Netflix launches ‘Monthly Active Viewers’ metric as ad-tier hits 190 million

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Netflix has introduced a new measurement system for its advertising business with the Monthly Active Viewers (MAV) metric. The company says its ad-supported tier now reaches more than 190 million active viewers worldwide.

The MAV metric counts members who watch at least one minute of ads in a month and adjusts this number using average household size data from Netflix’s internal analytics. Previously, Netflix relied on account-based metrics, a method the company now considers too limited since it did not capture co-viewing or shared accounts.

For advertisers, this update signals a major shift. By focusing on people instead of accounts, Netflix is aligning its measurement closer to traditional media standards where reach and frequency are critical. Company executives have said that what matters most is the number of people watching, not the number of subscriptions. At the same time, Netflix has expanded its ad technology footprint, rolling out its in-house Netflix Ads Suite across 12 countries and integrating with major programmatic platforms.

Even so, advertising remains a smaller part of Netflix’s overall business, though it is growing quickly. The move to MAV suggests the company is aiming for more transparency and precision in how it presents its scale to brands and agencies.