New Zealand is getting Netflix with ads. In its third-quarter 2026 shareholder letter, published on 20 October, Netflix said it will introduce its advertising tier to 15 new countries in 2027, and that the first tranche, in March 2027, covers “nine countries in EMEA, Colombia, Peru and New Zealand.”
The letter flags New Zealand as “a new addition from our previous announcement.” When Netflix named its March 2027 European markets at its UK upfront in September, the list was Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden and Switzerland, with no mention of New Zealand.
What is known, and what is not
The letter gives a month, not a date, and no New Zealand pricing. It does not say whether the ad plan will replace any existing plan here or sit alongside the current options. Until Netflix publishes local details, any price or plan comparison would be guesswork, so The Remote will update this story when it does.
What the letter does show is why Netflix wants more ad markets. The company now expects 2026 advertising revenue of about US$2.7 billion, down from its earlier forecast of about US$3 billion, which it attributes to a “slightly slower than expected rollout of some ad product capabilities.” Alongside the 2027 country launches, the letter lists new advertising partnerships and wider programmatic buying.
The bigger picture for Kiwi subscribers
Netflix says member response to its 2026 price increases has been “consistent with prior price changes and our expectations,” and that retention was healthy in every region. The letter does not break out New Zealand figures; the country sits inside Netflix’s Asia-Pacific region, where revenue grew 12 per cent year on year to US$1.54 billion in the quarter.
Until March, nothing changes for New Zealand subscribers. The fourth-quarter slate in the same letter includes East of Eden, The Diplomat season four, Emily in Paris and Canada’s Below, alongside the NFL Christmas Day doubleheader and the Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua fight.
What Netflix costs in New Zealand now
Until the ad plan arrives, every Netflix plan in New Zealand is ad-free. Netflix’s New Zealand site says plans “range from $17.99 to $33.99/month,” so the entry price today is NZ$17.99 a month and the top tier NZ$33.99. The site makes no mention of an ad-supported option, which matches the shareholder letter’s timing: New Zealand is in the March 2027 tranche, not the current line-up.
Netflix’s global help centre sets out how its three-plan structure works where ads are offered: Standard with ads and Standard both allow two screens at once in 1080p (Full HD), while Premium allows four screens in 4K with HDR and adds Netflix spatial audio. Standard and Premium can add paid extra members; Standard with ads cannot. Netflix also notes that billing is monthly only, with no annual or multi-month plans, and that the Basic plan has been discontinued.
How the ad plan works across the Tasman
Australia is the nearest guide to what Kiwi subscribers can expect. Netflix launched the ad plan there on 3 November 2022, one of 12 launch countries alongside the US, the UK, Canada and Japan. At launch, Netflix said ads would average four to five minutes per hour, in spots of 15 or 30 seconds played before and during shows and films, and that some titles would be unavailable because of licensing.
Today, its Australian site promotes “our most affordable, ad-supported plan” and says Australian plans “range from $9.99 to $28.99/month.” That makes A$9.99 the Australian entry price with ads, against an ad-free entry price of NZ$17.99 in New Zealand. Netflix’s help centre says that on the ad plan “all games and most movies and TV shows are available,” with a lock icon marking the titles that are not. Customers who get Netflix through a package or a third party are told to check with that provider about whether an ad plan is offered.
Netflix has not said whether the New Zealand ad plan will be priced in line with Australia, and currency and tax differences mean the Australian figure is a comparison point rather than a forecast. For the advertising numbers behind the expansion, see Netflix Q3 2026: Profits Up, Ad Hopes Trimmed. For a market-by-market comparison point, our audit of Canadian plans, Your Streaming Bills, Audited, sets out every plan and price.
What it means for you
- Netflix’s ad-supported plan is set to launch in New Zealand in March 2027, according to the company’s Q3 2026 letter.
- No price, start date or plan line-up has been announced for New Zealand yet.
- If you are weighing a downgrade, there is nothing to switch to before March; keep an eye on Netflix’s own announcements early next year.
Sources
- Netflix Inc.: Q3 2026 Shareholder Letter, Exhibit 99.1 to Form 8-K, 20 Oct 2026
- Netflix: Netflix hosts first UK Upfront, 24 Sep 2026
- Netflix New Zealand: home page plan pricing, accessed 23 Oct 2026
- Netflix Australia: home page plan pricing, accessed 23 Oct 2026
- Netflix Help Centre: Plans and Pricing, accessed 23 Oct 2026
- Netflix: Announcing Basic with Ads, 13 Oct 2022
Before you go
