Mobile Advertising Platforms

Best Mobile Advertising Platforms include:

Google AdMob, Apple iAd, AppLovin MAX, AppLovin Exchange (ALX), ironSource, Tapjoy, Adstream, Digital Turbine, InMobi and GroundTruth.

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(1-25 of 64)

1
Marin Software

Marin Software is a cloud-based cross-channel advertising campaign management platform which integrates many tools and functions, and it is the name of the company in San Francisco that issues the software. Marin touts cross-display (including mobile-optimized) advertisement retargeting,…

2
Yahoo Native

Yahoo Native (formerly Yahoo Gemini) is Yahoo's offering for mobile, native and search engine marketing and advertising (formerly Yahoo! Advertising and Yahoo! Search Marketing), for placing ads where visitors are, with an emphasis on mobile. The marketplace offers search and native…

3
Basis DSP

Basis from Basis Global Technologies (formerly Centro) is a programmatic ad buying platform supporting digital advertising buying and placement across varying channels. Since the acquisition of SiteScout the platform also contains technology from the SiteScout AdServer.

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4
Google AdMob

AdMob is a mobile advertising platform acquired by Google in 2010.

5
Taboola

Taboola is a native advertising platform from the company of the same name in New York for publishing "recommended" content in a variety of popularly visited news sites and spaces. Taboola is partnered with many publishers (the Atlantic, Tribune, MailOnline, Business Insider, etc.…

6
Apple iAd

Apple's iAd is a mobile advertising and app-monetization solution.

7
AppLovin Exchange (ALX)

AppLovin is a mobile advertising optimization platform from the company of the same name headquartered in California.

8
ironSource

ironSource (or Supersonic before ironSource and Supersonic merged under the ironSource brand) is a mobile app monetization and mobile advertising application. ironSource (the company) is headquartered in Tel Aviv.

9
AppLovin MAX

MoPub was a mobile ad server owned by Twitter since the September 2013 acquisition, acquired by AppLovin, and now part of the MAX mediation platform. MAX gives users a diverse set of auctions for supply.

10
GroundTruth

GroundTruth (formerly xAd) headquartered in New York offers location-based mobile advertising technology.

12
AdCheck - URL Tracking Link Verification

AdCheck is a URL tracking link verification tool. It gives deep insight into offer links: re-direct chain, competitors running the same campaign, click spamming, pop-ups or missing link parameters. The vendor says it allows users to see the quality of the offers they are running…

13
Smaato

Smaato is a supply-side publisher platform (SSP) from the Verve Group since the 2021 acquisition.

14
InMobi

Miip is a mobile advertising platform based on curated content from InMobi headquartered in Singapore.

16
AdPumb

AdPumb is an app monetization platform that assists app developers or publishers in earning more revenue through app monetization functions. Its mediation solutions help publishers to connect with Demand Side Platforms.

17
Bidease

Bidease is a fully transparent DSP for mobile marketers.Its programmatic performance solutions help brands achieve their performance advertising goals. Using a combination of proprietary programmatic advertising technology, machine learning, and first party data, Bidease optimizes…

18
Nativo

The Nativo Ad Platform from Nativo in El Segundo is designed to empower publishers with advanced advertising technology for native and sponsored content.

19
Chartboost

Chartboost is a mobile-gaming advertising platform from the company of the same name.

20
Vungle

Vungle headquartered in San Francisco offers their eponymous mobile in-app advertising technology platform.

22
Visa Commerce Network

Visa Commerce Network (formerly TrialPay) is a transactional advertising and app monetization suite of software developed by the company of the same name acquired by Visa in February 2015. Visa Commerce Network provides merchant advertisers with unique access and reach across a diverse…

23
Zemanta
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Zemanta, an Outbrain company (acquired 2017) is a demand side content marketing platform (DSP), featuring the ability to allow marketers to programmatically buy native content ads, with targeting features as well. If desired, Zemanta can be bundled with service. Also, Zemanta can…

24
Adello
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Adello offers their mobile audience targeting and advertising product, featuring geolocation. Adello acquired HStreaming in 2013 to boost its capabilities.

25
Mojiva
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Mojiva is a mobile ad network from the New York-based company of the same name.

Learn More About Mobile Advertising Platforms

What are Mobile Advertising Platforms?


Mobile advertising platforms provide the infrastructure to publish ads on smartphones and tablets. The platform acts as a broker between advertisers (advertising agencies, businesses, and individuals) and publishers for the purpose of buying, managing, and placing ads on popular mobile ad real estate.


These platforms generally support 3 ways of launching and managing ad campaigns: managed service, programmatic, and self-serve. They are most commonly used by digital and social media marketers or independent advertising agencies. The self-managed option gives small businesses and individuals the flexibility to purchase ad space and manage ad campaigns themselves.


Major mobile advertising platforms can be broken down into the following, sometimes overlapping, categories:

  1. Mobile Ad Networks

  2. Mobile Ad Servers

  3. Mobile DSPs (Demand Side Platforms - supporting the purchase of ads across multiple ad exchanges or social media platforms)


Mobile Advertising Platform software supports ad campaign budgeting and ad targeting. Targeting parameters typically include device type, operating system, location, time of day, customer behavior, and demographics. Increasingly AI is deployed to optimize targeting. Ads can be placed within Google search results, within a mobile app, and on mobile websites. They are supported by a variety of formats: native ads, video ads, interstitial ads, and banner ads.


The platforms support all the major mobile operating systems and offer access to global markets. Most mobile platforms also provide analytics and reporting capabilities to evaluate ad performance. Mobile advertising platforms are often part of larger cross-channel advertising platforms.


Mobile Advertising Platforms Features


Most mobile advertising platforms will include the following features:


  • Managed service, programmatic service, and self-serve options

  • Campaign dashboards

  • Ad budgeting

  • Ad targeting, retargeting, and meditation

  • Placement in search results, mobile apps, mobile websites, push notifications, and SMS

  • Multiple ad formats: native ads, video, interstitial ads, offer-walls, banner ads

  • Content tools for creating ads or uploading ads

  • Mobile advertising ids

  • Support for Android and IOS mobile operating systems

  • Fraud protection

  • Ad campaign tracking and performance analytics


Mobile Advertising Platforms Comparison


Before investing in a new mobile advertising platform, consider the following key points:


  • Target Audience: Identifying your target audience is critical to choosing the right ad platform and tailoring your ad accordingly. Which mobile apps and websites do they spend the most time on? Apps? Gaming? Social Networks? Mobile websites? What are their consumption and search patterns and what devices do they use?

  • Scope and Objectives: What are your ad objectives? What is your budget? Do you prefer specific ad formats? Video? Do you require delivery across multiple advertising networks or do you want to advertise exclusively on one or two networks (E.g. LinkedIn and Twitter)? How extensive is your need for ad campaign performance metrics and reporting?

  • Fraud Protection: There are opportunities for abuse by advertising networks and mobile ad platforms. For example, some users feel that certain platforms render their campaigns more costly and less effective. Evaluate your choices to ensure the appropriate controls and metrics are in place to identify or help prevent this type of activity.


Pricing Information


There is a wide variety of pricing models for mobile advertising platforms. Many platforms allow you to set your own ad budget and bid for placements.


Some of the different types of pricing models include CPM, CPC, CPI, CPA, and CPE:

  • CPM (Cost per Mille) pricing is calculated as the cost per 1,000 views of the ad.

  • CPC (Cost per Click) pricing is based upon the number of clicks an ad receives.

  • CPI (Cost per Install) bills based upon the number of app installations.

  • CPA & CPE (Cost per Action, Cost per Engagement) calculates the cost based upon specific user actions taken within an app or a game.


The placement of the ad along with its format will dictate the pricing. More coveted ad real estate will be more costly. Ads with more complex formats such as video will be more expensive than banner ads.


Some platforms offer basic plans beginning at $99 per month, ranging to over $5,000 per month offering a set package of ads and services bundled to support your campaigns.


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Frequently Asked Questions

What services do Mobile Advertising Platforms provide?

Mobile advertising platforms support the buying, managing, and placement of ads on mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. They provide tools for budgeting, ad creation, targeting, and performance evaluation.

What are the benefits of using Mobile Advertising Platforms?

  • Engagement and Personalization: The ability to target a specific audience with personalized ads based on their behavior, location, and demographics.
  • Accessibility and Immediacy: You can reach your audience where they spend much of their time, on their smartphones and tablets, with timely messages.
  • Cost-Effectiveness: Mobile ads are less costly than traditional ad channels. Many feel that mobile advertising is more effective than internet advertising, especially with people spending more and more time on their smartphones.
  • Campaign Performance: Ready ability to track campaign performance and your audience’s response.

What are the best Mobile Advertising Platforms products?

How much do Mobile Advertising Platforms cost?

Most platforms allow you to set your own ad budget. There is a wide variety of pricing models including CPM, CPC, CPI, and CPA. Ad placement and formatting drive the pricing. Some platforms offer basic plans beginning at $99 a month. More expensive plans can cost upwards of $5,000 a month.