Survey: Brits increasingly more open to ads for cheaper streaming
April 13, 2026
Brits are becoming increasingly willing to watch more ads in exchange for cheaper streaming. The research from subscription bundling platform, Bango, comes from the Subscription Signals report which surveyed 1,500 UK consumers. The findings show that more than two in five (42 per cent) of Brits would tolerate twice as many ads in streaming and subscription services if it lowered the monthly cost. Among younger viewers, that figure rises to 50 per cent of Millennials and 44 per cent of Gen Z.
The findings point to a more pragmatic subscription mindset, where viewers are looking for cheaper and simpler ways to stay subscribed, whether through ad-supported access, discounts, bundles or partnerships.
The research also suggests that aversion to adverts is declining as subscription costs keep rising. Brits now pay for an average of 5.7 subscriptions, costing £68 (€78.12) a month — or £818 a year. Among Gen Z, that rises to £91 a month (or £1,092 a year), while Millennials spend £85 a month (or £1,020 a year). Against that backdrop, almost a third of Brits (30 per cent) say they are spending more than they can afford on subscriptions, rising to 43 per cent among Gen Z.
The shift is particularly striking among subscribers to major streaming services. Willingness to accept more ads is highest among HBO Max users (65 per cent), Apple TV users (54 per cent), followed by Disney+ users (49 per cent), Netflix users (47 per cent) and Prime Video users (46 per cent). These platform-specific stats raise fresh questions about perceived value, pricing tolerance and where subscribers feel most open to trade-offs.
Commenting on the findings, Giles Tongue, Marketing VP at Bango, commented: “For years, the assumption was that subscribers would always pay more to avoid adverts. But for a growing number of consumers, watching more ads is now an acceptable trade-off if it means keeping monthly costs down, especially among younger viewers. The data suggests that mindsets are changing, not just plan preferences. As budgets tighten, people are not only rethinking what they pay for, but how they access subscriptions in the first place. That could mean accepting ads, looking for discounts, or turning to bundles that make subscriptions easier to manage and better value.
“For consumers, this is about keeping the services they want in ways that feel more affordable and flexible. For streaming platforms and subscription providers, it means affordability and flexibility are becoming just as important as content itself. As people look for better value through bundles and partnerships, brands that make access worthwhile will be much harder to walk away from,” concluded Tongue.