Netflix will launch an ad-supported subscription in the Netherlands and Belgium on 1 March 2027. The streaming service had previously announced that the advertising model would come to both countries.
Netflix announced the launch date on Thursday during an event for advertisers. The company plans to roll out the ad-supported subscription in fifteen new countries in 2027. Alongside the Netherlands and Belgium, these include Austria, Denmark, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Sweden and Switzerland.
The cost of the new subscription in the Netherlands and Belgium is not yet known. Netflix presents the advertising model as a cheaper way to access the service. According to the company, the existing subscriptions have not automatically been replaced by an ad-supported version.
With ad-supported subscriptions, commercial breaks appear before and during many series and films. Netflix warns that a small part of the catalogue may be unavailable because of licensing agreements. The company also says that adverts may be part of the viewing experience at some live events.
Netflix is also bringing its own advertising technology to the Netherlands. With the Netflix Ads Suite, the company wants to offer adverts, select target audiences and measure campaigns. This will make Netflix not only a distributor of films and series, but also a player in the Dutch advertising market.
The expansion is part of a broader shift in streaming. Services that initially relied mainly on ad-free subscriptions are increasingly offering a cheaper package with adverts. For viewers, this means more choice between price, viewing comfort and available titles; for providers, it creates an additional source of income alongside subscription fees.
It has not yet been announced that existing subscribers' current package will change. Nor is it known exactly how many adverts viewers in the Netherlands will see, which titles will be excluded from the package because of licensing and whether the prices of ad-free subscriptions will be adjusted.
The Dutch launch therefore does not make ad-free streaming impossible, but it does change the competition between platforms and broadcasters. Netflix will gain access to local advertisers, while viewers will have to weigh up whether a lower price is worth interruptions and a potentially more limited offering.