Netflix brings ads to Poland and raises prices. Does a Pole pay more for streaming than a German?

Netflix has confirmed that its ad-supported plan will reach Poland in 2027, along with more than a dozen other markets. The cheaper subscription is meant to answer market saturation and growing competition. It does not mean a price cut for existing customers. In May 2026 the platform raised prices in Poland: the cheapest ad tier went from 33 to 37 zlotys, and the most expensive from 67 to 75 zlotys a month.

The ad model works on a global scale. In markets where it is available, about 60 percent of new subscribers in the first quarter of 2026 chose the version with ads. More than 250 million people now watch the ad plan every month, and Netflix says ad revenue will reach 3 billion dollars this year.

How Poland compares with other countries

A price comparison across fifteen countries run by Wirtualnemedia.pl puts Poland among the cheapest markets. The cheapest Netflix option costs a few euros a month here, much like in Turkey, where the converted price is even lower. The top of the list looks entirely different: the most expensive package in the United States costs more than the equivalent of 100 zlotys a month.

The nominal price alone does not capture the real burden. The average wage in Poland in the first quarter of 2026 was 9 562.88 zlotys gross, and the exchange rates published by the National Bank of Poland on 24 June 2026 were 3.78 zlotys to the dollar and 4.29 zlotys to the euro. A subscription to Netflix's most expensive plan therefore comes to about 0.8 percent of the average wage. In Germany the subscription is nominally higher, but wages are significantly larger, so that share is lower.

The market has matured, now it is splitting

Data from the PMR agency describes a market that has stopped growing as fast as it did during the pandemic. More than 60 percent of Polish households use paid video on demand, and the average user holds about 2.5 subscriptions at once. Nearly half of households, 46 percent, gave up paid television in favour of the internet, and forecasts predict a loss of about 1.5 million cable and satellite television subscribers by 2031.

The funding model is changing along with the market. PMR notes that 71.1 percent of households keep the same subscription all year, while 22.1 percent activate a service only for the run of specific premieres. At the same time, a significant share of users is considering a switch to the ad-supported package if it means saving money.

Three lines of division

The Polish streaming market therefore splits into three groups. The first pays for the convenience of no ads and will accept price rises without changing its decision. The second will pick the cheaper ad plan as soon as it is available. The third will rotate subscriptions, turning them on for a premiere month and off after watching. That third group is the biggest challenge for the platforms, because price increases cannot hold it. Only quality and the rhythm of premieres can.