More than two-thirds would prefer to save money than pay extra for an ad-free streaming experience. According to the new study, this increase in ad acceptance is not only the result of rising economic pressures, but also an improved ad experience in general.
Key Takeaways
- Ad‑supported streaming has become the clear preference for many, with 68% of viewers choosing to watch ads to save money.
- Younger viewers are even more open to ads, with those aged 18–34 showing higher tolerance than older groups.
- Along with rising economic pressures, the use of shorter and less frequent ad breaks have helped to increase acceptance of ads.
The new ‘TV Advertising: Facts vs. Fiction‘ study from Hub draws from interviews with 3,000 US TV viewers in December 2025.
According to the study, 68% of those interviewed said they would prefer to save money each month than pay more for an ad-free viewing experience.
Specifically, the 68% agreed they would “almost always” opt to sit through ad breaks if the inclusion of ads resulted in a $4-5 saving.
Compared to 60% who agreed with the same sentiment back in 2021, the survey suggests an 8% increase in acceptance of ads over the past four years.
With the percentage of those willing to pay more for an ad-free viewing experience having now dropped to 32% (down from 40% in 2021), the study found that less than one-third are now willing to pay more each month to remove ads.
While the general takeaway is that the majority of all of those interviewed are now more accepting of ads than before, the trend appears to be more pronounced among viewers under the age of 35.
Compared to the 59% of those aged 35 or higher who agreed with the statement “I don’t mind watching TV with ads as much as I used to,” the number jumped to 63% for those aged between 18 and 34.
Economic Pressures Coupled With Better Ad Experiences
While it is normal for homes to consider cheaper tiers when feeling additional economic pressures, as many reported in this study, the findings suggested the increase in ad acceptance was also partly the result of an improved ad experience in general.
In comparison to the heavily commercialized linear TV experience, the study found the shorter and less frequent use of ads by streaming services has helped to improve ad acceptance over the past few years.
Along with a more tolerable ad experience, there is also now a greater selection of ad-supported plans available, and the survey suggested this greater choice has additionally helped to create awareness of ads and a more accepting environment.
With these factors all taken together, the survey found that those who cannot tolerate ads at all had dropped to just 12% in December 2025. For comparison, 16% reported they couldn’t tolerate ads just three years before (Dec. 2022).
Although good news for streaming services that now offer ad-supported tiers, there were still some warnings in the findings that streaming services might want to take note of.
For example, as economic pressures grow, streaming subscriptions are likely to be one of the first costs consumers will cut.
The survey also found that the majority of those interviewed felt streaming services are now raising their prices more often than they have in the past.
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