Key Points

  • A monetization platform within the ad space should be evaluated based on platform capabilities, technology, ad units, demand sources, and creative support.
  • Our list of the best ad monetization platforms in 2024 includes both major players in the industry and lesser-known, smaller partners.
  • Look to what actual publishers are saying about their ad tech partners for the most effective way to evaluate ad monetization platforms.

The market for ad monetization platforms has exploded in recent years. Between massive titans owned by the world’s biggest companies and tiny upstarts whose names you may have never heard, it can be tricky to know who to trust.

That’s where we come in. As one of those ad monetization platforms — one of the most experienced and proven, by the way — we feel equipped to evaluate some of the best ad monetization platforms in 2024. Our hope is to help publishers everywhere make informed decisions about where to entrust their ad monetization.

Note: this article is regularly reviewed and updated to keep the guidance current and the list up to date. If you feel something is missing from this list, please don't hesitate to contact us with your feedback or request.

 

 

The best ad monetization platforms in 2024 are:

  1. Playwire
  2. Freestar
  3. Raptive
  4. Monetizemore
  5. Sovrn
  6. Zelto
  7. Mediavine
  8. NitroPay
  9. Snigel

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The Complete Guide to Ad Monetization

How to Evaluate the Best Ad Monetization Platform for You

Before we dive into our list of the best ad monetization platforms in 2024, let’s talk about what criteria you will want to consider when comparing ad tech platforms. 

Cross-Platform Capabilities

The best ad monetization solutions are considered “good” across a variety of platforms. That means what a solution offers for mobile games, they should also offer on web or desktop applications wherever possible.

This is rarer than you think. Many of the top ad monetization platforms tout a range of ad units, but those ad units are only available on certain platforms.

At Playwire, we’re extremely proud of the fact that we offer access to the same level of demand and programmatic advertising capabilities to publishers across platforms: web, mobile app, and desktop app.

Technology

Technology matters. With an industry that’s constantly changing and evolving, innovative technology shows that an ad monetization platform is primed to grow along with it — and help you meet your monetization goals.

Playwire’s proprietary Revenue Intelligence (RI) algorithms and greater RAMP Platform are two examples of this kind of revolutionary technology.

Ad Units

Here’s a basic one. Does your ad monetization platform serve all the types of ad units you need? Banner ads, interstitials for both web and app, rewarded video ads, custom ad units — all of these should be available through truly exceptional ad monetization platforms.

demand Sources

Programmatic advertising shook up the digital advertising industry, ending the days of endless insertion orders (IOs), paperwork and inefficiencies. And that innovation was, in a word, wonderful. But it didn’t end the need for direct sales. If anything, it brought the benefits of direct sales for publishers into clear focus making it a key pillar of any revenue strategy. 

At Playwire, we offer access to not only premium demand through Google Open Bidding and Amazon TAM, as well as SSP integrations and app mediation partners, but also an experienced team of global direct sellers.

Creative Support

The best ad monetization platforms are more than just technical and strategic partners. They’re also creative partners. The platforms that really change the game for their publishers are the ones that bring creative support to the table. 

Some may even offer custom creative and vertical-specific content to help their publishers drive higher CPMs and stay ahead of the competition - cough, cough, Playwire.


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The Complete Ad Monetization Resource Center

The Best Ad Monetization Platforms in 2024

We’ve talked about our evaluation process. Now let’s get to the main event. Here’s our list of the eight best ad monetization platforms.

Playwire

Are you surprised by the #1 spot on this list? Self-belief aside, we believe Playwire has truly earned the top spot on this list based on our proven performance and capabilities, and others do as well. 

Playwire outshines every other type of ad monetization solution in just about every measurable metric. That includes supported channels, supported ad types, included demand sources, technology, and creative support.

We offer revenue-amplifying technology you won’t find anywhere else including but not limited to consent management, ad serving, a built-in data management platform (DMP), advanced reporting and analytics, identity solutions, and a built-in video player which includes auto-magically, custom-curated content.

At a higher level, we take pride in having spent the past nearly two decades as the industry’s most pro-publisher and creator ad monetization platform. And that’s more than a mission statement. It’s a stance we back up every day through our actions as a company. 

That’s why we feel we’ve earned our place on this list. Don’t want to take our word for it? Ask our partners.

Freestar

Freestar is an ad monetization platform that offers a lot of tools to help publishers maximize revenue from their digital content. The platform uses advanced machine learning to optimize ad placements and deliver personalized ad experiences to users. This results in higher CPMs and improved fill rates for publishers. 

Freestar also provides its customers with a suite of tools to manage their ad inventory and customize their ad products. The result is a platform that’s genuinely capable of helping its customers increase revenue while delivering a better user experience.

Learn More About Freestar

Raptive

Raptive, which joined forces with Cafemedia and AdThrive, works with a wide range of publishers and advertisers in a variety of ad formats, including banner ads, video ads, and native ads.

Ultimately combining the best of Raptive, Cafemedia, AdThrive, Raptive boosts a suite of comprehensive ad management tools to help publishers achieve their specific data-driven goals, grow their website traffic, and deepen overall audience engagement.

Learn More About Raptive

Monetizemore

Monetizemore uses real-time bidding and, similar to Playwire, it uses advanced machine learning to optimize ad placements and obtain the highest possible CPMs for publishers. 

Monetizemore also offers a number of features designed to improve the user experience, including ad-blocking mitigation, header bidding, and efficient ad loading.

Learn More About MonetizeMore

Sovrn

Founded in 2014, Sovrn, who also acquired Proper Media in 2024, provides a simple way for developers to insert advertising into their apps and then track and manage ad campaigns. Sovrn offers a number of features that help to optimize ad campaign performance, such as automatic optimization and real-time bidding. It’s become a popular though limited choice for app publishers.

Learn More About Sovrn

Zelto

Zelto, formerly AdPushup, offers a variety of features that are designed to make it easy for publishers to maximize their revenue, including the ability to customize the ads that are displayed and the ability to track revenue in real time. The platform is still in its early stages but is already trusted by more than 300 content creators across dozens of countries.

Learn More About Zelto

Mediavine

Full-service ad management is what Mediavine is all about. They pride themselves on doing the heavy ad tech lifting so their customers can focus on creating sustainable businesses, and, like Playwire, they put publishers first by prioritizing transparency and user experience.

Learn More About Mediavine

NitroPay

NitroPay offers both display and video ad management solutions to publishers. NitroPay's platform offers both in-stream and out-stream video solutions through their customized video player, ad block recovery to ensure compliance with the Acceptable Ads and Better Ads standards, and powerful reporting capabilities, which allow publishers to analyze their advertising efforts and revenue.

Learn More About NitroPay

SNIGEL

Snigel is a full-service ad monetization platform best-suited for publishers with heavy site traffic (100K+ monthly sessions) seeking to optimize their revenue while still maintaining fast page load times and a positive user experience that encourages return visits. Every Snigel's client gets a dedicated ad management expert who implements your monetization strategy, monitors performance, and offers ongoing optimizations. 

Learn More About Snigel

Playwire Leads the Ad Monetization Pack

We’ve already covered what makes Playwire the leading ad monetization platform in 2024. All that’s left for you to do is discover it for yourself. There’s no time like the present. 

Contact us today to start your journey.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Below are some of the most frequently asked questions about ad monetization solutions.

 

What is the definition of an ad monetization solution?

The most simple definition of an ad monetization solution is: any platform or tool that can help you monetize your website or app with advertising.

 

Are there different types of ad monetization solutions?

Yes, there are several different types of ad monetization solutions including:

  • Publisher Display Ad Management Platforms: Display ad management platforms are typically programmatic advertising platforms that manage display advertising on your website.
  • Publisher Video Ad Management Platforms: Video ad management platforms are a lot like display ad management platforms in that they are usually programmatic, but they deal in video rather than display.
  • App Mediation SDKs: App mediation software development kits (SDKs) are monetization solutions meant specifically for apps. You have to integrate them with your existing SDK.

Revenue Amplification Management Platform: Revenue amplification platforms take a holistic approach to your revenue. Ad monetization is one component, but you should also expect direct sales, comprehensive strategy management, multi-channel advertising, custom ad units, and much more. Full disclosure: There is only one Revenue Amplification Management Platform (RAMP), and it’s Playwire’s ad monetization solution (and the only one that incorporates Revenue Intelligence).

 

Can I build an ad monetization solution?

Sure — if you have access to a talented development team, tons of capital, and plenty of time to spare. In other words, building your own solution is expensive and really, really difficult. 

Also, the DIY approach is unlikely to monetarily pay off over the long term. That’s because there are so many viable solutions already out there. And although they do take a small cut of the ad revenue they bring in, the best ad monetization solutions actually grow your revenue in the aggregate in a way that your DIY tool wouldn’t.

Learn more about building vs. buying your ad monetization solution.

More on the Ad Tech Ecosystem

Are you interested in reviewing all your ad tech options but unsure where to begin given the complexity of the industry? Don't fret, Playwire has your back!

Learn more about all the players and tools that are available across the ad tech landscape with our new Ad Tech Ecosystem webpage, which is updated regularly, and includes information on ad networks, native ad solutions, consent management partners, data management platforms, and everything in between!