Streaming’s Next Move? More Free Tiers.

Streaming’s subscription engine might be reaching its limits. A recent forecast from Forrester predicts that at least three subscription streamers will launch free, ad-supported tiers in 2027, with Disney+ as the most obvious candidate and Netflix close behind. The reasoning comes down to affordability: the cheapest ad-free plans across seven leading streaming services rose 77.8% in price between 2020 and 2025, and paid subscriber growth has gotten harder to find. As a result, free services have been gaining ground. Tubi’s share of monthly users grew from 18% to 22% in 2026, passing Apple TV at 21%.

To counteract the challenges of growing paid subscribers, streamers have been turning to ads. Ad minutes per hour rose 18% across major streaming platforms between January and August 2026, with Paramount+ running about 9 minutes of ads an hour. Netflix posts the largest proportional jump, even as they carry the lightest ad load. Ad-supported tier prices climbed 14% between 2025 and 2026, yet subscriber churn remains low at about 4%. So far, viewers are absorbing heavier breaks without heading for the exits.

Our Take
Free tiers would hand streamers more ad inventory to sell, but viewer patience won’t grow to match it. And when that patience runs short, the brand on screen often takes the hit. According to a Nexxon study, 87% of viewers say they see too much of the same ad on streaming, and 68% blamed advertisers for the repetition. As breaks fill up, we think frequency becomes even more important for an advertiser to manage, and the brands that cap their own repeats should find a more receptive audience.

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