Top Ad Networks for Publishers: Maximizing Revenue Opportunities

The spending on digital advertising keeps growing. Thus, according to Statista, it reached almost $550 billion worldwide in 2022. By 2027, this figure is projected to surpass $870 billion. 

While advertisers look for effective platforms to streamline the ad buying process, publishers strive to monetize their inventory. Using an ad network is a way to do this. However, considering the increasing investments in digital marketing, more and more networks are entering the stage, which can make it challenging to make the final choice. 

Fortunately, we are here to help. Drawing on our extensive experience in AdTech, we have prepared a list of top advertising networks for publishers to consider. In addition, this guide explains what factors to pay attention to when making a choice and how to set up the network correctly in order to maximize your revenue. Read on to discover how to enhance your monetization strategy and drive income in an effective manner.

What Are Ad Networks and How Do They Work?

First and foremost, let’s clarify the definition of an ad network. So, an ad network is a platform or organization that gathers the available inventory from publishers and resells it to advertisers who are in search of ad space. It operates as an intermediary between publishers and marketers and facilitates the process of selling the ad inventory. 

Note that a network differs from an ad exchange. An ad exchange is a marketplace that enables RTB and header bidding auctions. In turn, a network acts as an aggregator – the inventory is purchased and sold in bulk. For a detailed comparison, take a look at this guide.

Thus, when it comes to programmatic advertising, an ad network is not a mandatory participant. It represents publishers and helps them sell the inventory. Here is how it works:

Key Factors to Consider When Choosing an Ad Network

The majority of networks have specific requirements regarding the volumes of traffic your media source should have in order to be eligible for using the solution. However, that is not the only thing to check. To choose the best ad network, you need to know which criteria to pay attention to. Here are the key factors to consider.

The Number of Advertisers

The right ad network for publishers should provide you with access to a wide pool of relevant advertisers interested in your niche. Otherwise, if their number is limited, your monetization effort will not be able to drive decent income. 

Advertising Formats

Obviously, the ad formats you offer as a publisher should be available. However, it would be helpful to prefer a network that supports even a wider variety of formats. This will ensure greater flexibility for you. For instance, if one day you decide to integrate video ads into your website, you will not have to look for a new network to help you monetize them. 

Ad Quality

As a responsible publisher, you want your audience to get not only a relevant but also a safe experience (for your brand safety, this matters as well). Therefore, assess the quality of the advertisements provided by the network. The ads should not lead to irrelevant or malicious content. 

A Payment Model and Revenue Potential

Ad networks operate according to different payment models (CPC, CPM, and others), so choose the option that meets your monetization needs. Apart from this, explore the revenue potential. Some networks can be more effective in terms of driving income due to the niches they operate in, traffic quality, and other factors. 

Payout Conditions

Pay special attention to the conditions related to payouts. These include the supported payment methods, minimum payout thresholds, payment frequency, and other terms.  

Ease of Integration

The less technical effort the inventory monetization requires, the better. Therefore, prefer a network that offers smooth and quick integration, for instance, through APIs or plugins.

Targeting Features

The network you choose should offer precise targeting functionalities to enable advertisers to reach the right audiences. As a result, the ads delivered via your website or app would be relevant to your visitors or users. They will get appropriate experience, which can motivate them to come back. 

Analytics and Reporting Capabilities

In the world of digital advertising, analytics plays a crucial role. Explore the reporting and analytics functionalities of your potential network – it should be able to provide you with relevant insights and help you make the most of your monetization efforts. 

Customer Support

Responsive customer support is a critical factor – the network’s team should be able to help you solve any issues promptly. Therefore, test the support service to get the first impression and learn everything about the working hours, support channels, etc. Besides, check if there is a knowledge base – its availability would be a good sign. 

Reputation and Transparency

The right publisher monetization platform should prioritize transparency in terms of payments, communication, reporting, etc. In case something remains unclear and the network representatives cannot clarify this, that is definitely a bad sign.

In addition, search for reviews on trusted resources (pay special attention to the feedback on payments). This can help you make the final decision.

Ad Network Policies

Last but not least, explore the ad network policies: content guidelines, restrictions, etc. The network should align with your standards and values. Apart from this, check if the network specializes in a certain industry or niche – it must be relevant to your audience and content. 

Best Ad Networks for Publishers in 2025

Now that the key criteria are clarified, let’s explore the best ad networks for publishers to consider. 

1. Attekmi

Acting on your behalf, ad networks operate as intermediaries. However, why not keep everything under control? Getting your own ad exchange solution can help you achieve this goal. 

Attekmi offers an entire range of ad exchange platforms for those who want to start earning on media trading. In turn, you, as a publisher, can use one of their solutions to reach the right demand effectively.

Pros:

• A variety of ad exchange solutions, from a basic option to a fully customizable one

• Quick time to market

• All the essential ad formats: banner, audio, video, native, and CTV

• The supported environments are desktop, in-app, mobile web, and CTV

• Advanced targeting and filtering functionalities

• An opportunity to integrate traffic and demand scanners to fraud-proof your marketplace

• Cross-integration bidding (like VAST to RTB)

• Advanced analytics capabilities

• Exceptional support

• Frequent updates

• No entry requirements – regardless of your amount of traffic, you can operate your own ad exchange and connect with relevant advertisers

• Multiple awards

Cons:

• You may need some time to learn how to use all the functionalities

Payments:

• Contact the Attekmi team to learn more

2. AdPushup

AdPushup connects content creators across the globe to more than 50 premium ad exchanges. Thus, you can use a single platform to monetize your inventory effectively. 

Pros:

• A variety of ad formats: in-image ads, sticky ads, etc.

• Quick and simple integration

• Ad block recovery

• Automated A/B testing

• Support for header bidding

• A free demo is available

• You get a dedicated account manager

Cons:

• AdPushup works with websites that are already generating at least $5,000 in monthly ad revenue, so small publishers may not be able to use this platform

Payments:

• Payments are made via bank wire or PayPal on net-45 terms (within 45 days of the invoice date)

3. Publift

Publift, Google’s certified publishing partner, enables publishers (including enterprise-level ones) to monetize their websites or apps effectively. However, for small publishers, the requirements may be too high. Publift usually partners with publishers generating over $2,000 monthly. At the same time, if you are growing rapidly, you can still try to apply. Page views are considered a secondary metric, and, according to Publift, “websites with over 500,000 monthly page views demonstrate engaged users and valuable content, making them ideal candidates for our optimization strategies”.

Pros:

• Banner, in-content, sticky, and other ad formats

• A/B testing

• Ad block monetization

• Context classification tool

• Support for hybrid bidding

• Yield optimization functionalities

• Deterministic and probabilistic identity solutions

• Support for curated deals with premium advertisers

• Demo is available

Cons:

• According to some reviews, ad performance lacks transparency

• Pretty high requirements

Payments:

• Payments are made via direct bank transfer in the currency of your choice

• Google revenue is paid every 30 days

• All other revenue from other networks is paid in 3 months arrears

4. Media.net

Media.net allows publishers to access premium demand from leading DSPs, brands, and agencies. Unlike many other ad networks, it is suitable for publishers of all sizes since there are no minimum traffic requirements. Your website will have to meet some other requirements, but all of them aim for transparency and online safety. For instance, websites that redirect traffic to a different website are not approved by Media.net.  

Pros:

• No traffic requirements

• Display, native, video, and other formats

• Support for header bidding

• AI-driven yield optimization features

• Customization opportunities

Cons:

• You need to get approval for every website that you own

Payments:

• Contact the Media.net team to learn more

5. BuySellAds

We added BuySellAds to our list of the best ad networks since it enables publishers to monetize not only their websites but also newsletters and podcasts. Minimum traffic requirements are not provided, which is a good sign. However, you still need to specify the average number of monthly users and some other details when submitting your application. 

Pros:

• Non-disruptive ad types

• Personalized ad optimization strategy

• Protection over first-party data

• On-demand Ad Ops support

• Ad block recovery

• Support for direct sales and header bidding

Cons:

• Some reviews report issues with customer support

Payments:

• Contact the BuySellAds team to learn more

6. Monumentric

Monumentric is another effective option on our list of ad networks. It offers a range of monetization programs for any needs and for publishers of any category. The minimum number of monthly page views is 10k. 

Pros:

• Pre-bid enabled video ads, in-image and in-line ads, etc.

• Support for private and direct marketplaces

• Client-side header bidding wrapper

• Analytics and reporting

• A variety of monetization solutions for publishers

Cons:

• If you have fewer than 80k page views per month, you need to pay a $99 setup fee

Payments:

• The minimum payment amount is $10

• According to Monumetric, it retains unclaimed funds for a grace period of 60 days, after which time they shall expire. If you fail to provide the required information within that period, the funds will be forfeited and become the sole property of Monumetric, with no further obligation to remit payment to you.

7. Adsterra

Adsterra is an ad network for both publishers and advertisers. Using it, you can monetize your SSP platform, hosting platform, social media, streaming services, and so on. 

Pros:

• Banners, native banners, social bars, and other ad types

• Advanced analytics and reporting

• Anti-ad-block functionality

• Automated payouts

• Malware and ad fraud protection

• No minimum traffic requirements, so publishers of all sizes are welcome

Cons:

• Some reviews report poor customer service

Payments:

• CPM, CPC, CPA, and other pricing models

• The minimum payout amount depends on the payment system you choose. For instance, with Paxum, that is $5

• PayPal, wire transfer, Paxum, and other payment methods are available

8. PubGalaxy

With more than two thousand publishers on its network, PubGalaxy helps website owners monetize their ad inventory. According to the statistics provided on its website, the average revenue increase is 40%. 

As for the minimum traffic, PubGalaxy recommends that your website have at least 100,000 page views per month. Additionally, you should pass the Google Transparency Report with fewer than 10 copyright claims in the last 6 months. One more requirement is that you should have an identifiable traffic acquisition track record for the last 6 months.

Pros:

• Access to more than 20 premium networks and exchanges

• Ease of integration

• Support for header bidding and direct deals

• Video, interstitial, native, and other ad formats

• PubGalaxy works with websites of all verticals (the content must be suitable for all audiences)

• Ad quality protection technology

Cons:

• Some reviews report too basic analytics functionalities

Payments:

• A net 35-day and a net 65-day schedule

• PubGalaxy works on a revenue share model. All financial terms and conditions are subject to a contractual agreement and will be presented for your approval.

9. MonetizeMore

MonetizeMore, Google’s certified publisher partner, helps website and app owners optimize their ad revenue. Trusted by over 1500 publishers worldwide, MonetizeMore offers a variety of solutions and requires you to earn at least $1,000 per month in ad revenue to be eligible to start using it. According to the statistics provided by MonetizeMore, most of its publishers achieve at least a 30% revenue increase. 

Pros:

• Protection from fraudulent traffic

• Adaptive dynamic floors

• Analytics and reporting

• Proactive smart notifications

• AI-powered ad layouts

• Support for header bidding

• Ad block recovery

• A demo is available

Cons:

• According to some reviews, the setup process is slightly complicated

Payments:

• Contact the MonetizeMore team to learn more

10. Infolinks

Infolinks, a large-scale network, has already attracted over 350k publishers. There is an entire range of products to choose from, including the one scanning your content and matching ads to the most valuable keywords, the option focusing on smartphones, and so on.

Pros:

• A variety of solutions

• Ease of integration

• No setup fees

• Fast application review process (around 48 hours)

• The network supports websites in English and Spanish

Cons:

• According to some reviews, the generated revenue is sometimes too low

Payments:

• As an Infolinks publisher, you receive a 65% revenue share

• The payments are issued no later than 45 days from the end of the month when you reach the minimum payment threshold

• The available payment options are PayPal, bank wire transfer, eCheck, and ACH (only for U.S. bank accounts)

• PayPal, eCheck, and ACH have a minimum payout threshold of $50, while the bank wire transfer option has a minimum threshold requirement of $100 ($1000 for selected countries)

11. AdReact

AdReact offers a set of products and provides publishers with access to premium demand. Apart from Google and Facebook, it cooperates with multiple exchanges, demand-side platforms, direct advertisers, and agencies.

Pros:

• Native, interstitial, footer, and other ad formats

• Support for header bidding

• Support for mobile app advertising

• Ease of integration

• No additional SDK setup

Cons:

• Some reviews mention certain inconveniences with the results dashboard

Payments:

• The available payment methods are bank wire transfer, Payoneer, PayPal, or TransferWise

• Each month’s payment is made at the end of the following month

12. Perion

Perion enables web, search, CTV (connected TV), and DOOH (digital out-of-home) publishers to monetize their inventory effectively. Monetizing mobile apps is possible as well. 

Pros:

• Display, video, and other ad formats

• Analytics dashboard 

• An opportunity to customize ads so that they seamlessly integrate with website layout and content

• Support for header bidding

Cons:

• No information on minimum traffic requirements

Payments:

• Contact the Perion team to learn more

13. AdBlade

AdBlade strives for ultimate brand safety, which makes it a good option to pay attention to. However, note that it considers only those publishers who generate over 500,000 page views a month. 

Pros:

• Support for CPC and CPM models

• Analytics and real-time dashboard

• Custom ad sizes

• Robust sales controls

• Retargeting engine

Cons:

• Specific support conditions: your publisher's account may become eligible for an account representative to work with by email only after it earns at least $1000 a month

Payments:

• The payments are made net 30 days after the end of each calendar month

• If you are paid through ACH, you must have earned at least $100 for the payment to be processed. If you choose an international bank wire, you must have earned at least $250. 

How to Maximize Revenue with the Right Ad Network Setup

For the best ad monetization, it is not enough to explore top ad networks for publishers and choose the right platform. Here are several more things that you should consider doing. 

Use Multiple Ad Networks

Even if you found the best network ever, using multiple networks can still be effective, as this can help you reach a wider pool of advertisers. Here is an example – the network you chose meets all your criteria, but it is pretty niche. It is relevant to your content, but it does not cover all the topics your website visitors are interested in. Therefore, using one more network can fill this gap and help you monetize all your inventory. However, using too many networks and overloading your website with ads is not a way to go – this can significantly affect user experience.

Optimize Ad Placements

It is important for you to find the right balance between your income and visitors’ experience. Therefore, test different ad placements to identify the most effective options – this will allow you to increase ad visibility and drive engagement. 

Experiment with Formats

Avoid sticking to a single ad format – go for diversity instead and incorporate video, native, and other types of ads. Monitor their performance continuously to see which options resonate the most with your website visitors or app users. After this, you can focus on the most effective and profitable formats.

Note that even after you identify the top-performing options, it is still important to offer several advertising formats. First of all, this will diversify the experience of your audience. Secondly, this will make your ad space interesting and relevant to a wider range of marketers. 

Keep Your Website Effective

To monetize your inventory effectively, you need to keep your website (or app) effective as well. Therefore, make sure that it loads without any issues. If not, this will affect both ad viewability and your visitors’ experience. As a result, your traffic may decrease, as well as your income. 

Test your website to detect weaknesses, if any. For instance, you may need to minimize the number of HTTP requests and optimize image file sizes. Besides, check the loading speed from time to time to make sure that everything works properly. 

Try Header Bidding

Header bidding creates equal conditions for all the marketers who want to bid on your ad inventory and allows you to increase your income. Bids are collected from multiple demand sources simultaneously, and the highest bid wins. In turn, in the waterfall model, your inventory may not even reach the advertiser who is ready to pay the highest price. 

Analyze Continuously

Finally, it is essential to continuously monitor the performance of your ad inventory. This will allow you to detect both opportunities and weaknesses and react on time. That is why it is crucial to select a network with advanced analytics capabilities and learn how to use them properly.

By following all these recommendations, you can make the most of your chosen ad network. However, again, keep in mind that minimizing the number of intermediaries ensures greater transparency and provides you with greater control of how your ad inventory is sold. Consider choosing an ad exchange solution instead of a network – this can help you drive income with greater effectiveness. 

Consider Attekmi Your Trusted Partner

At Attekmi, we strive to be your trusted partner in any AdTech matter. How? First of all, we enable you to bypass the intermediaries. By using one of our ad exchange solutions, you can match your ad inventory with relevant demand effectively. In addition, you earn on media trading.

• AdEx Basic: An entry-level ad exchange platform with basic functionalities.

• AdEx Plus: An enhanced version of AdEx Basic with additional capabilities.

• AdEx Enterprise: An ad exchange solution with an ultimately scalable nature and advanced features.

• White Label Ad Exchange: A fully customizable platform, from UI personalization to custom on-request feature development.

With our ad exchange solutions, you launch your own marketplace in the shortest time possible – there is no need for you to invest in a time-consuming and expensive process of building such a platform from scratch. 

Apart from this, we provide the following services to cover all your AdTech needs:

• Custom AdTech development: Our experienced professionals are ready to bring your unique AdTech project to life.

• AdTech and Ad Ops training: We provide both team and individual training to help you enhance your skills and gain knowledge. 

• Ad Ops outstaffing: We can train an expert specifically for your business so that you can focus on your core tasks while your operations run with no interruptions. 

Does Attekmi look like the right choice? Contact us and discover how we can help your business grow. 

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