Tired of your CPMs hitting a wall?
You’re trying to pick the right ad server, but the options are overwhelming, and the wrong choice could damage your revenue and growth.
The real challenge is justifying a new platform against performance when you’re navigating tight budgets and the risk of disrupting your existing partnerships.
This decision paralysis leads many publishers to stick with outdated systems that leak revenue daily. It’s a common but costly mistake in digital publishing.
But the right software can fix this by maximizing your auction pressure and providing transparent revenue attribution, without the technical headaches.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through the best publisher ad server software for 2025 that helps you achieve sustained growth and higher returns.
You’ll discover solutions that provide granular targeting, reduce latency, and scale easily as your content portfolio expands into new markets.
Let’s get started.
Quick Summary:
| # | Software | Rating | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Google Ad Manager → | Large, diverse publishers | |
| 2 | Kevel → | Custom ad servers for retailers | |
| 3 | OpenX → | Publishers focused on transparency | |
| 4 | AdButler → | Scalable mid-size publishers | |
| 5 | Equativ → | Publishers focusing on CTV |
1. Google Ad Manager
Struggling to maximize your ad revenue?
Google Ad Manager helps you grow revenue and protect your brand by connecting you with advertisers. This means it supports monetization and safeguards your reputation.
You can streamline your operations, protect your brand, and unlock the full value of your inventory. It’s designed to help you manage and optimize your ad space.
Here’s how it helps.
Google Ad Manager solves the complexities of ad management by centralizing your monetization efforts. It helps you unlock the full value of your inventory.
You can maximize revenue across all your sales channels, whether direct or programmatic, through a unified platform. This offers powerful controls to safeguard your brand’s reputation.
It also supports your diverse inventory, including apps, videos, and games, with comprehensive controls for brand safety and audience engagement. This enables you to optimize revenue from various content types while protecting your brand and audience experience.
Monetize your content effectively.
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Key features:
- Unified Revenue Management: Maximize earnings across direct and programmatic sales channels from a single, integrated platform, simplifying your ad operations.
- Brand Safety & Controls: Leverage powerful tools to protect your brand and ensure ad quality, fostering trust with your audience and advertisers.
- Diverse Inventory Support: Efficiently monetize ads across apps, video, and games, offering comprehensive management for all your digital content types.
Learn more about Google Ad Manager features, pricing, & alternatives →
Verdict: Google Ad Manager stands out as the best publisher ad server software for publishers seeking to elevate CPMs and foster growth. Its unified platform for direct and programmatic sales, coupled with robust brand safety controls and diverse inventory support, provides comprehensive tools for optimizing revenue and operational efficiency.
2. Kevel
Struggling with ad tech complexity and maximizing your ad revenue?
Kevel offers a flexible ad serving platform, empowering you to build a custom ad server for your unique needs. This means you can finally gain granular control over your ad inventory and deliver highly relevant, targeted ad experiences to your users.
It’s about streamlining your operations and driving results.
Kevel provides a comprehensive suite of tools.
Its Ad Server offers flexible APIs for ad decisioning, campaign management, reporting, and catalog ingestion, all powered by advanced machine learning and AI. You can manage all your owned inventory—on-site, in-app, or in-store—from one centralized location, streamlining your ad operations. The Audience segmentation tool utilizes your first-party data to create a single customer view, enabling AI-powered segmentation and ad personalization for superior targeting. Additionally, the Kevel Console provides an out-of-the-box omnichannel campaign management UI with AI automation features and self-service capabilities, helping you scale your retail media network efficiently.
The result is greater operational efficiency and higher advertiser retention.
Key features:
- Flexible Ad Serving Platform: Offers APIs for ad decisioning, campaign management, and reporting, with advanced ML and AI to manage all your owned inventory in one place.
- AI Audience Segmentation Tool: Leverages your first-party data for AI-powered segmentation, audience activation, and ad personalization, pushing segments across your network.
- Omnichannel Campaign Management UI: Provides an out-of-the-box interface with AI automation and self-service features for scalable, efficient campaign management.
Learn more about Kevel features, pricing, & alternatives →
Verdict: If you’re seeking the best publisher ad server software to maximize auction pressure and achieve sustained CPM lifts, Kevel delivers. Its AI-driven tools, like yield forecasting and custom relevancy models, combined with robust first-party data activation, enable superior personalization and operational efficiency, proven by iFood’s 1900% growth in monthly ad revenue.
3. OpenX
Struggling to maximize your ad revenue and reach audiences?
OpenX offers omnichannel targeting capabilities that extend across all channels, including CTV, ensuring your audiences are reached at scale.
This means you can elevate your CPMs by ensuring your campaigns are always reaching the right people, regardless of the data set or identity type you’re using.
Here’s how you can gain complete control.
OpenX provides an independent supply-side platform designed for a better ad selling and buying experience. This means you gain addressability, transparency, and sustainability in your ad operations.
Their omnichannel targeting capabilities are fully interoperable with any data set and identity type, helping you to reach your audiences at scale both today and in the future. Additionally, as the first Net-Zero verified adtech company, OpenX helps you reduce your environmental impact while driving tangible business results. You’re demanding more, and OpenX delivers.
With over 130,000 active publisher domains, mobile apps, and CTV apps, and 365 billion ad requests per day, OpenX ensures you have the quality and scale you deserve.
Your ad monetization just got easier.
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Key features:
- Omnichannel targeting capabilities: Extend your reach across all channels, including CTV, ensuring your audience is reached at scale today and in the future.
- Transparent value exchange: Benefit from an independent technology company that has cultivated a fair and transparent value exchange between sellers and buyers since 2008.
- Responsible media approach: Reduce your environmental impact and support social initiatives as the first Net-Zero verified adtech company and the first SSP to launch Impact PMPs.
Learn more about OpenX features, pricing, & alternatives →
Verdict: OpenX is a top contender for best publisher ad server software, especially for those seeking robust addressability, transparency, and sustainability. With over 70% direct publisher integrations and 365 billion ad requests daily, it’s designed to help you elevate CPMs and support audience growth without excessive technical overhead.
4. AdButler
Are you maximizing your ad revenue potential? Many ad ops managers struggle with complex ad tech and integrating various solutions to optimize their CPMs.
AdButler’s display ad server helps you save time and increase revenue directly from your digital properties. This means you can streamline operations while boosting your monetization efforts.
The platform provides a flexible, scalable, and reliable ad serving solution built to maximize your advertising potential. This means you gain full control and transparency.
It’s time to elevate your monetization strategy.
AdButler addresses your pain points by offering a comprehensive suite of ad serving capabilities across various formats. You can effortlessly manage display, native, video, email, and mobile ads, ensuring your inventory is fully utilized.
Additionally, the self-serve marketplace streamlines direct sales with a fully automated ordering system, taking the pain out of manual processes. This enables your team to focus on strategic growth rather than operational hurdles.
Plus, with powerful APIs and SDKs for iOS and Android, you can build a customized ad server in weeks, not years, giving you complete control over your ad operations. You also get supply-side programmatic capabilities and a contextual management platform to scale revenue in the age of internet privacy. The result is seamless integration and unparalleled flexibility.
This platform empowers you to grow efficiently.
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Key features:
- Comprehensive Ad Serving: Manage various ad formats including display, native, video, email, mobile, and digital out-of-home, offering full control over your diverse ad inventory.
- Automated Self-Serve Marketplace: Streamline your direct sales process with a fully automated system for ad orders, reducing manual effort and improving efficiency.
- Powerful API and SDK Integration: Leverage robust APIs and SDKs to build customized ad server solutions rapidly, ensuring seamless integration with your existing systems and specific needs.
Learn more about AdButler features, pricing, & alternatives →
Verdict: AdButler stands out as the best publisher ad server software for publishers seeking comprehensive ad management and revenue growth. Its support for diverse ad formats, automated sales tools, and powerful APIs make it ideal for scaling operations and maximizing auction pressure, as evidenced by HP’s 13% CTR increase in their private store.
5. Equativ
Struggling to maximize your inventory’s value?
Equativ offers an all-in-one independent platform, giving you tools and flexibility to reach new audiences and monetize effectively. This means you can overcome the challenges of ad tech complexity by centralizing your operations. Equativ helps unlock the full potential of your ad inventory. You’ll find it simpler to elevate your CPMs.
This leads to better ad experiences for your users.
Equativ’s global ad platform uses advanced technology, consumer research, and data intelligence to improve user experiences and deliver enhanced results. Here’s how, with their Creative Enhancement Suite, you can improve existing ad assets without additional creative steps, boosting comprehension by 56% and video completion rates by 40%. Additionally, you can expand your CTV reach with their specialized ad server, and discover Retail Media solutions to grow your brand at every touchpoint. Plus, Maestro by Equativ, their proprietary curation platform, allows you to target audiences across all formats and manage deals efficiently, securely enabling your first-party data. The result is a unified approach to advertising.
Key features:
- Revenue Optimization and CTV Expansion: Maximize your inventory’s value with flexible tools and expand your reach into Connected TV with a dedicated ad server.
- Creative Ad Enhancements: Automatically improve the outcomes of your standard ad formats using research-backed enhancements, without needing additional creative work.
- Maestro Curation Platform: Gain control and transparency to target diverse audiences, manage deals efficiently, and securely leverage your first-party data.
Learn more about Equativ features, pricing, & alternatives →
Verdict: Equativ stands out as a strong candidate for the best publisher ad server software, offering an end-to-end media platform that focuses on boosting attention, quality, and outcomes. Their comprehensive suite helps you overcome monetization challenges by offering scalable solutions, evident in their reported 56% increase in comprehension and 40% increase in VCR from ad enhancements.
6. Magnite
Maximizing your ad revenue across every screen?
Magnite offers advanced ad serving capabilities for streaming, online video, display, and audio, covering every format you need. This means you can centralize your ad operations and achieve global scale across diverse ad formats.
If you’re juggling multiple platforms for different ad types, Magnite’s comprehensive approach helps simplify your workflows, providing unbiased advice. The result is better performance through a strong partnership.
Magnite ensures your ad spend goes further. Their platform provides true global scale, advanced brand protection, and top-notch technology, helping you find and connect with your desired audiences. This robust infrastructure helps you maximize auction pressure and reduces latency for your content. Additionally, their focus on privacy, brand safety, and transparency means your interests drive the decision-making, offering responsible advertising and data governance. You also gain access to Magnite University for continuous learning on ad tech fundamentals and advanced TV. This comprehensive support helps you achieve sustained CPM lifts and scalable infrastructure.
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Key features:
- Comprehensive Ad Format Coverage: Manages streaming, online video, display, and audio, enabling you to monetize all your content types from a single platform.
- Global Scale & Infrastructure: Provides worldwide presence and resources to deliver what you need, ensuring your content reaches audiences efficiently.
- Trust and Transparency: Prioritizes privacy and brand safety with unbiased decision-making, fostering responsible advertising practices and partnerships.
Learn more about Magnite features, pricing, & alternatives →
Verdict: Magnite stands out as a strong contender for the best publisher ad server software due to its comprehensive format coverage—including streaming, online video, and display—and true global scale. Their commitment to privacy, brand safety, and transparency, highlighted by their work with Disney and Netflix, makes them ideal for publishers prioritizing ethical monetization and sustained growth.
7. PubMatic
Are you maximizing your publisher ad revenue? PubMatic offers an integrated, omnichannel platform designed to give you end-to-end control over your programmatic monetization. This means you can gain vital insights today and prepare for future growth.
Navigating increasing ad tech complexity can be tough. PubMatic provides a holistic tech solution to help you maximize your yield while maintaining control. Here’s how it simplifies the process for your team.
PubMatic’s platform aims to simplify the complex retail and commerce marketplace. Additionally, it combines core monetization and customer acquisition capabilities in a transparent, flexible, and scalable way.
Your journey to better CPMs starts here.
PubMatic’s SSP for publishers ensures you gain full control, helping you maximize yield and provide essential insights. This solution focuses on optimizing your monetization efforts.
Its Connect product drives performance by leveraging sell-side targeting, as seen with a casual dining brand that achieved an 11% lower CPC and 33-60% lower cost per unique reach. This shows its ability to deliver efficient campaign outcomes. Furthermore, PubMatic’s Activate product, combined with OpenWrap and Identity Hub, addresses key challenges in programmatic advertising, offering tools for scaling PMP and buyer relationships, boosting video campaign performance, and ensuring high coverage in unique IDs and content signals. The result is a better business outcome for your publishing operations, leading to more effective ad placements and higher ROI.
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Key features:
- Omnichannel Platform: Provides an integrated solution for end-to-end programmatic monetization across various channels, helping you maximize yield.
- Yield Optimization Tools: Includes features like PubMatic SSP and OpenWrap to give you granular control over your ad inventory, enhancing CPMs and revenue growth.
- Targeting & Transparency: Offers Identity Hub and Connect for advanced sell-side targeting and transparent bidstream signals, leading to more effective ad placements and higher ROI.
Learn more about PubMatic features, pricing, & alternatives →
Verdict: PubMatic stands out as a strong contender for the best publisher ad server software, especially with its integrated omnichannel platform and a track record of enabling clients like zMaticoo to achieve 270% revenue growth. Its focus on holistic control and transparent monetization capabilities positions it well for ad operations managers and digital monetization specialists aiming for sustained CPM lifts.
8. Adform
Are you struggling to maximize your ad revenue from complex ad tech?
Adform’s AI-driven, omnichannel Campaign Planner eliminates guesswork for publishers. This means you gain precise control over your monetization strategies.
This approach ensures you can make the most of your data without risking ownership or control, which is vital for sustained growth.
Ready to unlock your data’s true potential?
Adform FLOW empowers you to protect your valuable data, ensuring it remains your competitive advantage. You’re no longer leaving your future to chance in a cookie-less landscape.
Their unique ID Fusion solution is designed to link to all emerging IDs, providing unparalleled adaptability for your monetization efforts. This future-proof capability secures your revenue streams by seamlessly connecting with various identity protocols. Additionally, Adform offers real people to support you when you need to make an impact or solve a problem.
The result is a powerful and safe media buying platform, helping you find new combinations to compete effectively.
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Key features:
- AI-driven Campaign Planner: Offers precise, omnichannel planning and execution, designed to eliminate guesswork and optimize ad placement for maximum CPMs.
- Data Ownership & Control: Ensures your data remains your competitive advantage, protecting your assets and preventing loss of control in complex ad ecosystems.
- ID Fusion Solution: Links to all emerging IDs, providing a future-proof identity solution that maintains audience addressability in a cookie-less environment.
Learn more about Adform features, pricing, & alternatives →
Verdict: Adform is uniquely positioned as a best publisher ad server software due to its AI-driven Campaign Planner and innovative ID Fusion solution, which directly address publishers’ needs for revenue optimization and future-proof identity management. This helps you elevate your CPMs and maintain data control, critical for navigating competitive digital landscapes.
9. Microsoft Advertising
Struggling to maximize your ad inventory value?
You’re likely looking for a solution that truly elevates your CPMs and unlocks new growth. Microsoft Advertising directly addresses this by offering innovative programmatic offerings.
This means you can maximize the value of your inventory by reaching more relevant audiences wherever they are across their digital life.
This is your opportunity for new growth possibilities.
Microsoft Advertising empowers growth for publishers by building a new world of advertising possibilities through powerful solutions. They help you reach billions of people online via Microsoft’s Bing and Edge, driven by generative AI.
The platform allows you to create curated inventory packages with Curate and drive brand awareness and product sales. Additionally, you can engage your audience with compelling video content across Microsoft properties and their network of publisher partners like Netflix, Max, Hulu, Roku, and discovery+. Plus, their Copilot AI companion guides you through campaign creation and answers questions for high-quality marketing.
The result is truly cutting through the noise and connecting everywhere.
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Key features:
- Monetization solutions: Maximize the value of your ad inventory with Microsoft Monetize and gain access to a global marketplace for premium publishers.
- Curated inventory packages: Leverage Curate to create and manage specific inventory packages, connecting advertisers with highly engaged, high-spend audiences efficiently.
- AI-powered campaign creation: Utilize Copilot in Microsoft Advertising for an AI companion that streamlines campaign creation and provides support for optimal results.
Learn more about Microsoft Advertising features, pricing, & alternatives →
Verdict: Microsoft Advertising stands out as a strong contender for the best publisher ad server software. Its focus on maximizing inventory value, leveraging AI for campaign efficiency, and providing access to a vast, brand-safe network, including exclusive partnerships like Netflix, helps you achieve sustained CPM lifts and scalable infrastructure.
10. Yieldlove
Struggling to maximize your ad revenue from complex ad tech?
Yieldlove offers solutions to help you elevate CPMs and streamline operations. This means you can focus on content, not on endless ad tech troubleshooting.
If you’re grappling with integrating various ad networks and ensuring your inventory fetches top prices, Yieldlove offers technology and demand solutions.
Let me show you how.
Yieldlove addresses these pain points by empowering publishers. They bring together technology and demand to simplify ad monetization for you.
This platform helps you manage ad operations efficiently, ensuring your inventory is always performing its best. Plus, it connects you with diverse demand sources, leading to increased auction pressure and higher revenue potential. They work with publishers across the globe, providing proven solutions tailored to your unique needs, helping you achieve sustained CPM lifts.
The result is streamlined ad management and better returns.
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Key features:
- Comprehensive ad technology: Yieldlove provides the underlying tech infrastructure to optimize your ad server performance and ensure seamless ad delivery to your audience.
- Strong demand partnerships: They connect your inventory to a wide range of demand partners, fostering competitive bidding and maximizing the value of every impression.
- Global publisher network: Working with publishers worldwide, Yieldlove leverages extensive experience to help you grow your revenue and expand into new markets.
Learn more about Yieldlove features, pricing, & alternatives →
Verdict: Yieldlove presents a compelling case as a strong contender for the best publisher ad server software. By offering robust technology and extensive demand partnerships, it directly addresses common publisher challenges, helping you achieve higher CPMs and simplified ad operations.
Conclusion
Ready to stop leaking ad revenue?
Choosing the right ad server is overwhelming. Making the wrong choice can damage your revenue and disrupt partnerships you’ve worked so hard to build.
This decision paralysis often leads publishers to stick with outdated systems that leak money daily. It’s a common but costly mistake that directly impacts your bottom line and stunts growth.
Here’s what I recommend instead.
After thoroughly reviewing these options, Google Ad Manager is my top recommendation for unifying monetization and driving real growth for your publishing business.
As you optimize your publishing business, my guide on headless content management system explores how to scale your content.
Its unified platform for direct and programmatic sales is the best publisher ad server software for elevating CPMs, protecting your brand, and simplifying complex operations.
I’d recommend you visit the Google Ad Manager site to see how its robust tools can streamline your workflow and unlock new revenue streams.
Your monetization strategy deserves this upgrade.
