Not long after Netflix’s latest price hike hit every single U.S. plan, the streaming service has now revealed that ads will start appearing in even more places within its own app.
This news came from the streamer’s “upfront” presentation, where Netflix confirmed that there are now more than 250 million global users signed up for its ad-supported membership plan. That’s a huge increase from the 94 million users that Netflix reported last year.
As reported by The Verge, Netflix plans to expand its advertising across the globe in two ways. Beginning in 2027, Netflix users signed up to the Standard with ads (formerly “Basic”) tier will start seeing ads in the vertical video feed that recently launched on its mobile app. Netflix also plans to show ads in its podcast lineup, after launching podcasts in late 2025.
The Verge adds that Netflix is testing a new personalization tool, which will adjust the ads that subscribers see “based on their viewing behaviors.”
Additionally, the streamer plans to bolster its ad offering by expanding the subscription option to new territories. Next year, the tier will launch in 15 new countries, including Austria, Belgium, Colombia, Denmark, Indonesia, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, the Philippines, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland and Thailand. So, if you’re a resident of one of these regions, and you’re finding Netflix is just too expensive, you can look forward to cutting the cost of streaming a little in the near future.
Finally, Variety also notes that Netflix plans to "expand opportunities for advertisers to sponsor its own fan site, Tudum."
Netflix first launched its ad-supported plan back in 2022, at a $6.99 pricepoint, though as of the March 2026 Netflix price increase, a Standard with Ads plan now costs $8.99 a month. That’s still marginally cheaper than the ad-free Standard plan ($19.99/month) and the Premium plan, which is now $26.99/month.
