Google Ad Manager
Google Ad Manager is a comprehensive ad exchange platform that helps large publishers manage their direct sales, indirect inventory, and programmatic advertising across multiple screens and formats in one place.
Kevel
Kevel provides a set of flexible APIs that allow you to build, launch, and manage your own custom server-side ad platforms and sponsored listings without starting from scratch.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Google Ad Manager | Kevel |
|---|---|---|
| Website | admanager.google.com | kevel.com |
| Pricing Model | Freemium | Custom |
| Starting Price | Free | Custom Pricing |
| FREE Trial | ✘ No free trial | ✘ No free trial |
| Free Plan | ✓ Has free plan | ✘ No free plan |
| Product Demo | ✓ Request demo here | ✓ Request demo here |
| Deployment | ||
| Integrations | ||
| Target Users | ||
| Target Industries | ||
| Customer Count | 0 | 0 |
| Founded Year | 2008 | 2010 |
| Headquarters | Mountain View, USA | Durham, USA |
Overview
Google Ad Manager
Google Ad Manager provides you with a unified platform to manage all your advertising revenue streams. Whether you are selling ads directly to clients or using programmatic exchanges, you can oversee your entire inventory from a single interface. It combines the features of a traditional ad server with the power of a supply-side platform, allowing you to maximize the value of every impression across mobile, desktop, and connected TV.
You can set up complex delivery rules, manage granular targeting, and access deep reporting to understand your audience better. The platform is designed specifically for publishers with significant traffic who need to balance multiple demand sources. By using its integrated tools, you can reduce manual overhead and ensure your most valuable ad space goes to the highest bidder in real-time.
Kevel
Kevel gives you the infrastructure to build your own high-performance ad server or retail media network in weeks rather than years. Instead of relying on rigid third-party platforms that compromise user privacy, you can use Kevel’s APIs to create native ad experiences that look and feel like part of your site. You maintain full control over your data and the user experience while offloading the complex backend work of ad decisioning and delivery.
You can launch sponsored listings, internal promotions, or full-scale ad networks across web, mobile apps, and even email. The platform is designed for engineers and product leaders at high-growth companies who need to monetize their traffic without slowing down their site or sacrificing brand integrity. It handles the heavy lifting of targeting, forecasting, and reporting so your team can focus on building unique features.
Overview
Google Ad Manager Features
- Unified First-Look Open your inventory to programmatic demand in real-time to ensure you always get the highest possible price for every impression.
- Granular Inventory Management Organize your ad units by size, position, or audience segment to give advertisers exactly what they want to buy.
- Advanced Targetting Deliver your ads to specific users based on their geography, device type, connection speed, or custom data points you define.
- Integrated Reporting Generate detailed reports on impressions, clicks, and revenue to see exactly which parts of your site perform best.
- Video Ad Management Manage your video inventory across web and apps with support for industry standards like VAST and VPAID protocols.
- Dynamic Allocation Let the system automatically choose between your direct deals and programmatic bids to maximize your total revenue automatically.
Kevel Features
- Ad Serving APIs. Request and display ads with ultra-low latency using RESTful APIs that integrate directly into your existing tech stack.
- Custom Decision Engine. Define your own business logic and auction rules to ensure the most relevant content reaches your users every time.
- First-Party Data Targeting. Target users based on your own first-party data without relying on third-party cookies or compromising user privacy.
- Real-Time Reporting. Access granular performance data instantly to track impressions, clicks, and conversions across your entire network.
- Inventory Forecasting. Predict future availability of your ad space so you can sell campaigns with confidence and maximize your revenue.
- Management UI. Give your operations team a clean dashboard to book campaigns, manage creative assets, and monitor performance without writing code.
Pricing Comparison
Google Ad Manager Pricing
- Up to 90M monthly impressions
- Standard display and video ads
- Basic reporting and forecasting
- Self-service support tools
- Access to AdSense and AdX
- Everything in Small Business, plus:
- Unlimited monthly impressions
- Advanced Audience Management
- Open Bidding capabilities
- Dedicated technical support
- Detailed data transfer files
Kevel Pricing
Pros & Cons
Google Ad Manager
Pros
- Unmatched integration with Google's massive advertiser ecosystem
- Reliable infrastructure that handles high traffic volumes easily
- Highly granular control over ad delivery and targeting
- Free version is extremely generous for growing publishers
Cons
- Steep learning curve for new ad managers
- Customer support is limited for free tier users
- Interface can feel cluttered and overly technical
- Reporting can take time to process large datasets
Kevel
Pros
- Complete creative control over ad formats and placements
- Exceptional API documentation and developer support
- Privacy-first architecture that avoids third-party cookie reliance
- Significant reduction in time-to-market for custom ad products
Cons
- Requires dedicated engineering resources for initial implementation
- Higher price point than basic off-the-shelf ad servers
- Steep learning curve for non-technical users initially