Between 2023 and 2024, ad-supported subscriptions in Europe’s top 5 markets grew more than 8 times, marking a significant shift in the SVOD landscape. The rapid expansion of ad-based tiers from Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, and other platforms has been driven by ambitious marketing plans (notably Disney+’ campaigns in France), new pricing strategies (Netflix canceling its Basic ad-free subscription plan in several key markets), further telecom partnerships, and broader market expansion. A major catalyst for this growth was Amazon Prime Video’s automatic transition of all its subscribers to its ad-supported tier in early 2024, pushing its ad-tier adoption rate to over 80% at the end of 2024. Netflix, meanwhile, gained traction with its cheaper ad-supported plans, adding nearly 1 million new ad-tier subscribers in France, Germany, and the UK each in Q4 2024 alone. Telecom operators have also played a crucial role in the spread of ad-supported SVOD. MagentaTV (Germany), Sky, and Orange (France) among others, now bundle these tiers with their TV and broadband packages, which expands ad-supported tiers' reach towards a very large pool of customers. Disney+ has already expanded its ad-supported model to Finland, Portugal, and the Netherlands, further driving growth in the European market. Viaplay has also introduced its ad-supported option across Scandinavia and the Netherlands, while SkyShowtime has rolled out its own ad-tier across all its operating markets. These rapid expansions highlight the industry’s strong push toward ad-supported SVOD, signaling that this model will continue spreading across Europe - now beyond its largest markets - and attract more subscribers in the coming years. This aggressive push highlights a clear objective: SVOD platforms are racing to scale their ad-tier subscriber base to attract more advertisers and unlock new revenue streams. This research highlight is based on our data coverage of OTT&Video in Europe. Please contact us to get a demo and see the depth of our service. Don't miss our next event, NXT Media Days Europe in Valencia, bringing together two dynamic event series, each focusing on pivotal areas of the evolving media and advertising ecosystem. By uniting Nextv Series Europe, and CTV Ad Days Europe under one brand, we provide a cohesive hub for industry professionals to explore cutting-edge trends, share insights, and develop strategies that will drive the future of media and advertising.
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