Comscore’s 2025 State of Streaming Report Reveals Surging Growth of Both Ad-Supported Platforms and FAST Channels

Rhea-AI Summary

Comscore (SCOR) released its 2025 State of Streaming report on Oct 29, 2025, showing rapid growth in ad-supported streaming and FAST channels.

Key findings: total hours on major free ad-supported services grew 43% YoY; Netflix saw 45% of household viewing hours on its ad-supported tier vs 34% in 2024; connected TV reached 96.4M households (+849,000 YoY); total streaming time rose to 13.9B hours (+6% YoY). Report highlights FAST emergence and broad monthly reach of free YouTube content.

Positive

• Free AVOD hours +43% year-over-year
• Netflix ad tier share rose to 45% of household viewing (from 34%)
• Connected TV reach at 96.4M households (+849,000 YoY)

Negative

• None.

Insights

Streaming Market Analyst

Ad-supported streaming and FAST channels show clear audience expansion; advertisers and platform monetization are benefiting.

Comscore data show a rapid shift toward ad-supported viewing: Netflix moved from 34% to 45% of household viewing hours on its ad tier year-over-year, and total hours on major FAST services rose 43% YoY. Connected TV reach sits at 96.4 million households, up 849,000, while total streaming time increased to 13.9 billion hours, a 6% gain. These standalone metrics point to expanding scale for ad inventory and continued audience aggregation on CTV.

The business mechanism is simple: rising ad-tier adoption and FAST hours create more addressable, measurable inventory that can command advertiser spend if measurement and targeting meet industry standards. Risks and dependencies include whether ad load, user experience, and measurement quality remain acceptable and whether content supply sustains viewing growth; the report itself notes average households use 6.9 services and stream nearly 5 hours per day, implying limited room for large increases in service count per household.

Concrete items to watch in the near term include: Netflix ad-tier share trends in subsequent months, FAST total hours growth versus other formats, and whether CTV household counts continue to rise beyond the reported Oct. 29, 2025 snapshot. Each metric is monitorable on a quarterly cadence and will indicate whether the current adoption translates into durable advertising revenue gains.

45% of Netflix U.S. Households Watch on the Ad-supported Tier Compared to 34% in 2024

RESTON, Va., Oct. 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Comscore, a global leader in measuring and analyzing consumer behaviors, today released its 2025 State of Streaming report, revealing how consumer behavior continues to reshape the streaming landscape. A key finding is that audience expansion in both ad-supported (AVOD) and FAST channels shows no signs of slowing with big gains across the board.

Powered by one of the industry’s largest and most comprehensive data sets across platforms, Comscore is uniquely positioned to remove the noise and highlight some of the most significant shifts in consumer behavior and platform behaviors to date. According to the report, total hours watched across major free ad supported streaming services grew by 43 percent year-over-year*.

As advertisers seek scalable, high-impact inventory and consumers demand both affordability and ease of use, FAST channels have emerged as a critical growth engine blending the familiarity of linear TV with the convenience of streaming.

At the same time, ad-supported tiers are gaining popularity across major subscription video on demand (SVOD) services. Netflix now sees 45 percent of total household viewing hours on its ad-supported tier, up from 34 percent just one year ago.

“Consumers are navigating crowded streaming options with the clear intention that they want value, simplicity, and content that’s easy to access,” said Jen Carton, SVP, Product Management, at Comscore. “This year’s State of Streaming reflects that shift and shows how FAST and ad-supported options are meeting those needs in a way that’s culturally resonant and commercially viable. For Comscore, our mission is to illuminate this transformation and help the industry understand what’s next.”

Overall, connected TV (CTV) streaming in internet-enabled homes reached 96.4 million households, an increase of 849,000 year-over-year. The time spent streaming rose to 13.9 billion hours, a 6 percent increase year-over-year. The average household watched content from 6.9 streaming services, reflecting modest growth as the market reaches maturity.

With households now spending nearly 5 hours per day streaming, it has become the default viewing experience for millions of Americans. For many households, creator-driven video sits alongside premium series, sports, and films as everyday viewing. Platforms like YouTube are no longer viewed as “separate categories” but as integral parts of the streaming diet, as the report points out, “more than half of U.S. households stream YouTube content monthly for free.”

The full State of Streaming 2025 report, which explores the trends shaping the future of content, advertising, and technology across screens, is available via this link from Comscore.

* Source: Comscore CTV Intelligence, August 2024 and August 2025, U.S.

About Comscore
Comscore is a global, trusted partner for planning, transacting and evaluating media across platforms. With an unmatched data footprint that combines digital, linear TV, over-the-top and theatrical viewership intelligence with advanced audience insights, Comscore empowers media buyers and sellers to quantify their multiscreen behavior and make meaningful business decisions with confidence. A proven leader in measuring digital and TV audiences and advertising at scale, Comscore is the industry's emerging third-party source for reliable and comprehensive cross-platform measurement.

Media
Marie Scoutas
Comscore, Inc.
press@comscore.com

FAQ

What did Comscore report in the 2025 State of Streaming for SCOR on Oct 29, 2025?

Comscore reported 43% YoY growth in hours for major free ad-supported services and Netflix’s ad tier at 45% of household viewing hours.

How much did total streaming time change in Comscore’s 2025 State of Streaming (SCOR)?

Total streaming time rose to 13.9 billion hours, a 6% year-over-year increase.

What share of Netflix U.S. household viewing was on the ad-supported tier in 2025 according to SCOR?

Netflix had 45% of total household viewing hours on its ad-supported tier in 2025, up from 34% in 2024.

How many U.S. households had connected TV in Comscore’s 2025 report (SCOR)?

Connected TV streaming reached 96.4 million households, an increase of 849,000 year-over-year.

What growth did FAST channels and AVOD show in Comscore’s 2025 State of Streaming (SCOR)?

Comscore found strong audience expansion for both FAST and AVOD, with major free ad-supported services' hours up 43% YoY.