Top 20 Ad Networks for Affiliate Marketing

If you’re vaguely familiar with the world of affiliate marketing, you’ve probably heard of ad networks. In this article, we’ll explain how to choose the right platform among the many ad networks with different business models and tools, what strategies can help you stand out, and what you should focus on to maximize your profits.

Ad Networks: Where It All Began

Ad networks are a key tool for promoting products online. With their help, you can get quality traffic at a reasonable price, customize targeting for your audience, and attract the right audience  for your offer.

The idea of ad networks existed long before the digital age. Take print media, for example. Newspapers and magazines have always offered advertisers the opportunity to place ads in specific areas: on pages, covers, or other dedicated spaces within text.

The process was straightforward: advertisers booked space in advance and paid a fixed price. With the shift to online formats, the model has evolved. A single site can now provide millions of views daily, and the number of ad formats—from banners to native links—has increased dramatically.

The Modern Approach to Selling Advertising

Today, ad networks act as intermediaries between website owners (publishers) and advertisers. They help fill unused ad space by auctioning it off. This allows publishers to monetize all available impressions, while advertisers gain access to audiences at competitive prices.

One of the key technologies that networks use is Real-Time Bidding (RTB). This is a system where ad spaces are sold in real time: advertisers compete for a slot, and the winner gets to display his ad.

Why You Should Use Ad Networks

Ad networks open up a wide range of possibilities for optimizing advertising campaigns. They allow you to:

• Fine-tune targeting by interests, geolocation, and user behavior.
• Experiment with different payment models (e.g., CPM, CPC, CPA).
• Use a variety of advertising formats to engage your audience.

In this article, we will analyze which networks are the most effective for affiliate campaigns and how you can leverage their opportunities to achieve a stable income.

Advertising Networks with Targeting Capabilities

Modern ad networks offer not only flexible cost management for ad placements but also a wide range of tools for precise targeting. This is especially valuable for marketers, as it enables them to target audiences based on parameters such as age, gender, geolocation, device, and more.

Key Capabilities of Ad Networks

1. Precision Targeting
   The ability to select specific audiences for campaigns greatly improves the effectiveness of advertising. Parameters such as geolocation, device type, interest categories, or time of day allow you to optimize ad displays for your target audience.
2. Analytics and Data
   Ad networks provide data on the best-performing sites, popular creatives, and audience characteristics. These insights help advertisers refine strategies and capitalize on campaign strengths.
3. Wide Choice of Ad Formats
   Ad networks offer a variety of media formats: display advertising, video, social media, push notifications, native advertising, and more. Each format has unique targeting capabilities.
4. Cost Savings and Profitability
   Thanks to competitive pricing and advanced placement options, advertisers can find profitable platforms even with limited budgets.

Types of Targeting

Key parameters available for audience customization include:

• Location
• Platform and Device
• Mobile Operator
• Keywords
• Categories and Interests
• Age and Gender
• Display Time (Timing)
• Retargeting
• Publisher Domains

Some networks also offer RON (Run of Network) or ROS (Run of Site) placement, which allows ads to be shown across all sites or specific domains.

Campaign Setup

Once you’ve chosen your targeting options, it’s important to set your budget and ads frequency limits. The network places your ads via tags on publisher sites. Testing different banners and creatives can help you identify the most effective solutions.

Analysis and Optimization

Ad networks provide user-friendly platforms for analytics. With their help, you can:

• Track spending and engagement.
• Conduct A/B testing.
• Apply targeting refinements.
• Identify the best sources of traffic.

Effective use of analytics allows you to reallocate your budget to ads with high CTR, thereby increasing the profitability of your campaigns.

Best Advertising Networks for Advertisers and Publishers

1. PropellerAds

PropellerAds is suitable for both beginners and experienced marketers. The network offers a wide range of targeting parameters and a smart rotator to identify the best-performing ads. Auto-optimization simplifies the workflow, and the ad creation process is user-friendly and supported by detailed analytics.

• Ad Formats: Push, Pop, Native, Interstitial.
• Payment Models: CPM, CPV.
• Minimum Deposit: $100.
• Targeting: Geo, devices, operating systems, connection types, browser languages, providers, time limits, retargeting, etc.

2. MGID

MGID is renowned for its high performance in native advertising. The platform provides experienced account managers and access to high-quality traffic through advanced targeting options.

• Ad Formats: Native (video, widgets in articles and sidebars).
• Payment Models: CPC.
• Minimum Deposit: $100.
• Targeting: Geo, browsers, languages, devices, operating systems.

3. Adcash

Adcash offers an advanced DSP platform with cutting-edge technology, including an anti-fraud system that saved advertisers over $11.8 million in 2018. Its CPA Target feature automates bidding, optimizes costs and saves time.

• Ad Formats: Native, Display, Pop, Push, Interstitial.
• Payment Models: CPC, CPA Target, CPM.
• Minimum Deposit: $100.
• Targeting: Geo, keywords, interests, site categories, browser languages, etc.

4. RichAds

RichAds is a scalable platform with a daily traffic volume exceeding 5 billion impressions across 220 countries. The platform provides personal account managers, campaign auto-optimization, and algorithms designed to improve advertising efficiency.

• Ad Formats: Push, In-Page Push, Pops, Native, Direct Click, iOS Calendar.
• Payment Models: CPC, CPM.
• Minimum Deposit: $100.
• Targeting: Geo, devices, operating systems, languages, providers, IPs, subscribers, time of day.

5. EvaDav

EvaDav is an intuitive platform, perfect for beginners. The network operates in over 250 countries and generates 10 billion push notifications monthly. It is a reliable source of high-quality traffic for advertising campaigns.

• Ad Formats: Push, Native, In-Page Messages, Popunder.
• Payment Models: CPC, CPM.
• Targeting: Geo, operating systems, browsers, languages, audiences, display frequency.

6. AdMaven

AdMaven offers high traffic volume and multiple ad formats. With over 10 years of experience, the platform ensures high conversion rates and reliability.

• Ad Formats: Push notifications, In-Page Push, Pop.
• Payment Models: CPC, CPM, CPA, CPI, CPL, CPS.
• Minimum Deposit: $50.
• Targeting: Devices, OS, browsers (including versions and language), black/white lists of domains, geo, carriers, connection type (Wi-Fi/mobile), days of the week, hours.

7. ExoClick

ExoClick is one of the oldest partner on the market. This an advertising network offering an extensive range of ad formats and targeting options. With over 212 billion impressions per month, it provides powerful optimization tools and precise targeting. The platform supports real-time bidding and prioritizes high security for traffic acquisition and selling processes. ExoClick is ideal for those seeking quality traffic at affordable prices.

• Ad Formats: Push notifications, email, banners, video banners, and more.
• Bid Models: CPC.
• Minimum Deposit: $200.
• Targeting: Keywords, IP ranges, language, geo, browser, OS, device, mobile operator, frequency, time of day.

8. Clickadu

Clickadu focuses on pop traffic and offers a user-friendly interface with CPA payment models, allowing advertisers to pay only for conversions. It’s a great tool for campaign optimization.

• Ad Formats: Push, video prerolls, popunder, banners.
• Payment Models: RTB, CPM, SmartCPM, SmartCPA.
• Minimum Deposit: $100.
• Targeting: Geo, OS, devices, connectivity, operators, browsers, time slots, black/white lists.

9. RollerAds

RollerAds is a push notification and popunder advertising network with global reach. With over 1.2 billion daily impressions and bids starting from $0.001, it’s an attractive option for advertisers. Real-time tracking enables precise campaign optimization.

• Ad Formats: Push, Popunder.
• Payment Models: CPC (Push), CPM (Popunder).
• Minimum Deposit: $50.
• Targeting: Country, city, browser, OS, IP, time limits.

10. TrafficStars

TrafficStars is a self-serve adult advertising network offering over 3 billion impressions daily. The platform provides premium traffic from quality publishers worldwide in real-time. It emphasizes data, security, and advanced technology for maximum efficiency.

• Ad Formats: Banners, Native, Video Pre-Roll, Video IM Slider, Push Notifications, Popunder, Full Page Interstitials.
• Bid Models: CPM, CPC, CPMV, DCPM.
• Minimum Deposit: $100 (PayPal, Paxum, Cosmopay, ePayService), $500 (SEPA Transfer), International Wire Transfer.

11. BidVertiser

BidVertiser is ideal for those seeking stable, high-quality traffic sources. The platform offers a user-friendly DSP with exclusive desktop and mobile ad formats for both mainstream and adult audiences.

• Ad Formats: Pop, Direct, Push notifications, Native ads, Contextual popups.
• Payment Models: CPC, CPV.
• Targeting: Country, region, OS, browser, IP addresses, operator, connection type, display frequency, time intervals, sub-adwords, keywords, categories, topics (mainstream and adult).
• Minimum Deposit: $100.

12. ClickAdilla

ClickAdilla is an advertising network offering access to high-quality traffic with customizable targeting by device, interest, location, and display time. Its flexibility in bid models and ease of use make it suitable for both beginners and experienced affiliates.

• Ad Formats: Banner, Popunder, Native, Push notifications.
• Bid Models: CPM, CPC, CPL.
• Minimum Deposit: $50.

13. OnClickA

Founded in 2020 in London, OnClickA has quickly gained attention with its variety of ad formats, 26 billion impressions per month, and traffic from around the world. It supports ad campaigns across multiple verticals, including utilities, e-commerce, dating, gaming, and adult content.

• Ad Formats: Push, In-page Push, Video ads, Popunder, Banners, Native ads, Direct links.
• Payment Models: CPC, CPM, CPA.
• Minimum Deposit: $75.
• Targeting: Country, city, connection type, devices, languages, OS, browsers, IP addresses, content categories.

14. Galaksion

Galaksion is an international advertising network founded in 2014. It provides solutions for over 190 countries with a wide range of targeting options. The network is ideal for promoting mobile apps, games, utilities, financial products, and e-commerce.

• Ad Formats: Push notifications, Native ads, Video ads.
• Payment Models: CPA, CPM, CPC.
• Minimum Deposit: $50.
• Targeting: Country, city, browser language, time zone, OS.

15. Coinis

Coinis specializes in the finance niche, providing access to high-quality, high-CVR traffic. It’s ideal for monetizing various financial products.

• Ad Formats: Banner, Popunder, Native, Push notifications.
• Bid Models: CPM, CPC, CPA.
• Minimum Deposit: $100.

16. EZmob

EZmob is an outstanding ad network known for its diverse ad formats, advanced technology, and extensive targeting capabilities. The platform is easy to use for both beginners and experienced marketers.

• Ad Formats: Pop, Push Notifications, Native, Banners, Internal Push Notifications.
• Bid Models: CPM, CPC, dCPA.
• Minimum Deposit: $100.
• Targeting: Geo, OS, device, browser, language, operator, IP, placement, time of day, frequency.
• Payment Methods: PayPal, Capitalist, Paxum, WebMoney, Payoneer, Bank Transfer, Credit Cards. Profile verification is required.

17. PopAds

PopAds stands out not for its interface but for its advanced traffic prediction algorithms and analytics filters. These tools help effectively manage costs and drive quality traffic.

• Ad Formats: Pop.
• Payment Models: CPM.
• Minimum Deposit: $10.
• Targeting: Site quality, frequency of impressions, time limits, category, country, device, connection.

18. HilltopAds

HilltopAds is a well-known advertising network offering a wide range of formats for premium traffic. This platform features an effective monetization system, enabling advertisers to collaborate with quality publishers worldwide. Additionally, built-in tools for automatic campaign optimization help maximize revenue while minimizing costs.

• Ad Formats: Popunder, Banner, Native, Video, Push Notifications.
• Bid Models: CPM, CPC, CPL.
• Minimum Deposit: $100.
• Targeting: Country, device, user interests, age, time, and frequency of impressions.

19. MyBid

MyBid is an ideal platform for affiliates who want to try managed advertising at no extra cost. With a low deposit, users gain access to a wide range of ad formats and a unique database for effective campaigns. This allows advertisers to focus on their core business while leaving campaign management to professionals.

• Ad Formats: Popunder, Native, Banner, Widget Notifications, Classic Push, In-Page Push, iOS Calendar Ads, In-Stream Video.
• Bid Models: CPM, CPC.
• Minimum Deposit: $100.

20. TacoLoco

TacoLoco is an ad network focused on a wide range of formats including banners, popunder, push notifications and in-Page Push. The platform offers quality traffic from over 200+ countries from $0.001 per click, flexible targeting options including country, device type, operating system and display time.

A key feature of TacoLoco is easy-to-use reporting and real-time analytics, allowing marketers to quickly adjust strategies to maximize profits.

• Ad Formats: Banner, Popunder, Push Notifications, in-Page Push.
• Bid Models: CPM, CPC, CPA.
• Minimum Deposit: $100.

Conclusion

Technological advances in the advertising industry have created the perfect environment for publishers and advertisers to work with ad networks. The ability to control costs, use effective bidding strategies, and customize targeting makes ad networks indispensable tools for partners.

Ad networks offer significant advantages over direct contracts with publishers. With a small deposit, you can start testing traffic quality and optimizing your campaigns. If you want to gain more traffic and revenue, start utilizing the power of ad networks today!