Netflix says its ad-supported plan now has over 190 million monthly active viewers (MAVs). This is a significant jump from the 94 million monthly active users (MAUs) it reported last May. The new data shows that the company is growing. In the U.S. alone, Netflix’s ad-supported plan now accounts for 45% of total household viewing hours. 

However, this new update also changes how Netflix counts its viewers. The streaming platform is shifting focus to “viewers” in its latest ad-tier update. The company introduced a new metric called Monthly Active Viewers (MAV). 

In a blog post, Netflix explained that MAVs represent subscribers who watch at least one minute of ads per month, multiplied by an estimated average number of people in a household. In previous reports, Netflix used Monthly Active Users (MAUs), which were tied to individual account profiles. Netflix says the new approach better reflects how people actually watch its content together across different devices and living spaces. 

“Our move to viewers means we can give a more comprehensive count of how many people are actually on the couch, enjoying our can’t-miss series, films, games, and live events with friends and family,” the company said.

Netflix’s ad business continues to expand

Now in its fourth year of running ads, Netflix says it has thousands of advertising clients worldwide. The company told investors during its latest earnings call that ad revenue more than doubled in the past year.

Amy Reinhard, Netflix’s president of ads, said during a press call that the new metric does not change how the company sells ads. “Nothing is going to change in terms of how we’re going to market and selling in,” she said. “We’re just trying to provide more information for our advertisers and buyers.”

New ad formats and targeting options

As part of the update, Netflix said it will begin testing interactive video ads in the U.S. and Canada this month, with plans to roll them out globally by Q2 2026.

Netflix also plans to expand its advanced demographic targeting. New targeting options will include education level, marital status, and household income, in addition to traditional demographics like age and location.

These updates are being supported by Netflix’s in-house ad-tech platform, which now connects with major demand-side platforms such as Amazon, Google Display & Video 360, The Trade Desk, Yahoo DSP, and AJA.

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