AVOD platform Tubi’s new audience research study has found that consumers don’t want ads on their paid streaming services and are increasingly sensitive to subscription price increases.
The Stream 2025: Audience Insights Shaping Streaming, conducted with the Harris Poll, found some pushback to ads on SVOD services; 79 percent of consumers argue that if they’re paying for a platform, they expect no ads. Meanwhile, 81 percent said that watching ads was a fair trade-off for free access to content. Consumers are also price sensitive, with over half of respondents carefully monitoring their SVOD spend and 76 percent of the Gen Z set indicating they would cancel a service over a price hike. Per Tubi, viewers are spending $129 a month on streaming services and TV subscriptions, a 7.5 percent increase.
The study also found that audiences are turning to streaming for escapism; 80 percent would rather watch a show or movie than scroll social media. Also, Gen Z is demonstrating franchise fatigue. Among all audiences, 70 percent want to see more independent content, and 73 percent of Gen Z want originals over remakes. The Gen Z set also wants to have more say in the content that gets made at streaming services. “New-stalgia” is also a theme, with 66 percent of respondents enjoying content released more than a decade ago.
The Tubi study indicates that 57 percent of Americans are streaming TV and movies for one to three hours per sitting, with 38 percent streaming more than three hours. On average, viewers have a whopping seven services, a mix of paid (3.9 on average) and free (2.6).
“Tubi has built a deeply engaged audience by providing a trusted, premium streaming experience where viewers can freely discover content that speaks to them—without barriers or subscription fees,” said Cynthia Clevenger, senior VP of B2B marketing at Tubi. “Today’s viewers are more selective than ever, carefully choosing where to invest their time and attention. As consumer behaviors continue to evolve, these insights offer marketers a valuable opportunity to connect with key audiences—like Gen Z—in an environment where they find real value through diverse content, seamless ad integration and a viewing experience that mirrors paid services without the cost.”
