Worldpanel by Numerator has found that ad-supported streaming made up ground on ad-free alternatives, with a seismic YoY increase of 6 million viewers in the UK now willing to see content with ads.

Brits’ preparedness to accept ads on VoD streaming platforms continues to skyrocket as ad-supported streaming hit a record 23 million subscriptions in Q3 and closed the gap on ad-free alternatives, which account for 29 million viewers in total.

The Q3 2025 Entertainment on Demand (EoD) findings show that Prime Video reclaimed top spot from Disney+ in new paid subscriptions, and Disney+ overtook Netflix in delivering the best overall ad experience.

Insights from Worldpanel by Numerator uncovered the following behaviours within the VoD market between July and October 2025:

• Prime Video secured 17 per cent of new paid sign-ups, narrowly ahead of Disney+ (16 per cent)
• 40 per cent of new subscriptions were ad-supported compared with 29 per cent last year
• Tubi continued to show sustained growth in the free ad-supported space, reaching over 10 per cent of viewers in this category and impacting competitors such as Pluto TV, which is struggling to maintain viewers.
• The number of households with at least one paid video streaming service rose to 20.3 million in Q3 2025, an increase of 457,000 year-on-year.
• Wednesday on Netflix was the most watched title, followed by Squid Game. Six of the top ten most watched titles were on Netflix, highlighting its strength in subscriber engagement.

Prime Video reclaims the top spot, as Netflix expands its portfolio of content 

Prime Video’s return to the top spot in Q3 was fuelled by its slate of high-profile series, such as Clarkson’s Farm, Gen V and Reacher. Worldpanel by Numerator’s data showed that one in five viewers joined the platform simply because they ‘love the brand’, a sentiment that is now on par with Disney+ and outpacing Netflix.

Echoing this momentum, Netflix turned in a solid Q3 performance that was defined by both depth and breadth. The second season of Wednesday dominated both ‘most watched’ and ‘most enjoyed’ lists, but the platform’s ability to secure six of the top ten most watched titles underlines the pulling power of its catalogue. This strength is proving instrumental in accelerating adoption of its ad-supported tier, with existing ad-free customers switching to lower cost plans alongside new sign-ups.

Dominic Sunnebo, Global Insight Director at Worldpanel by Numerator, commented: “Netflix has always been an early adopter, the disrupter that ushered in an entirely new way to watch quality TV and film at home. But as advertising on VoD platforms matures, the way in which consumers experience their favourite programme has inched closer to traditional TV. With this natural evolution comes a maturity of the VoD industry and significant competition. Over the last six months the proportion of Netflix’s ad-tier customers that were satisfied with the number and length of ads fell by around 5 per cent points, while Disney+ improved across all measures to take the lead.”

Disney+ overtook Netflix in subscriber satisfaction across all major ad metrics, including load, length, relevance and variation. Dissatisfaction with ads increases churn risk by 47 per cent, making Disney’s improvement in these areas a strategic advantage as competition intensifies.

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Categories: Advertising, Articles, Consumer Behaviour, Content, Premium, Research, VOD

Tags: advertising, Disney, netflix, Prime Video, Worldpanel