Free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST), which includes platforms like Roku Channel, Tubi, and Pluto TV, has moved from a niche cord-cutting alternative to a mainstream pillar of US video. Total hours watched reached 1.8 billion in August 2025, surging 43% year-over-year, according to Comscore. Yet advertiser adoption has not kept pace with audience growth, creating both a gap and an opportunity. This FAQ covers who watches FAST, which platforms lead, and how advertisers should approach the channel in 2026.

What is free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST)?

Free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) is a category of streaming services that delivers linear-style, scheduled programming at no cost to viewers, supported entirely by advertising. FAST channels replicate the lean-back experience of traditional TV, with curated content streams organized by genre, theme, or brand, but delivered over the internet through connected TV (CTV) devices, smart TVs, and mobile apps.

FAST differs from subscription video on demand (SVOD) in that it requires no account or payment. Major FAST platforms include Roku Channel, Tubi, and Pluto TV. As of mid-2025, nearly 1,870 FAST channels operated globally across 21 countries, offering roughly 34,000 unique titles, according to Nielsen company Gracenote.

How big is the FAST audience in the US?

FAST viewership is large and accelerating. FAST users in the US will reach 131.4 million in 2026, representing 54% of all CTV users, EMARKETER forecasts. That is a 5.8% increase from 2025.

Monthly active households watching FAST grew 12% year-over-year, average daily viewing hours per household climbed 16%, and average channel session duration increased 25%, according to a September Wurl report. These figures indicate that beyond just trying FAST, viewers are making it part of their regular viewing habits.

What are the largest FAST platforms?

Three platforms dominate the US FAST market by viewership in 2026, per EMARKETER forecasts:

• Roku Channel. The largest FAST platform with 97.3 million US viewers. Roku's integration into its own hardware gives it a built-in distribution advantage, and its partnership with Amazon's DSP expands programmatic access for advertisers.
• Tubi. The second-largest platform with 92.5 million US viewers. Tubi is investing in contextual targeting through an expanded partnership with Viant, tagging content by emotional and thematic cues to improve ad relevance, per EMARKETER.
• Pluto TV. Paramount-owned Pluto TV reaches 68.6 million viewers. Pluto TV, Tubi, and Roku Channel combined accounted for 5.7% of all US TV viewing in May 2025, according to Gracenote.

Samsung TV Plus also plays a growing role, announcing a partnership at IAB NewFronts that will bring Amazon’s Interactive Video Ad technology to the platform.

How does FAST differ from AVOD?

FAST and ad-supported video on demand (AVOD) both deliver ad-supported content, but they work differently. FAST replicates the linear TV experience: viewers tune into scheduled channels and watch whatever is airing, similar to cable. AVOD operates on demand: viewers select specific titles from a library and watch them whenever they choose.

In practice, many platforms blend both models. Tubi and Pluto TV offer on-demand libraries alongside their FAST channels. Subscription streamers like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video offer ad-supported tiers that function as AVOD rather than FAST.

For advertisers, the distinction matters. FAST's linear format enables traditional ad structures with mid-roll breaks, while AVOD environments typically use pre-roll and mid-roll placements within individual titles.

Why are viewers choosing FAST over paid streaming?

Several converging forces are driving FAST adoption:

• Subscription fatigue. 42% of paying streamers worldwide think they spend too much on subscriptions, and 35% of global subscribers plan to cancel at least one service this year, per Simon-Kucher data cited by EMARKETER.
• Market saturation. 89% of US internet households already pay for at least one streaming service, per Parks Associates. With penetration near its ceiling, growth now comes from tier switching and adding free alternatives rather than new subscriptions.
• Ad acceptance. Viewers increasingly accept ads in exchange for free content. 59% of accounts across the eight leading subscription AVOD providers are on basic ad-supported tiers, per Parks Associates.
• Seamless access. FAST platforms are pre-installed on smart TVs and integrated into home screens. Many users encounter FAST content without actively seeking it, which lowers the barrier to adoption.

What is the advertising opportunity on FAST?

FAST presents a growing but underexploited opportunity. Viewer growth is outpacing advertiser demand, resulting in lower ad rates and widely available premium inventory, according to EMARKETER. Ad fill rates continue to fall as content supply exceeds advertiser investment, per Wurl. This creates a window for early-mover advertisers.

The audience reach is broad. Adults 18 to 49 spend 63.8% of their TV viewing time with ad-supported content, and within that, streaming accounts for 66.7% of time spent, per Nielsen data cited by EMARKETER. FAST channels specifically captured the growing attention of viewers ages 35 to 64. 28% of Gen Xers report frequently purchasing products they encounter through streaming TV ads, according to Nielsen.

FAST also offers targeting advantages. Because platforms operate on CTV infrastructure, they provide household-level data and deterministic targeting that traditional linear TV cannot match.

What challenges do advertisers face on FAST platforms?

Despite the opportunity, FAST carries specific risks:

• Channel proliferation. With nearly 1,870 FAST channels globally, the landscape is fragmented. Gracenote noted that navigating this ecosystem "makes social media fragmentation look downright simple." Advertisers struggle to determine where to place buys across so many options.
• Weak contextual metadata. Only 9.2% of CTV advertisers prioritize contextual targeting at the program level, and 54% say better content metadata would drive more spending, per Gracenote cited by EMARKETER. Poor metadata creates brand safety risks and limits ad relevance.
• Viewer churn. FAST platforms lack exclusive content, which reduces platform loyalty. Viewers switch freely between services, making long-term audience commitments risky for advertisers, per EMARKETER.
• Measurement inconsistency. Reporting standards vary across FAST platforms, and cross-platform comparison remains difficult. Nielsen's measurement of FAST is improving but still faces scrutiny from the Media Rating Council.

How is FAST changing content and ad targeting in 2026?

FAST platforms are evolving from passive content aggregators into active advertising technology providers. Two developments stand out.

On the content side, sports programming is surging. FAST platforms grew 30% in sports shows year-over-year in the first quarter of 2026, per Gracenote data cited by EMARKETER. News programming on FAST increased 40.6% since January 2025, according to Gracenote. Live and appointment content, historically a linear TV stronghold, is beginning to appear on FAST channels.

On the targeting side, platforms are investing in richer ad intelligence. Tubi's expanded partnership with Viant introduced emotional and thematic content tagging, categorizing scenes by tone (e.g., "hopeful," "suspenseful") to enable hypercontextualized ad placement. Roku's integration with Amazon's DSP and iSpot's measurement tools are expanding programmatic access and attribution capabilities. These improvements address the metadata and targeting gaps that have slowed advertiser adoption.

How should marketers incorporate FAST into their media mix in 2026?

FAST belongs in a broader connected TV strategy, not as a standalone buy. Nielsen's 2026 Upfront planning data shows that audiences move fluidly across linear, ad-supported subscription tiers, and FAST, per EMARKETER. Planning in isolated buckets leaves reach on the table.

Specific steps for 2026:

• Diversify across FAST and subscription ad tiers. Use FAST for broad reach and cost efficiency. Maintain investment in paid CTV environments (Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video ad tiers) for access to exclusive content and lower-churn audiences.
• Invest in contextual tools. Take advantage of emerging metadata and emotional targeting capabilities on platforms like Tubi to improve brand safety and ad relevance.
• Control ad frequency. EMARKETER recommends investing in creative testing and frequency capping to maintain positive viewer experiences. Ad overload or irrelevant messaging pushes viewers away.
• Treat FAST as an early-mover advantage. With ad fill rates still below equilibrium and inventory widely available at competitive rates, 2026 is a favorable entry point before pricing rises with demand.

We prepared this article with the assistance of generative AI tools and stand behind its accuracy, quality, and originality.

EMARKETER forecast data was current at publication and may have changed. EMARKETER clients have access to up-to-date forecast data. To explore EMARKETER solutions, click here.