CTV Inventory
Part of CTV inventory and buying options
Subscription vs ad-supported streaming environments
Compare Australian streaming environments by ad-eligible viewers, content, screens, format and reporting.
An Australian CTV buy can sit in subscription, advertising-funded or hybrid streaming environments. The boundary is whether ads run, and which plan, content and devices are eligible: Netflix and Prime Video have hybrid rules, while commercial BVOD services are online ad-supported.
An SVOD label or a service’s subscriber total alone does not establish that a viewing opportunity carries an ad.
Understand the service and the plan
SVOD means paid access to an on-demand catalogue; AVOD describes advertising-funded on-demand viewing. BVOD means broadcaster internet-delivered viewing, including live streams and on-demand catch-up.
Named Australian BVOD services include ABC iview, SBS On Demand, 7plus, 9Now and 10 Play. The commercial broadcaster platforms 7plus, 9Now and 10 Play are online ad-supported.
YouTube is identified as an AVOD service. Kantar reported that 68% of Australian households watched content via YouTube in an average month in Q3 2025.
Free Ad-Supported TV (FAST) is another ad-supported environment. 7Plus has experimented with linear FAST channels, including the 24-hour Blue Heelers and Bondi Vet channels.
Streaming environment types for CTV
- SVOD (subscription video on demand)Paid access to an on-demand catalogue; ads appear only where a hybrid ad-supported plan applies.
- AVOD (advertising-funded video on demand)Advertising-funded on-demand viewing.
Compare the proposed ad opportunities
Netflix launched its Basic with Ads plan in Australia on 4 November 2022. At launch, it carried up to five minutes of ads per viewing hour; only subscribers to the ad-supported plan see ads, while members on other plans remain without ads.
Netflix’s ad-supported experience includes commercial breaks in most TV shows and movies. A small number of titles are unavailable because of licensing restrictions and appear with a lock icon; a few devices cannot run the experience if their app or software cannot be updated.
Prime Video movies and TV shows include limited advertisements for members. Its monthly Ad Free subscription removes ads from on-demand movies and TV shows for profiles linked to the account, but promotional trailers remain; they can be skipped but not removed.
Prime Video Ad Free does not remove ads from live TV, select free ad-supported programming, add-on subscriptions or sports events. Eligible free titles are labelled “watch with ads” or “with ads”.
Disney+ is identified as an SVOD app, while HBO Max had an ad-supported tier in Australia in Q3 2025. In that quarter, 5.6 million Australian households had at least one paid ad-supported subscription; 30% of new subscribers chose an ad-supported plan, including 73% of new Netflix subscribers.
Netflix vs Prime Video ad-supported rules
- Netflix eligibility and exclusionsOnly subscribers to the ad-supported plan see ads; members on other plans remain without ads. A small number of titles are unavailable because of licensing restrictions and show a lock icon; some devices cannot run the experience if their app or software cannot be updated.
- Prime Video with limited adsMovies and TV shows include limited advertisements for members.
- Prime Video Ad FreeRemoves ads from on-demand movies and TV shows for profiles linked to the account; promotional trailers remain, can be skipped but not removed.
- Prime Video Ad Free limitsDoes not remove ads from live TV, select free ad-supported programming, add-on subscriptions or sports events. Eligible free titles are labelled “watch with ads” or “with ads”.
Choose the environment that fits the brief
For a broadcaster context, name the eligible BVOD service or programme. The BVOD label covers both live and catch-up viewing, while the commercial platforms 7plus, 9Now and 10 Play are online ad-supported.
For a subscription or hybrid offer, check that its plan covers the intended content and TV devices. Netflix has licensing and device exclusions; Prime Video Ad Free applies to on-demand movies and TV shows, not every type of viewing.
Confirm that each impression is actually offered for sale; do not use total subscriptions or service use as a proxy for saleable CTV impressions.
CTV buy checks for streaming environments
- Name the eligible environmentFor a broadcaster context, name the eligible BVOD service or programme. BVOD covers both live and catch-up viewing.
- Confirm the plan covers the contentFor a subscription or hybrid offer, check that its plan covers the intended content and TV devices.
- Check licensing and device exclusionsNetflix has licensing and device exclusions; Prime Video Ad Free applies to on-demand movies and TV shows, not every type of viewing.
- Verify saleable impressionsConfirm each impression is actually offered for sale; do not use total subscriptions or service use as a proxy for saleable CTV impressions.
