Best Connected TV (CTV) Advertising Platforms in 2026
16 tools highlightedUpdated September 2026
Top Connected TV (CTV) Advertising Platforms Tools for 2026
Compare leading connected tv (ctv) advertising platforms platforms by pricing, strengths, trade-offs, and best-fit teams.
#1
1. The Trade Desk
The leading independent media buying platform for the open internet.
4.7
The Trade Desk is a technology company that empowers buyers of advertising. Through its self-service, cloud-based platform, ad buyers can create, manage, and optimize data-driven digital advertising campaigns across various ad formats and channels, including CTV, display, video, and audio.
Percentage of media spend.
Best for: Large advertisers and agencies needing programmatic CTV.
Unlock breakthrough marketing performance with a unified platform.
4.4
MediaMath is a demand-side platform (DSP) that provides advertisers with tools for programmatic media buying. It offers features for audience targeting, campaign optimization, and analytics across various channels, including CTV, display, and video, aiming to deliver accountable marketing outcomes.
Variable, typically percentage of media spend.
Best for: Marketers seeking an integrated programmatic solution.
Streamline your campaigns with Google's demand-side platform.
4.6
Display & Video 360 is Google's all-in-one tool for planning, executing, and measuring programmatic ad campaigns. It brings together features for creative, audience, media, and insights, enabling advertisers to manage campaigns across various inventory sources, including CTV, YouTube, and other exchanges.
Percentage of media spend, varies by Google agreements.
Best for: Advertisers heavily invested in Google's ad ecosystem.
Reach engaged streamers on the #1 TV streaming platform.
4.5
The Roku Advertising Platform allows brands to reach audiences across Roku devices and the Roku Channel. It offers self-serve and managed service options for running video ad campaigns, leveraging Roku's first-party data for targeting and providing detailed campaign analytics specifically for the CTV environment.
CPM-based, varies by targeting and inventory.
Best for: Advertisers prioritizing reach within the Roku audience.
The world's largest independent sell-side advertising platform.
4.3
Magnite is a sell-side advertising platform (SSP) working with publishers and broadcasters to monetize their ad inventory, including a strong focus on CTV. While primarily an SSP, its extensive reach and data capabilities make it a crucial partner for buyers seeking premium CTV inventory programmatically across various streaming services.
Revenue share with publishers.
Best for: Buyers seeking premium and brand-safe CTV inventory.
Connect with audiences directly on Vizio Smart TVs.
4.4
Vizio Ads offers advertisers direct access to millions of households through Vizio Smart TVs and their proprietary Inscape data. The platform enables advertisers to run campaigns across linear and streaming content, utilizing unique viewership data for targeting, measurement, and attribution within the Vizio ecosystem.
CPM-based, custom packages available.
Best for: Brands targeting Vizio Smart TV owners with data-driven campaigns.
Samba TV provides a complete TV data and analytics platform, offering advertisers and publishers tools for audience measurement, attribution, and activation. It leverages proprietary opt-in viewership data from smart TVs to help brands understand cross-screen behavior and optimize their CTV ad spend effectively.
Custom enterprise pricing.
Best for: Advertisers focused on TV data-driven insights and measurement.
Pros
Granular TV viewership data.
Advanced audience segmentation.
Cross-screen measurement capabilities.
Cons
Primarily a data provider, less of a direct buying platform.
Requires integration with other ad tech platforms.
Connect data to power exceptional customer experiences.
4.3
LiveRamp's platform enables brands and their partners to safely and effectively use data to improve marketing performance. While not solely a CTV advertising platform, its identity resolution and data connectivity services are crucial for enabling precise targeting and measurement of CTV campaigns across various platforms.
Subscription-based with usage tiers.
Best for: Advertisers needing to onboard and activate first-party data for CTV.
Maximize revenue with programmatic CTV and video monetization.
4.5
SpotX, now unified under Magnite CTV, is a leading video advertising platform that enables publishers to monetize their content and advertisers to reach target audiences across CTV and other video formats. It offers sophisticated programmatic infrastructure, ad serving, and yield management tools for a diverse range of video content.
Revenue share with publishers, or fee for buyers.
Best for: Publishers monetizing video, and buyers seeking premium video inventory.
Cadent provides an advanced TV platform that converges linear and CTV advertising, offering unified planning, activation, and measurement. Their solutions help advertisers reach target audiences across various broadcast, cable, and streaming environments with data-driven insights and campaign optimization tools.
Custom proposals based on services and spend.
Best for: Large brands and agencies bridging linear and CTV advertising.
High impact, high-performance digital advertising.
4
Undertone specializes in creating and delivering high-impact advertising experiences across various digital channels, including a significant focus on CTV. They offer unique creative formats and premium placements that aim to capture audience attention and drive strong engagement for brands.
CPM-based, custom campaigns.
Best for: Brands seeking premium, eye-catching CTV ad experiences.
Unifying and Optimizing CTV Advertising for Performance.
4.5
Innovid is an independent CTV advertising platform that helps brands and agencies create, deliver, and measure interactive and personalized video experiences across all devices. Their platform offers dynamic ad serving, creative optimization, and robust analytics to maximize engagement and ROI for advertisers.
Custom enterprise pricing.
Best for: Large brands seeking advanced creative and measurement for CTV campaigns.
Pros
Advanced dynamic creative optimization for personalized ads.
Extensive measurement and attribution capabilities for CTV campaigns.
Strong focus on interactive and engaging ad formats.
Cons
Pricing can be a barrier for smaller advertisers.
Requires some technical expertise to fully leverage all features.
Powering the New TV Ecosystem with Premium Video Ad Management.
4.4
Freewheel provides a comprehensive suite of advertising solutions for the new TV ecosystem, enabling broadcasters, programmers, and distributors to manage and monetize their premium video content. Their platform offers ad decisioning, yield optimization, and audience management across all screens, including CTV.
Custom enterprise pricing.
Best for: Large media companies and content providers managing extensive video inventory.
Pros
Excellent for premium video content publishers and distributors.
Robust ad decisioning and yield optimization capabilities.
Comprehensive audience management tools.
Cons
Primarily focused on the supply-side of advertising.
Automated Programmatic Solutions for CTV and Digital Advertising.
4.3
TradeRev, part of AcuityAds, is a programmatic advertising platform that simplifies access to premium CTV inventory. It offers self-serve solutions for advertisers to plan, execute, and optimize their campaigns across various devices, focusing on performance-driven results and transparent reporting.
Percentage of media spend, custom packages.
Best for: Mid-sized to large advertisers looking for self-serve programmatic CTV solutions.
Pros
User-friendly interface for programmatic CTV buying.
Strong emphasis on performance and transparent analytics.
Access to a wide range of premium CTV inventory.
Cons
May require some familiarity with programmatic advertising.
Driving Publisher Revenue and Advertiser ROI in CTV.
4.6
PubMatic is a sell-side platform (SSP) that empowers publishers to maximize their advertising revenue, including from CTV inventory. They offer advanced programmatic tools for yield management, audience addressability, and fraud prevention, connecting publishers with demand partners for efficient ad transactions.
Revenue share model with publishers.
Best for: Publishers, broadcasters, and app developers with significant CTV inventory.
Pros
Excellent for publishers seeking to monetize CTV inventory effectively.
Strong focus on yield optimization and programmatic efficiency.
Robust fraud prevention and brand safety features.
Cons
Primarily a supply-side platform, so less direct advertiser tools.
Learning curve for optimizing all available features.
Decentralized Ad Tech for Transparency and Performance in CTV.
4.2
MadHive provides a connected TV-first advertising platform built on blockchain technology, aiming for greater transparency and efficiency. Their solution offers data-driven targeting, cross-screen attribution, and fraud prevention, helping advertisers achieve verifiable campaign results in a complex landscape.
Custom enterprise solutions.
Best for: Advertisers prioritizing transparency, fraud prevention, and advanced CTV measurement.
Pros
Leverages blockchain for enhanced transparency and fraud prevention.
Strong focus on CTV-first advertising strategies.
Advanced cross-screen attribution capabilities.
Cons
Newer technology may require more understanding from users.
Pricing might be higher due to specialized technology.
Connected TV (CTV) Advertising Platforms Buyer's Guide for 2026
Everything you need to know before choosing a connected tv (ctv) advertising platforms solution — features, pricing, evaluation criteria, and answers to common questions.
01
How we compare Connected TV (CTV) Advertising Platforms for US teams
This page tracks 16 connected tv (ctv) advertising platforms platforms that are actively sold and supported in the United States. Each listing is reviewed for US availability, English-language support during North American business hours, and pricing published in US dollars, so a buyer in New York or San Francisco can shortlist without chasing regional resellers.
The strongest current options are The Trade Desk, MediaMath, and DV360 (Display & Video 360). We look at what each product actually does day to day, where it fits in a US tech stack, and who it is genuinely a good fit for — rather than ranking purely on marketing spend.
Across the shortlist, the capabilities buyers cite most often are Extensive reach across CTV inventory., Advanced targeting and data capabilities., and Unified platform for cross-channel campaigns.. Use those as the baseline: if a vendor cannot match them, it usually needs a very specific reason to stay on your list.
02
Connected TV (CTV) Advertising Platforms pricing in the US
Published pricing across these connected tv (ctv) advertising platforms tools falls into 4 broad shapes: Percentage of media spend., Variable, typically percentage of media spend., Percentage of media spend, varies by Google agreements., and CPM-based, varies by targeting and inventory.. US list prices are normally quoted per user per month in USD, billed annually, with a discount of roughly 10–20% for the annual commitment.
There is no meaningful free tier in this category, so budget for a paid pilot. Most US vendors will run a 14–30 day trial on request.
Several vendors list quote-only enterprise pricing. Ask for the total first-year cost including implementation, data migration, sandbox environments, and premium support — those line items are where US enterprise deals typically grow 30–50% beyond the seat price.
Also budget for the non-obvious costs: SSO/SAML is often gated behind a higher tier, API rate limits can force an upgrade, and multi-year contracts frequently include automatic uplift clauses. Sales tax treatment for SaaS varies by state, so confirm whether quotes are tax-inclusive.
03
Security, compliance and procurement checks
For US buyers, security review is usually the step that decides the deal. Before you sign for connected tv (ctv) advertising platforms, ask each vendor for a current SOC 2 Type II report, their sub-processor list, and their data residency options — many teams require that data stays in US regions.
Layer on the regulations that apply to you: HIPAA and a signed BAA for anything touching patient data, CCPA/CPRA obligations for California consumer data, FERPA in education, GLBA in financial services, and FedRAMP or StateRAMP authorization if you sell to public sector. If you have EU users too, check the vendor's Data Privacy Framework certification.
Practical checklist: SSO and SCIM provisioning, role-based access control, audit logs exportable to your SIEM, documented breach-notification timelines, and a data-deletion path you can actually execute at the end of the contract.
04
Which connected tv (ctv) advertising platforms option fits your team
The tools on this page are built for different buyers — Large advertisers and agencies needing programmatic CTV., Marketers seeking an integrated programmatic solution., Advertisers heavily invested in Google's ad ecosystem., and Advertisers prioritizing reach within the Roku audience.. Match the tool to your stage rather than to the longest feature list.
Startups and small US teams (1–50 employees): prioritize fast self-serve setup, month-to-month billing, and a free or low-cost tier. You want something running this week, not a three-month rollout.
Mid-market (50–1,000 employees): the deciding factors are usually SSO, granular permissions, an open API, and integrations with the rest of your stack. Expect a security questionnaire and a 4–8 week evaluation.
Enterprise (1,000+): weight the contract, not the demo — uptime SLA with credits, named support with US-hours coverage, sandbox environments, migration assistance, and a clear roadmap commitment.
A practical shortlist method: pick two options from this list — typically The Trade Desk and MediaMath — run the same real workflow through both for two weeks, and score them on setup time, support responsiveness, and how much manual work is left over.
FAQ
Connected TV (CTV) Advertising Platforms — Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the most common questions about choosing connected tv (ctv) advertising platforms in 2026.
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