Netflix remains the world’s largest paid streaming platform, with more than 325 million paid subscribers across 190+ countries. Its ad-supported plan alone now reaches over 250 million monthly active viewers worldwide.
But the growth story is not as straightforward as the numbers suggest. Netflix spent most of the last decade adding subscribers year after year without interruption. Then in 2022, it lost subscribers for the first time in more than a decade, and its stock dropped about 35% in a single day.
Today, it is bigger than ever, but the streaming market it operates in is far more competitive than it used to be.
This article breaks down the latest Netflix numbers for 2026, from subscribers and regional trends to ad-tier growth, revenue, pricing, and watch time. You will also see how Netflix compares with every major streaming rival.
Netflix Subscribers Statistics 2026: Key Highlights
- Netflix has more than 325 million paid subscribers worldwide, its latest official count (end of 2025).
- Netflix earned $45.18 billion in revenue in 2025 and expects about $51.1 billion in 2026.
- Q3 2026 revenue reached $12.87 billion, up 11.8% year over year.
- Netflix’s ad-supported tier reaches more than 250 million monthly active viewers.
- The ad plan accounted for more than 60% of sign-ups in its 12 markets in Q1 2026.
- The United States has about 87.75 million subscribers, roughly 27% of the global total.
- EMEA is Netflix’s largest region with 101.13 million subscribers (2024).
- APAC subscribers grew 442% between 2018 and 2024.
- Members watched a record 97 billion hours on Netflix in the first half of 2026.
- Netflix’s cheapest US plan now costs $8.99 a month after the March 2026 price increase.
Netflix Overview 2026
Here are the key Netflix numbers for 2026 in one place, covering subscribers, revenue, profit, ad reach, and viewing.
| Metric | Data |
|---|---|
| Global Paid Subscribers 2026 | 325 million |
| Ad-Tier Monthly Active Viewers | 250 million+ (May 2026) |
| Largest Region by Subscribers | EMEA – 101.13 million |
| Top Single Market | United States – 87.75 million |
| Countries Available | 190+ |
| US TV Viewing Share | 7.9% |
| Content Spend (2025) | $18 billion |
| Content Spend (2026 projected) | $20 billion |
| Full-Time Employees (2025) | 16,000 |
Sources: Netflix 1, Nielsen, FlixPatrol, Statista 1
Netflix is bigger and more profitable than ever. It earned $45.18 billion in 2025, expects about $51.1 billion in 2026, and holds 7.9% of all US TV viewing time, second only to YouTube among streaming services.
EMEA has overtaken UCAN (US and Canada) as Netflix’s largest region by subscribers. Content spend is rising to about $20 billion in 2026, and the ad plan now drives most new sign-ups in the markets where it is offered.
How Many Subscribers Does Netflix have?
Netflix had more than 325 million paid subscribers at the end of 2025, a record high and its latest official count. Netflix stopped reporting quarterly subscriber numbers in 2025, but its Q3 2026 letter says memberships kept growing, with churn lower than a year earlier both globally and in the US.
About 73% of subscribers are now outside the US, and markets like Japan and India are adding members fastest. Japan was the biggest contributor to member growth in Q1 2026, and India had its largest-ever quarter of paid net additions in Q3 2026.
Netflix grew without interruption from 2013 to 2021. It started that period with 41 million subscribers and ended it with 221.84 million. The pandemic year of 2020 accelerated the growth, with Netflix adding over 36 million subscribers in twelve months as people stayed home and streamed more.
But the first quarter of 2022 broke the streak. Netflix reported a loss of 200,000 subscribers over those three months, its first decline in more than a decade. The following day, its stock fell about 35%, its steepest one-day drop in nearly two decades.
The table below tracks Netflix’s paid subscriber count every year from 2001 to 2026:
| Year | Netflix Subscribers | YoY Growth |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 0.4 million | — |
| 2002 | 0.8 million | 100.00% |
| 2003 | 1.41 million | 76.25% |
| 2004 | 2.48 million | 75.89% |
| 2005 | 4.02 million | 62.10% |
| 2006 | 6.15 million | 52.99% |
| 2007 | 7.32 million | 19.02% |
| 2008 | 9.16 million | 25.14% |
| 2009 | 11.89 million | 29.80% |
| 2010 | 18.26 million | 53.57% |
| 2011 | 24.30 million | 33.08% |
| 2012 | 30.36 million | 24.94% |
| 2013 | 41.43 million | 36.46% |
| 2014 | 54.47 million | 31.47% |
| 2015 | 70.83 million | 30.03% |
| 2016 | 89.09 million | 25.78% |
| 2017 | 110.64 million | 24.19% |
| 2018 | 139.25 million | 25.86% |
| 2019 | 167.09 million | 19.99% |
| 2020 | 203.66 million | 21.89% |
| 2021 | 221.84 million | 8.93% |
| 2022 | 230.75 million | 4.02% |
| 2023 | 260.28 million | 12.80% |
| 2024 | 301.63 million | 15.89% |
| 2025 | 325 million | 7.75% |
| 2026* (Estimated) | 350 million | 7.69% |
Sources: Netflix 2, Statista 1
Moreover, approximately 41% of all people who actively watch Netflix are not paying for it themselves. About 14% use the account of a friend or family member outside their household.
Another 27% watch through a paid subscription within their household, meaning they consume the service but contribute no direct revenue.
This means that for every ten people watching Netflix at any given moment, only around six are accountable to a paying account. The other four are effectively invisible to the revenue model.
Netflix began cracking down on password sharing in 2023, and that effort contributed to the subscriber gains seen that year as account borrowers converted into paying customers. But the 27% who share within a household are harder to target.
Netflix Subscribers by Region
Netflix operates across four regions: UCAN, EMEA, LATAM, and APAC. The table below shows how its 301.63 million paid subscribers broke down by region as of 2024, the most recent full-year data available.
| Region | Subscribers | Share of Global Total |
|---|---|---|
| EMEA (Europe, Middle East & Africa) | 101.13 million | 33.54% |
| UCAN (US & Canada) | 89.63 million | 29.68% |
| LATAM (Latin America) | 53.33 million | 17.66% |
| APAC (Asia-Pacific) | 57.54 million | 19.05% |
Source: Netflix 2, Statista 1
(Note: The regional subscriber breakdown in this report covers data up to 2024. Netflix has not publicly released region-wise figures for 2025 yet. We will update this section as soon as the numbers are available.)
EMEA is Netflix’s largest region by subscribers, edging out UCAN despite the US being its single biggest individual market. APAC is the fastest-growing region, adding nearly 47 million members since 2018, a 442% increase. LATAM more than doubled in the same period, showing Netflix’s expansion into lower-cost markets outside North America.
Here is how each region has grown since 2018:
| Year | UCAN | EMEA | LATAM | APAC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 64.76M | 37.82M | 26.08M | 10.61M |
| 2019 | 67.66M | 51.78M | 31.42M | 16.23M |
| 2020 | 73.94M | 66.7M | 37.54M | 25.49M |
| 2021 | 75.22M | 74.04M | 39.96M | 32.63M |
| 2022 | 74.30M | 76.73M | 41.70M | 38.02M |
| 2023 | 80.13M | 88.81M | 46M | 40.50M |
| 2024 | 89.63M | 101.13M | 53.33M | 57.54M |
Source: Netflix 3, Statista 1, Business of Apps
Two things stand out. UCAN growth has been the flattest of all four regions, rising from 64.76 million in 2018 to 89.63 million in 2024, a 38% increase. APAC grew 442% in the same period, making it the region where Netflix’s next hundred million subscribers are most likely to come from.
Netflix Subscribers by Country
Netflix is available in 190+ countries, though subscriber density varies sharply by market. The US alone accounts for roughly 27% of global subscribers.
The US leads with nearly 88 million subscribers, more than four times the second-ranked UK at 19.8 million.
India and Japan rank lower by raw numbers, but they are now among Netflix’s fastest-growing markets. Japan was the biggest contributor to member growth in Q1 2026, helped by the World Baseball Classic, and India posted its largest-ever quarter of paid net additions in Q3 2026 with revenue up about 18%. Brazil and Mexico together make up the bulk of Netflix’s Latin American base.
The table below shows the top 10 countries by estimated count as of 2026.
| Country | Estimated Subscribers (2026) |
|---|---|
| United States | 87.75 million |
| United Kingdom | 19.83 million |
| Brazil | 17.87 million |
| Germany | 17.87 million |
| Mexico | 14.95 million |
| France | 14.62 million |
| India | 13.32 million |
| Japan | 9.75 million |
| Canada | 9.75 million |
| South Korea | 9.00 million |
Source: FlixPatrol
Netflix User Demographics
Netflix’s audience spans every adult age group and splits almost evenly by gender. The data below shows who subscribes in the US and how the global user base breaks down by gender.
Netflix Subscribers by Age
Netflix subscription rates are highest among younger adults and drop with age. The figures below show what share of each US age group holds a Netflix subscription.
| Age Group | Share with a Netflix Subscription |
|---|---|
| 18–29 years | 72% |
| 30–49 years | 70% |
| 50–64 years | 69% |
| 65+ years | 44% |
Sources: Statista 3, Statista 4; WallStreetZen
(Note: These figures show the percentage of people in each age group who subscribe to Netflix, not each group’s share of the total subscriber base.)
The drop from 69% among 50–64-year-olds to 44% among those 65 and over is the sharpest age-related decline Netflix faces. Every other group sits between 69% and 72%, showing similar adoption rates across working-age adults.
Netflix Subscribers by Gender
Netflix’s user base is split almost evenly between men and women. According to widely cited industry data, women account for a slim majority of users globally.
| Gender | Share of Netflix Users |
|---|---|
| Women | 51% |
| Men | 49% |
Source: Search Logistics
A near-even gender split is uncommon among streaming services. It reflects the range of content Netflix carries, from drama and true crime to action and comedy. Competitors that rely heavily on one content category tend to skew more heavily toward one gender.
Time Spent on Netflix
Netflix users in the US spend an average of 1 hour and 3 minutes per day on the platform, more than any other streaming service eMarketer tracks. Based on Netflix’s own viewing data, the average paid membership streamed about 1 hour and 39 minutes per day in the first half of 2026.
Plus, on average, a Netflix user also spends around 18 minutes browsing before deciding what to watch.
Here is how Netflix users engaged with the platform over the years:
| Year | Average Daily Time Spent by Users (Global) |
|---|---|
| 2009 | 6 minutes |
| 2010 | 24 minutes |
| 2011 | 48 minutes |
| 2012 | 1 hour 12 minutes |
| 2013 | 1 hour 24 minutes |
| 2014 | 1 hour 36 minutes |
| 2015 | 1 hour 48 minutes |
| 2016 | 1 hour 52 minutes* |
| 2017 | 1 hour 56 minutes* |
| 2018 | 1 hour 58 minutes* |
| 2019 | 2 hours |
| 2020 | 3 hours 12 minutes |
| 2025* | 1 hour 36 minutes per membership* |
| 2026* | 1 hour 39 minutes per membership* |
Sources: eMarketer, Netflix 3
Netflix Viewing Hours
Netflix members watched a record 97 billion hours in the first half of 2026, up about 2% from a year earlier. Series drove most of that growth, while movie viewing dipped slightly.
| Period | Total Viewing Hours |
|---|---|
| H1 2025 | 95 billion |
| H2 2025 | 96 billion |
| H1 2026 | 97 billion (record) |
Non-English titles now make up more than a third of all Netflix viewing, up from under 10% a decade ago. From 2027, Netflix will publish this engagement report once a year instead of every six months.
Sources: Netflix 7, Netflix 8, Netflix 5
How Netflix Daily Watch Time Compares to Other Platforms
The table below shows the average daily time spent per user across major streaming platforms. Netflix leads every platform on this list.
| Platform | Average Daily Time Spent |
|---|---|
| Netflix | 1 hr 3 min (US, eMarketer) |
| Hulu | 56 min |
| Amazon Prime Video | ~49 min |
| Disney+ | ~40 min |
| Max (HBO Max) | ~38 min |
| Peacock | ~35 min |
Sources: eMarketer; Resourcera survey
Among streaming services, Netflix leads Hulu by 7 minutes per day. Social apps trail even further, with eMarketer putting Instagram at 35 minutes, X at 33 minutes, and Facebook at 32 minutes per day. People who open Netflix tend to stay for a full episode or more, while social media use comes in short bursts.
Netflix Market Share 2026
Netflix remains the world’s largest streaming platform by subscriber count (325 million), ahead of every competitor by a wide margin.
No other service comes close in raw subscriber count. Amazon Prime Video sits at around 250 million, while HBO Max sits at 140 million, and everyone else trails further behind.
Amazon Prime Video has a 22% share of the US streaming market, while Netflix sits at 21%. That one-point gap exists mainly because Prime Video comes bundled with Amazon Prime, so millions of Americans get it automatically without specifically choosing it as their streaming service.
Despite that, 47% of Americans say Netflix is their first choice when it comes to streaming. No other platform comes close to that number.
Here are the top streaming platforms by subscribers, based on our [OTT subscribers report 2026].
| Platform | Subscribers | US SVOD Market Share |
|---|---|---|
| Netflix | 325 million | 21% |
| Amazon Prime Video | 250 million | 22% |
| HBO Max | 140 million | 13% |
| Disney+ | 131.6 million | 12% |
| Paramount+ | 79.6 million | 9% |
| Hulu | 64.1 million | 10% |
| Apple TV+ | 30 million (est.) | 8% |
| Peacock | 44 million | 1% |
Sources: FlixPatrol, Statista 5
(Note: The US SVOD market share percentages in the table above reflect each platform’s share of the US subscription video-on-demand market specifically, not global market share. The data for the global market share of OTT platforms is not currently available. We will update the post once we get the latest figures.)
Most-Watched Netflix Titles of All Time
K-Pop Demon Hunters is the most-watched title in Netflix history, with 325.1 million views in its first 91 days. Squid Game Season 1 is the most-watched series at 265.2 million views, while Wednesday Season 1 leads English-language series with 252.1 million.
Here are the 10 most-watched Netflix titles of all time, based on views in each title’s first 91 days on the platform.
Top 10 Most-Watched Netflix Shows and Movies by Views
| Rank | Title | Type | Views |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | K-Pop Demon Hunters | Movie | 325.1 million |
| 2 | Wednesday: Season 1 | Show | 252.1 million |
| 3 | Red Notice | Movie | 230.9 million |
| 4 | Carry-On | Movie | 172.1 million |
| 5 | Don’t Look Up | Movie | 171.4 million |
| 6 | The Adam Project | Movie | 157.6 million |
| 7 | Bird Box | Movie | 157.4 million |
| 8 | Back in Action | Movie | 147.2 million |
| 9 | Adolescence: Limited Series | Show | 142.6 million |
| 10 | Stranger Things 4 | Show | 140.7 million |
Top 10 Most Popular Netflix Movies
| Rank | Title | Views | Runtime | Hours Viewed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | K-Pop Demon Hunters | 325.1 million | 1h 40m | 541.8 million |
| 2 | Red Notice | 230.9 million | 1h 58m | 454.2 million |
| 3 | Carry-On | 172.1 million | 2h 00m | 344.1 million |
| 4 | Don’t Look Up | 171.4 million | 2h 23m | 408.6 million |
| 5 | The Adam Project | 157.6 million | 1h 47m | 281.0 million |
| 6 | Bird Box | 157.4 million | 2h 04m | 325.3 million |
| 7 | Back in Action | 147.2 million | 1h 54m | 279.7 million |
| 8 | Swapped | 144.9 million | 1h 42m | 246.4 million |
| 9 | Leave the World Behind | 143.4 million | 2h 22m | 339.3 million |
| 10 | War Machine | 139.9 million | 1h 49m | 254.2 million |
Top 10 Most Popular Netflix Shows
| Rank | Title | Views | Runtime | Hour Viewed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wednesday: Season 1 | 252.1 million | 6h 49m | 1.719 billion |
| 2 | Adolescence: Limited Series | 142.6 million | 3h 50m | 546.5 million |
| 3 | Stranger Things 4 | 140.7 million | 13h 04m | 1.838 billion |
| 4 | Stranger Things 5 | 133.8 million | 10h 24m | 1.391 billion |
| 5 | I Will Find You: Limited Series | 120.8 million | 5h 29m | 662.5 million |
| 6 | Wednesday: Season 2 | 119.3 million | 7h 47m | 928.5 million |
| 7 | DAHMER: Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story | 115.6 million | 8h 55m | 1.031 billion |
| 8 | Bridgerton: Season 1 | 113.3 million | 8h 12m | 929.3 million |
| 9 | The Queen’s Gambit: Limited Series | 112.8 million | 6h 37m | 746.4 million |
| 10 | Bridgerton: Season 3 | 106.0 million | 7h 59m | 846.5 million |
Sources: Netflix 1; Netflix 4, Shareholder Letter, Netflix Tudum
Recent releases are keeping engagement high. In the first half of 2026, His & Hers was the most-watched series with 104 million views, Bridgerton Season 4 followed with 100.2 million, and War Machine led all films with 146.9 million views. In Q3 2026, The Last House (91 million views) and Facing El Chapo (58 million) were among the biggest new hits.
Live events are a growing part of Netflix. In Q1 2026 alone, Netflix aired more than 70 live events, the World Baseball Classic drew 31.4 million viewers in Japan, and BTS The Comeback Live reached 18.4 million viewers globally. Q4 2026 brings its biggest live slate yet, with three NFL games and the Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua fight.
Netflix Revenue Statistics 2026
Netflix earned $45.18 billion in revenue in 2025, up 15.9% from 2024 and about 14 times what it made in 2011. In the first nine months of 2026, revenue reached $37.68 billion, up 13.7% year over year, and Netflix expects about $51.1 billion for the full year.
Below is a full breakdown of how Netflix’s revenue has grown, which regions bring in the most money, how much ads contribute, and what Netflix earns from each paying member.
Netflix Annual Revenue Growth
Netflix’s revenue has grown every year since 2011, at an average rate of about 20.8% a year. The table below tracks annual revenue and year-over-year growth from 2011 to 2025, along with Netflix’s own forecast for 2026.
| Year | Revenue (USD) | YoY Growth |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | $3.20B | N/A |
| 2012 | $3.61B | +12.6% |
| 2013 | $4.37B | +21.2% |
| 2014 | $5.50B | +25.8% |
| 2015 | $6.78B | +23.2% |
| 2016 | $8.83B | +30.3% |
| 2017 | $11.69B | +32.4% |
| 2018 | $15.79B | +35.1% |
| 2019 | $20.16B | +27.6% |
| 2020 | $25.00B | +24.0% |
| 2021 | $29.70B | +18.8% |
| 2022 | $31.62B | +6.5% |
| 2023 | $33.72B | +6.7% |
| 2024 | $39.00B | +15.6% |
| 2025 | $45.18B | +15.9% |
| 2026 (forecast) | $51.10B | +13.1% |
Sources: Netflix Annual Reports, Netflix 5
Growth slowed to 6.5% in 2022 and 6.7% in 2023. Netflix lost subscribers in the first half of 2022, and a strong US dollar reduced the value of its overseas revenue that year.
Growth bounced back to 15.6% in 2024 and 15.9% in 2025, driven by paid sharing, price increases, and the ad plan. Netflix’s 2026 forecast of 13.1% points to a slower but still double-digit pace.
Netflix Quarterly Revenue and Profit
Netflix posted $12.87 billion in revenue in Q3 2026, the highest quarterly total in its history. But year-over-year growth has slowed every quarter in 2026, from 17.6% in Q4 2025 to 11.8% in Q3 2026.
The table below shows Netflix’s revenue, operating margin, and net income for each of the last five quarters, along with its Q4 2026 forecast.
| Quarter | Revenue | YoY Growth | Operating Margin | Net Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q3 2025 | $11.51B | +17.2% | 28.2% | $2.55B |
| Q4 2025 | $12.05B | +17.6% | 24.5% | $2.42B |
| Q1 2026 | $12.25B | +16.2% | 32.3% | $5.28B* |
| Q2 2026 | $12.56B | +13.4% | 33.4% | $3.40B |
| Q3 2026 | $12.87B | +11.8% | 34.6% | $3.66B |
| Q4 2026 (forecast) | $13.44B | +11.5% | 26.0% | $2.79B |
Source: Netflix 5
(Note: *Q1 2026 net income includes a one-time $2.8 billion fee Netflix received after its Warner Bros. Discovery deal was terminated.)
Netflix’s operating margin reached 34.6% in Q3 2026, up from 28.2% a year earlier. Netflix expects it to drop to 26.0% in Q4, partly because of the cost of recently announced job cuts. For the full year, it forecasts a 31.5% operating margin, up from 29.5% in 2025.
Netflix Revenue by Region
UCAN (US and Canada) is Netflix’s biggest revenue region, bringing in $5.63 billion, or 43.7% of total revenue, in Q3 2026. LATAM grew fastest on a reported basis, up 17% year over year.
The table below compares each region’s Q3 2026 revenue with Q3 2025. FX-neutral growth removes the effect of currency swings, so it shows the underlying trend.
| Region | Q3 2025 Revenue | Q3 2026 Revenue | YoY Growth | FX-Neutral Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UCAN | $5.07B | $5.63B | +11% | +11% |
| EMEA | $3.70B | $4.11B | +11% | +9% |
| LATAM | $1.37B | $1.60B | +17% | +12% |
| APAC | $1.37B | $1.54B | +12% | +15% |
| Total | $11.51B | $12.87B | +12% | +11% |
Source: Netflix 5
Currency moves are changing the picture in two regions. LATAM’s 17% reported growth falls to 12% once currency effects are removed, while APAC’s 12% rises to 15%. On a like-for-like basis, APAC is now Netflix’s fastest-growing region.
Growth also slowed in every region during 2026. Between Q1 and Q3 2026, reported growth fell from 14% to 11% in UCAN, 17% to 11% in EMEA, 19% to 17% in LATAM, and 20% to 12% in APAC.
Netflix Ad Revenue
Netflix’s ad revenue more than doubled to over $1.5 billion in 2025, and Netflix expects about $2.7 billion in 2026. Ads are still a small part of the business, at roughly 3% of total revenue in 2025 and about 5% in 2026.
The table below shows Netflix’s ad revenue and its share of total revenue.
| Year | Ad Revenue | Share of Total Revenue |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Over $1.5B (more than 2.5x 2024) | About 3.3% |
| 2026 (forecast) | About $2.7B | About 5.3% |
Sources: Netflix 7, Netflix 5, MarketBeat
Netflix had targeted about $3 billion in ad revenue for 2026 but lowered that forecast in October because some of its ad tools rolled out more slowly than planned. Advertiser demand is still growing fast, with more than 4,000 active advertisers in Q1 2026, up over 70% year over year.
Netflix Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) by Region
Netflix earned an average of $11.70 per paying member each month in 2024. UCAN members brought in $17.20 a month, more than double the $7.29 earned from each APAC member.
Netflix calls this metric average monthly revenue per paying membership (ARM). The table below shows ARM by region from 2018 to 2024, the last year Netflix reported it.
| Year | UCAN | EMEA | LATAM | APAC | Global |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | $11.16 | $10.45 | $8.19 | $9.33 | $10.31 |
| 2019 | $12.57 | $10.33 | $8.21 | $9.24 | $10.82 |
| 2020 | $13.32 | $10.72 | $7.45 | $9.12 | $10.91 |
| 2021 | $14.56 | $11.63 | $7.73 | $9.56 | $11.67 |
| 2022 | $15.86 | $10.99 | $8.48 | $8.50 | $11.76 |
| 2023 | $16.28 | $10.87 | $8.66 | $7.64 | $11.64 |
| 2024 | $17.20 | $10.96 | $8.24 | $7.29 | $11.70 |
Sources: Netflix 9, Netflix 10, Netflix 11
(Note: Netflix stopped reporting subscriber counts and ARM each quarter from Q1 2025, so 2024 is the latest full-year data.)
UCAN ARM rose every year, from $11.16 in 2018 to $17.20 in 2024, a 54% increase driven by regular price increases in the US and Canada. APAC moved the other way, falling from a peak of $9.56 in 2021 to $7.29 in 2024, a 24% drop.
APAC’s decline reflects Netflix’s push into lower-priced markets like India, where it cut prices in late 2021 to win more members. As a result, the gap between UCAN and APAC widened from $1.83 per member in 2018 to $9.91 in 2024. This is why UCAN brings in about 44% of Netflix’s revenue with only about 30% of its members.
Netflix Ad Tier Statistics 2026
Netflix’s ad-supported plan reaches more than 250 million monthly active viewers worldwide as of May 2026. It launched in November 2022, is available in 12 countries today, and will expand to 15 more from March 2027.
| Date | Ad-Tier Monthly Active Audience | Metric Used |
|---|---|---|
| May 2023 | 5 million | Users (profiles) |
| Nov 2023 | 15 million | Users |
| May 2024 | 40 million | Users |
| Nov 2024 | 70 million | Users |
| May 2025 | 94 million | Users |
| Nov 2025 | 190 million | Viewers (people per household) |
| May 2026 | 250 million+ | Viewers |
Source: Netflix Upfront 2026, Netflix 5, Variety, TheWrap
On a like-for-like basis, the ad tier grew 31.6% in six months, from 190 million viewers in November 2025 to 250 million in May 2026. More than 80% of ad-tier members watch every week, and the ad plan accounted for more than 60% of sign-ups in its markets in Q1 2026.
Advertising is becoming a real business for Netflix. Ad revenue more than doubled to over $1.5 billion in 2025, and Netflix now expects about $2.7 billion in 2026, slightly below its earlier $3 billion target because some ad tools rolled out more slowly than planned.
The first 12 new ad markets launch in March 2027, covering nine countries in EMEA plus Colombia, Peru, and New Zealand. The full list of 15 is Austria, Belgium, Colombia, Denmark, Indonesia, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, the Philippines, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, and Thailand.
Are Netflix Subscribers Increasing or Decreasing?
Netflix subscribers are still increasing. The platform hit a record 325 million at the end of 2025, and Netflix says memberships grew again in Q3 2026.
- Netflix added 41.35 million subscribers in 2024, its largest single-year gain ever.
- Subscribers grew 7.75% in 2025, adding about 23.4 million to reach 325 million.
- Churn improved year over year in Q3 2026, both globally and in the US.
- The ad plan now drives most new sign-ups in the markets where it is offered.
Netflix stopped reporting quarterly subscriber counts in 2025 and now focuses on revenue and operating margin, sharing subscriber milestones only occasionally.
Growth slowed to 7.75% in 2025 after a 15.89% surge the year before, but subscriber numbers continue to rise. The paid sharing crackdown, launched in May 2023, converted account borrowers into paying members and powered Netflix’s record subscriber gain in 2024.
The ad plan is now Netflix’s main growth driver and accounts for most new sign-ups in supported markets. With APAC still under-penetrated and 15 more countries joining the ad tier in 2027, subscriber growth still has room to continue.
Netflix Updates 2026: What’s Actually Changing for Subscribers
Netflix had a turbulent few months. A major acquisition collapsed, its ad business hit a new scale milestone, and its password crackdown continued, converting users into paying customers.
Netflix’s Warner Bros. Deal Collapses
Netflix signed a deal in December 2025 to buy Warner Bros.’ film and TV studios and HBO Max for about $82.7 billion. After Paramount Skydance raised its offer to $31 per share, Netflix declined to match it on February 26, 2026, saying the deal was no longer financially attractive. Warner Bros. Discovery ended the agreement the next day, and Netflix received a $2.8 billion termination fee. That fee lifted Netflix’s Q1 2026 net income to $5.28 billion. HBO content will not come to Netflix through this deal.
Source: Netflix 4
Password Sharing Crackdown: Still in Full Force
Netflix’s paid sharing policy, launched in May 2023, is still in place. Netflix added about 94 million paid subscribers between the end of 2022 and the end of 2025, with paid sharing as a major driver. In March 2026, Netflix raised the price of adding an extra member outside the household to $7.99 a month with ads or $9.99 without ads.
Source: Netflix 1
Netflix Upfront 2026: AI Ads, 250M Viewers, and Global Expansion
At its fourth annual Upfront on May 13, 2026, Netflix confirmed its ad-supported tier now reaches over 250 million global monthly active viewers, with more than 80% watching every week.
The company introduced AI agents that can manage, optimise, and buy ads autonomously, plus tools that help brands reformat existing assets into vertical video and pause ads without starting from scratch.
Netflix also confirmed its ad plan will launch in 15 new countries from 2027, starting with 12 markets in March 2027, including Indonesia, the Philippines, Poland, and Thailand.
Source: Netflix Upfront
Final Thoughts
With more than 325 million subscribers, $45 billion in 2025 revenue, and an ad tier reaching 250 million viewers, Netflix is bigger than it has ever been. The recovery from its 2022 subscriber loss is one of the strongest turnarounds in streaming.
But growth is slowing. Revenue growth fell from 17.6% in Q4 2025 to 11.8% in Q3 2026, and Netflix trimmed its 2026 ad revenue target. What happens next depends on how fast it turns its ad audience into revenue and how deeply it can grow in markets like India, Japan, and Southeast Asia.
FAQs
How many subscribers does Netflix have in 2026?
Netflix had more than 325 million paid subscribers at the end of 2025, its latest official count. We estimate it could reach about 350 million by the end of 2026.
Why are people unsubscribing from Netflix?
Cost is the leading reason, cited by 43% of people who cancel streaming services. Users also flag declining content quality and account restrictions, particularly the household sharing policy, as key reasons for leaving.
Which country has the most Netflix subscribers?
The US leads with approximately 87.75 million subscribers, more than four times the second-ranked UK at 19.8 million.
How many users does Netflix’s ad-supported plan have?
As of Nov 2026, Netflix’s advertising tier reaches over 250 million monthly active viewers globally.
Does Netflix still report subscriber numbers?
No. Netflix stopped reporting quarterly subscriber counts in 2025 and now shares only milestones, such as passing 325 million at the end of 2025.
How many people watch Netflix?
Netflix says its total audience is approaching one billion people, because one paid membership is often shared by several people in a household.
Is Netflix available in China?
No. Netflix is not available in China, Russia, North Korea, Syria, or Crimea.
