Advertisers looking to expand into new channels can do a lot worse than investing in video. The cost and buy-in for video production is lower now than ever before, with high-quality cameras built into every smartphone, intuitive video editing apps available on every platform, and countless free tutorials just a search away. Digital video ad spending has exploded as a result, with global spend projected to hit over $214 billion in 2025 and continuing to grow at a strong pace through the decade.
Once you’ve decided to embark on a quest of video advertising, though, you need to figure out where to advertise. Sure, you can just dump your videos on YouTube, Facebook, or Instagram, but those aren’t dedicated video advertising networks. They work, but they aren’t specialized. What you should actually do is invest in a couple of specific ad networks to test different audiences.
What I’ve done is compiled 20 different video ad networks that have floated to the top as the leaders in the industry. All of them will work, so it’s up to you to pick a few and invest. Run a small, simple budget with your ads and see how the audiences respond. Ideally, you’ll find great groups of people and get more than your money’s worth in return.
Key Takeaways
- Global digital video ad spending is projected to exceed $214 billion in 2025, making it a high-growth advertising channel.
- Key factors when evaluating video ad networks include display options, targeting breadth, analytics quality, and notable client rosters.
- Many leading networks have merged or rebranded-AppNexus became Xandr, SpotX became Magnite, and Vungle merged into Liftoff.
- Mobile-focused networks like AppLovin, InMobi, and Liftoff are strong choices, especially for reaching emerging markets or app audiences.
- Well-placed video ads can earn between $9-$20 per 1,000 impressions depending on niche and audience location.
What to Look For in an Advertising Network
When you’re vetting a video ad network, you should look at a few different factors to determine if it’s worth your time.
- Display options. A good network does more than just display advertising; they have mobile placements, desktop placements, and other resources at their disposal. Since users often use different kinds of devices throughout the day, connecting with them on all of them is extremely important.
- Notable clients. Good networks work with brands both large and small, and many of them will promote their list of big-name clients as a way to attract other businesses who want to be in good company.
- Useful data. Every ad network has analytics available, but you want more than just the basic ad performance metrics. A good data set will give you audience information, targeting optimization, and a whole lot more.
- Broad targeting. Speaking of targeting options, you want your ad network to give you as many options as possible. Part of the reason Meta ads are so successful is the wide range of possible targeting options. Any good video advertising network will have their own selection of data to pick through and use for this exact purpose.
Of course, nothing beats an experiment. Set up a basic budget and run some ads to see how they do. Limit your investment until you’ve proven your success. Keep in mind that a well-placed video ad can earn between $9 and $20 per 1,000 impressions depending on your niche and audience location, so the upside is real when you get it right.
1. Social Networks
Rather than take up a third of this list with various social networks, I’ll just put them here under one banner. Pretty much every social network today offers video advertising, and many of them have a good selection of targeting options and a broad audience to work with. Meta (Facebook and Instagram), X (formerly Twitter), and TikTok all do video ads extremely well. YouTube works directly with Google Ads. Pinterest and Snapchat are also solid options to consider, with TikTok in particular becoming one of the dominant forces in short-form video advertising.
2. AppLovin
This ad network is focused primarily on mobile apps and games. The mobile game industry is massive, and AppLovin has grown into one of the most powerful players in mobile advertising. Their platform has expanded well beyond its original scope, now offering a sophisticated programmatic advertising ecosystem with strong machine learning-driven optimization. Mobile game ads tend to fall into two categories: videos and interactive ads. AppLovin handles both exceptionally well, with a huge audience ready for your mobile app campaigns.
3. Digital Turbine
Previously known as AdColony, this network was acquired by Digital Turbine and now operates under that brand. It remains one of the larger mobile ad networks in the world, with a variety of different ad formats, including instant play video, end cards, display videos, and rich media. They’ve worked with a huge array of brands across entertainment, food, and hospitality. Their rebranding under Digital Turbine has given them broader distribution capabilities through carrier and OEM partnerships.
4. Liftoff (formerly Vungle)
Vungle, once one of the fastest-growing mobile video ad companies, was acquired by Blackstone and subsequently merged with Liftoff to form a unified mobile marketing platform. The combined company operates under the Liftoff brand and is one of the most capable mobile video ad networks available today. With strong machine learning tools, creative optimization, and a massive global reach, Liftoff is a serious contender for any mobile-focused advertiser.
5. Yahoo Advertising
After years of restructuring, Verizon’s media assets - once branded as Oath and later Verizon Media - were sold to Apollo Global Management and rebranded as Yahoo. Yahoo’s advertising platform now serves as the successor to that entire ecosystem, incorporating programmatic video, display, and native advertising across Yahoo’s owned and operated properties as well as its broader network. It’s a capable platform with solid targeting options and a recognizable inventory of publishers.
6. RhythmOne
This video advertising network takes a cross-platform unified approach. Through them, you can run a singular ad campaign that stretches across devices and media types, including display advertising, mobile advertising, and even connected TV. They have both self-service and managed campaigns, and their audience is top-notch. Note that publishers need a minimum of 250,000 pageviews per month to qualify, which speaks to the quality bar of their network. Worth giving them a look if you’re ready to scale.
7. Hulu
Hulu is a household name, and now fully under the Disney umbrella, making it an even more attractive premium advertising environment. They have tens of millions of ad-supported viewers, and with the rise of their live TV offering, the audience has expanded well beyond just on-demand streaming. With strong demographic targeting and multiple ad formats including pause ads and interactive units, Hulu remains one of the best connected TV advertising options available.
8. Adobe Advertising Cloud
TubeMogul was one of the pioneering video advertising platforms, and after being acquired by Adobe, it was integrated into what is now the Adobe Advertising Cloud. The platform operates across channels with excellent, detailed analytics and targeting. Adobe’s broader ecosystem of marketing and analytics tools makes this an especially powerful option for advertisers already using Adobe’s suite of products. If you’re serious about data-driven video advertising, this is a platform worth exploring.
9. Tremor Video
Tremor Video, now part of Tremor International, has grown into a full-stack connected TV and video advertising platform. Their acquisition of RhythmOne gave them a broader reach, and continued investment in CTV and programmatic technology has kept them competitive. They have strong contextual advertising capabilities, social reach, television inventory, and global placements. Their geo-behavioral targeting options remain among the more unique in the industry.
10. Undertone
Undertone is a large premium ad network that works with clients ranging from Audi and Disney to smaller brands the world over. They have a wide range of ad units including unique high-impact digital formats. They continue to push the cutting edge of digital advertising with proprietary technology and broad targeting options. Their focus on synchronization - making sure all elements of your ad campaigns work together - sets them apart from more generic networks.
11. Magnite (formerly SpotX)
SpotX, the well-regarded managed services video ad platform, was acquired by Rubicon Project, which then rebranded as Magnite. The combined entity is now one of the largest independent sell-side advertising platforms in the world, with a particularly strong foothold in CTV and streaming video. They offer custom targeting, strategic planning, and programmatic buying with strong ROI. Given the consolidation, applying to work with Magnite gives you access to a much larger inventory than SpotX offered alone.
12. Chocolate Platform
Chocolate is a mobile-focused ad network built from the remnants of several acquired networks, including Vdopia. They have a marketplace made up of both publishers and advertisers, where you can manually or programmatically purchase your advertising. They’re designed to scale with your business as you grow, and support a range of different mobile video ad formats. A solid choice for mobile-first campaigns looking for flexible buying options.
13. Conversant
You may recognize the name Conversant from discussions of affiliate marketing, where CJ Affiliate is one of the top names. Conversant is the company behind CJ Affiliate, and has long been part of the Publicis Groupe family. They work with big-name brands across retail, travel, and lifestyle verticals. Their personalized video advertising capabilities are a strong differentiator, using individual-level data to serve more relevant ads at scale.
14. Say Media
Say specializes in “making ads people want to see.” While that’s always a claim to scrutinize, Say Media does bring a content-first philosophy to advertising that is genuinely refreshing. They offer full-page ads, branded content, and strong video placement options. Since their focus is on storytelling rather than hard calls to action, you often find excellent creative environments and engaged audiences - a great fit for brand-awareness video campaigns.
15. Exponential
Exponential is one of the more established independent ad networks still operating on its own terms, which in an era of constant consolidation is worth noting. They specialize in cross-platform unified ads that sync campaigns across mobile, desktop, and tablet. Their audience is significant and their engagement rates are consistently competitive. A reliable network for advertisers looking for stability alongside performance.
16. Amobee
Amobee is a unified advertising platform covering TV, digital marketing, and social media in one place. Originally assembled from acquisitions including Adconion and Kontera, the platform has matured considerably and offers strong cross-channel capabilities. It’s a solid option for advertisers who want to manage video, display, and social campaigns from a single interface without juggling multiple platforms.
17. Xandr (formerly AppNexus)
AppNexus was one of the most respected open advertising marketplaces in the industry before being acquired by AT&T and later sold to Microsoft, where it now operates as Xandr. The platform retains its reputation for transparency and flexibility, with excellent video inventory, programmatic targeting, and a wide variety of purchasing paths. Microsoft’s backing gives it additional scale and data resources that make it increasingly competitive in the CTV and streaming video space.
18. Magnite
As mentioned under the SpotX entry, Magnite is the result of the merger between Rubicon Project and SpotX, creating one of the largest independent programmatic advertising platforms in the world. With thousands of publishers across every major region and a strong focus on video and CTV inventory, Magnite is a powerhouse for advertisers looking to reach broad audiences at scale. Their verification tools help maintain ad quality, and their automation options make campaign management more efficient.
19. InMobi
InMobi, which absorbed Aerserv several years ago, is now a major global mobile advertising platform in its own right. They offer robust ad inventory management, excellent mobile video targeting, programmatic buying, and real-time optimization. InMobi has a particularly strong presence in emerging markets, making them an excellent choice if your campaigns target audiences in Asia, Africa, or Latin America. They also provide dedicated support teams and solid analytics dashboards.
20. Unruly
Unruly is an interesting ad network in that they’re driven not just by engagement, but by sentiment. Their ad optimization is powered by emotional data in addition to standard performance metrics, helping advertisers connect with audiences on a deeper level. Now operating under the News Corp umbrella, their network has access to a significant portfolio of premium publishers and a global audience in the billions. If you’re interested in something a little outside the box - particularly for brand storytelling campaigns - Unruly is an excellent and often overlooked option.
