Key Points:
- Netflix runs 12% more ad spots per hour during its original shows compared to licensed programming.
- Netflix’s original series ad load is still significantly lower when compared to peer services like Amazon’s Prime Video.
- Most Netflix shows are exclusive to the platform, and are rarely licensed to other services.
Netflix is placing more advertisements on its original TV shows and movies compared to licensed content, according to new research from Ampere Analysis.
A report released by Ampere on Monday concludes Netflix inserts approximately 3.78 ads per hour of original programming, or nearly 12 percent more than the 3.33 ads per hour shown during licensed content.
While the difference is subtle, Ampere’s findings indicate a deliberate strategy by the streamer to capitalize on the popularity of its original titles, which include global hits like “Bridgerton,” “Ozark,” “Squid Game,” and “Stranger Things.”
Original content has long been a key differentiator for Netflix in the crowded streaming marketplace, with new seasons of major series often treated by fans as cultural events. That strong viewer engagement may be giving the company confidence to increase ad density without risking subscriber backlash.
Netflix is one of only two major streaming platforms that show more ads on original content than on licensed titles. The other is Prime Video, which serves an average of 10.4 ads per hour on its originals, compared to 9.8 per hour on third-party content.
Other platforms appear to be taking the opposite approach. Ampere’s data shows that HBO Max (formerly Max) places nearly 20 percent more ads on licensed programming than on its own originals. That contrasts with anecdotal user experiences, suggesting that Max may have adjusted its ad strategy in recent months.
“We do know that HBO Max has upped the number of ads per hour that it offers in general, so perhaps it took the opportunity to make some other shifts as well,” the report notes.
While the ad load differences may be subtle enough that most viewers do not notice, the underlying strategy reflects broader trends in the streaming industry, where platforms are increasingly looking to monetize premium content through ad-supported tiers. Netflix launched its ad-supported plan in late 2022 and has gradually expanded it amid strong advertiser demand and slowing subscription growth.
Ampere’s data reinforces the notion that streamers are tailoring their ad strategies not just by pricing tier, but also by content type—leveraging originals as prime inventory in the battle for advertising dollars.
