Ad-supported tiers the future of streaming: Ampere Analysis
Netflix is still responsible for half of all streaming revenue in the US
Global streaming subscription revenue has tripled in five years, with price increases and ad-supported tiers being key to the sector’s continued growth.
This is according to a study from London-based data and analytics firm Ampere Analysis, which found that global streaming subscription revenue grew by 14% during 2025, to reach US$157.1b (A$230b). This is triple the US$50b (A$73b) in revenue the streamers brought in 2020, during the height of the pandemic.
The report credits the fast growth to international expansion, the increase in ad-supported tiers, and consistent price increases by the big players.
Despite the worldwide expansion of most major streaming services, the US still accounts for 50% of global streaming subscription revenue, with Netflix the largest contributor in that market. Netflix’s revenue in the US alone grew by 14%, which Ampere credits to a price increase across all tiers at the start of 2025.
Ampere’s modelling predicts that subscription revenue will grow by a further 29% by 2030, when it will surpass US$200b (A$292b).
Ampere notes that, in competitive markets that are at maturity, like North America and Western Europe, “the next phase of expansion is increasingly driven by ad-tier subscriptions” with most market leaders adopting a hybrid model between subscriptions and advertising.
Total revenue from ad-supported tiers has jumped from less than 5% in 2020 to 28% in 2025. Advertising revenue alone accounted for an extra $19.9b (A$29b) in 2025, bumping the total revenue made through streaming services to $177b globally (A$258b).
Ampere predicts the advertising revenue figure will double, to $42b ($61b), by 2030, as adoption of ad-supported tiers continues to grow, and streaming companies slowly ramp up their ad loads.
Lauren Liversedge, senior analyst at Ampere Analysis, said in the report that the emphasis for streaming growth is “no longer on pure subscriber growth but on extracting greater value from existing audiences”.
“Price optimisation and the rise of ad-supported tiers are driving revenue growth, particularly in the most competitive markets.”
Analysis by the Hollywood Reporter around Netflix’s latest price hike underscores that streamers are focused on making their ad-supported tiers more and more attractive compared to the ad-free options.
Netflix’s standard ad-free plan in the US now sits at US$19.99, a US$4.50 price jump since the ad-supported tier was introduced in November 2022. In that time, the ad-supported tier has only increased by $2.
“In other words,” the publication notes, “over time, the ad tier has become a better value.”
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