From streaming growth to gains: ad-tier traction and focus on content quality

Wed, Jul 16, 2025 10:05 CET

Simon-Kucher’s Global Streaming Study 2025 reveals a maturing industry where monetization, personalization, and interactivity define the next frontier.

Stockholm, 15/7 2025 – Global streaming growth has stabilized, signaling a mature market landscape pushing providers to innovate beyond subscriber acquisition alone, according to global growth consultancy Simon-Kucher’s latest study. Over 12,000 subscribers surveyed revealed rising demand for ad-tiers and bundles, as well as growing competition from social media emphasizing the importance of content quality.

“It’s not just about growth anymore, it’s about growth with staying power,” says Andreas Jonason, Partner at Simon-Kucher. “To build real value, platforms need to monetize smarter: through ad innovation, bundled access, and content that keeps viewers coming back.”

“It’s not just about growth anymore, it’s about growth with staying power,” says Andreas Jonason, Senior Partner at Simon-Kucher. “To build real value, platforms need to monetize smarter: through ad innovation, bundled access, and content that keeps viewers coming back.”

Key findings and implications:

Streaming stabilizes – sustained high demand, but viewers are more selective

87% of respondents say they’re streaming the same or more than last year, confirming continued engagement despite a cooling growth rate.
The streaming providers’ crackdown on account sharing appear to have affected Swedish consumers, where the average number of subscriptions per person has dropped by 1.2% compared to last year to 2.6 – below the global average of 3 subscriptions per person.
Despite this, consumer demand remains strong in Sweden and the share of paid streaming subscriptions is higher than in any other country included in the study.
This underscores a trend of strong consumer spending on streaming, with willingness to pay also increasing by 16% in Sweden compared with last year.

Implication: Swedish consumers aren’t leaving streaming – they’re more loyal, but also more selective. Many are increasing their streaming budgets and still holding on to multiple subscriptions. To stay in the mix, platforms must focus on perceived value, offering affordable, flexible models that feel worth keeping.

Ad tiers gain traction as content- and cost-consciousness reshape streaming

47% of Swedish subscribers feel they are paying too much for streaming, yet the share planning to cancel at least one service in the next year has dropped to 36%, from 43% last year.
Among those considering cancellation, 64% give a content related reason, raising the stakes for streaming providers to improve the quality of their offering.
Ad- tiers provide a good option to prevent churn, as 42% of Swedish respondents at risk of cancelling would consider staying for an ad-supported plan at a lower cost.

Implication: Ad-tiers aren’t just a fallback, they’re a growth engine. With the right targeting and transparency, they can boost acquisition and retention at the same time.

Bundles go mainstream: simplicity drives adoption

A substantial share (41%) of Swedish subscribers now opts for bundled streaming packages, especially through telecom providers.

Implication: Bundling is no longer only a churn defense – it’s a mainstream way consumers manage their streaming budgets. Partnerships with telcos and platforms offer providers an effective route to affordability and convenience, meeting consumer demand for simplicity and better value.

Streaming vs. social: the race for attention intensifies

Almost half (46%) of under-40s Swedes view social media as a streaming substitute.
Yet only 25% of respondents find short-form content as entertaining as TV or films, suggesting that maintaining high-quality content remains a key competitive advantage over socials.

Implication: Streaming providers aren’t just competing with other platforms – they’re competing with TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. To win attention, content must be interactive, shareable, and create an appetite for more: bite size content on those platforms can spark interest and keep viewers loyal to full-length experiences.

“The market is shifting from volume to value,” concludes Lisa Jaeger, Partner at Simon-Kucher. “With ad-tiers making streaming more accessible, many viewers are willing to pay for several services. But to earn their time and loyalty, platforms will need to surface the most relevant, engaging content, powered by smarter recommendation engines and a sharper understanding of what people actually want to watch.”

Complete study findings are available upon request, including country splits.

*About the Study: The Global Streaming Study 2025 was conducted April - May 2025 by the global consultancy Simon-Kucher. More than 12,000 streamers from across 11 countries (Australia, Brazil, Germany, India, Japan, Netherlands, Sweden, Singapore, Spain, UK, US) were surveyed on their streaming behaviors and preferences. Global averages have been calculated based on the countries included in both the 2024 and 2025 studies, to allow for direct comparison.

For further information please contact:

Andreas Jonason, Senior Partner
Tel.: +46 7081 23496
Email: Andreas.Jonason@simon-kucher.com

Sarah Henriksen, Communications & Marketing Manager, Nordics
Tel.: +45 31 78 61 85
Email: Sarah.Henriksen@simon-kucher.com

About Simon-Kucher

Simon-Kucher is a global consultancy with more than 2,000 employees in 30+ countries. Our sole focus is on unlocking better growth that drives measurable revenue and profit for our clients. We achieve this by optimizing every lever of their commercial strategy – product, price, innovation, marketing, and sales – based on deep insights into what customers want and value. With 40 years of experience in monetization topics of all kinds, we are regarded as the world’s leading pricing and growth specialist. simon-kucher.com

From streaming growth to gains: ad-tier traction and focus on content quality

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