gilmore 2 and Stranger Things as part of its pitch to advertisers.
The streamer is also leaning on a metric it calls monthly active viewers. Netflix defines the figure as the number of members who have watched at least one minute of ads on Netflix per month, multiplied by the estimated average number of people per household.
The figure is based on Netflix’s own research, rather than third-party measurement.
A 31% jump since November
The 250 million figure represents a 31% increase from the 190 million figure Netflix cited in November.
In previous years, Netflix used account profiles, or users, rather than the estimated number of people in a subscriber household. The shift comes as Netflix looks to compete more aggressively with media companies that have longer histories in advertising sales.
While Netflix has built a strong reputation for premium content, it has less experience than traditional media companies in selling ad inventory at scale.
Chasing live moments
Netflix has been collecting its lineup of live specials and sports, as advertisers continue to value programming that brings audiences together in real time.
But, much of Netflix’s core offering remains scripted drama, comedy and movies, which viewers often stream on their own schedules. That has created a challenge for Netflix, which competes with Disney, NBCUniversal, and other media companies that sell large volumes of live sports.
Media buyers have noted that advertisers are interested in Netflix’s progress, but the company has likely had more success with sponsorships around individual titles than selling large volumes of ad inventory.
One recent example is Netflix’s deal with State Farm, in which the insurer’s “Jake from State Farm” character appears in the sports series Running Point.
More countries, more inventory
Netflix said it will continue expanding its ad offering.
The expanded ad tier will roll out to 15 new countries starting in 2027, including Austria, Belgium, Colombia, Denmark, Indonesia, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, the Philippines, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, and Thailand.
Netflix also plans to unlock a new commercial inventory in podcasts and alongside vertical video globally in 2027.
The company will also expand opportunities for advertisers to sponsor Tudum, its fan site.