When publishers want to bring in ad revenue, they know they need a few essential pieces of ad tech. One of those pieces is a supply-side platform (SSP), an important component of the programmatic advertising ecosystem. Unfortunately, this isn’t a situation in which you can just pick an SSP at random as long as it seems like it will get the job done.

On the contrary - you need to work with the best SSPs if you want to maximize your ad revenue potential. SSPs can be tricky. There are dozens of them, and they all make grand claims about what they can do for publishers. So, how can you tell the top SSPs from the ones you should skip?

Just keep reading. Below, the Playwire team has put together everything you need to know about the the best SSPs for 2023.

Note: this article is regularly reviewed and updated to keep the guidance current and the list up to date. If you feel something is missing from this list, please don't hesitate to contact us with your feedback or request.

 

 

The Best SSPs in 2023 are:

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Playwire works with the best publishers - publishers like you. To do that, we have to work with the best of everything in the Ad Tech ecosystem: SSPs, header bidding, ad exchanges and networks, ad quality solutions, demand-side platforms (DSPs) and more. That way, you get the best of the best. Want in? Just contact us.

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Supply-Side Platform: Defined

 

 

What is a Supply-Side Platform (SSP)?

A vital piece of ad tech, an SSP is a platform that allows publishers like you to sell their inventory - the available places advertisers can run their ads on your site or app - across multiple advertising exchanges. 

Before we get into our list of the best SSPs, let’s take a step back and make sure we’re on the same page about what an SSP is and why it’s important. 

The SSP uses programmatic technology to bid on the available ad impressions, typically housed in a demand side platform (DSP). When the programmatic auction is complete, the SSP passes along the ad assets for the publisher to display them on their app or website. After that, the SSP sends the revenue that came from the purchase of the ad to the publisher.

To put it simply, SSPs are a critically important piece of the programmatic advertising puzzle. And make no mistake, SSPs can have wildly varying levels of quality. The quality of an SSP - expressed in its access to advertiser demand and overall functionality - has a direct effect on publishers’ ability to bring in revenue with their ad inventory.

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The Best SSPs in 2023

Below, we discuss several of the best SSPs, or demand partners, available to publishers today. Because these SSPs perform well for publishers, they are among the most used SSPs across the web publishing landscape. Read on to learn more about each one. 

1. Amazon Publisher Services

Amazon Publisher Services isn’t exactly an SSP on its own, but being the giant that it is, Amazon has brought together a suite of high-quality SSPs in its Universal Ad Marketplace (UAM). Although it isn’t its own SSP, Amazon Publisher Services still manages the relationships with the SSPs.

Publisher Benefits:

  • Bring Amazon in as a bidder on your ad inventory
  • Review auction records within UAM and TAM
  • Access to Amazon Shopping Insights to understand readers’ buying habits and better target content

Amazon Publisher Services Reviews: 

Actual publisher reviews of Amazon Publisher Services are relatively scarce - the platform had a single five-star review on G2 as of the time of this writing. But anecdotally, users find its user interface and features to be adequate, with the biggest benefit being access to Amazon’s huge piece of the demand pie.

Learn More About Amazon Publisher Services

2. Index Exchange

Index Exchange is an SSP with a hard focus on inventory quality. They source global advertiser demand and employ some of the co-authors of the IAB Tech Lab’s ads.cert protocols, which means they are particularly strong on preventing ad fraud.

Publisher Benefits:

  • In-house team focused on maintaining exchange quality and buyer confidence
  • Connections with some of the largest marketers and ad agencies in the world
  • Single-platform management of display, video, CTV and mobile inventory

Index Exchange Reviews: 

Index Exchange has no online reviews to speak of, with both G2 and the Better Business Bureau citing zero customer reviews at the time of publication. Despite this puzzling lack of reviews, Index Exchange manages to be one of the most used SSPs among publishers.

Learn More About Index Exchange

3. Magnite

Formerly known as Rubicon, Magnite’s claim to fame is as the largest independent SSP in the world. Magnite works across multiple channels, but it places a particular emphasis on connected TV (CTV) demand.

Publisher Benefits:

  • In-depth CTV reporting analytics, down to the very granular episode- or series-level performance data
  • Additional access to a private marketplace (PMP) and programmatic guaranteed
  • Invitation-only premium inventory packaging for strategic sales to big buyers

Magnite Reviews: 

With three stars on G2, Magnite reviews are somewhat mixed. On the positive side, reviewers cite a simple user interface and responsive customer service. On the negative side, publishers mention occasional low fill rates and slow load times.

Learn More About Magnite

4. PubMatic

PubMatic is a giant in the ad tech world, and while its SSP is only one part of the larger equation, it is a leading SSP for 2023.

Publisher Benefits:

  • Innovative technology for omnichannel monetization
  • Private marketplaces for packaging inventory to premium audiences
  • Built-in ad quality tools

PubMatic Reviews: 

PubMatic has 3.2 stars on G2 and a 7.0 on TrustRadius. Supporters praised the user interface and access to demand, but others mentioned lacking customer service and trouble implementing the platform with mobile ad servers.

Learn More About Pubmatic

5. Xandr Monetize

Xandr Monetize is the sell-side arm of Xandr, which is owned by AT&T. With Xandr Monetize, you also get in-depth data forecasting and analytics to help you optimize your yield.

Publisher Benefits:

  • Header bidding with Prebid
  • In-depth yield analytics and forecasting insights
  • Additional CTV and OTT platform, MonetizeTV

Xandr Monetize Reviews: 

Xandr has earned 3.7 stars on G2, with many users citing a lack of user friendliness as the reason for less-than-perfect star ratings. Those who have higher technical skills tended to praise the platform for its in-depth data capabilities.

Learn More About Xandr

6. OpenX

OpenX is strong on reach. It boasts relationships with more than 2,500 supply partners across a variety of channels, from over-the-top (OTT) to video ads and traditional display. OpenX’s ad platform, called Open Audience, covers a wide range of publisher needs, with the SSP being just one part of the platform’s offerings.

Publisher Benefits:

  • Works with buyers to create tailored packages that drive higher CPMs for ad inventory, and ultimately higher revenue for publishers
  • Long-term relationships with major buyers like LinkedIn, P&G and GM
  • Built-in ID resolution

OpenX Reviews: 

Despite strong tech and well-developed relationships with big-name advertisers, OpenX doesn’t perform as well in user reviews as some of the larger SSPs. For instance, the platform garnered only three stars on G2 and a 6.6 on TrustRadius. Many of the user complaints center on trouble with the user interface.

Learn More About OpenX

7. TripleLift

TripleLift is more than a top SSP - it’s also an ad placement and exchange provider, and it offers design services to make sure ad creative is always pleasing to the eye.

Publisher Benefits:

  • Assesses publishers for quality to maintain advertiser demand on the network
  • Complementary design services for world-class creative
  • Works with 100% of the AdAge top 100

TripleLift Reviews: 

With 4.2 stars on G2 and an 8.7 on TrustRadius, TripleLift has won the hearts of many publishers. Some of the most popular features are the live previews of ads next to real content and the custom ad formats. Detractors cited difficulty of use and the cost of PMPs on the platform.

Learn More About TripleLift

8. Sharethrough

ShareThrough is an SSP that provides multiple channels of communication from which publishers can harvest ad revenue. The platform focuses on real-time bidding as its primary benefit.

Publisher Benefits:

  • Automatic syncing for display ads, which provides an interruption-free browsing experience for users
  • Dynamic video captions to improve video ad engagement
  • Templates that help publishers optimize their ad formats and increase the value of your inventory

ShareThrough Reviews:

ShareThrough works with some of the largest companies in the world including Amazon, TMobile, and Uber. They have solid ratings from their customers, too: 4.5 out of 5 on G2 and one rating of 7.3 out of 10 on TrustRadius.

Learn More About ShareThrough

Playwire: Get Broad Demand from the Best SSPs

Want the best of everything? Rather than trying to integrate a single SSP at a time, you’re better off getting access to the demand across all of the top SSPs with a single integration, and pitting them against one another in a real time bidding process. 

To get the peace of mind of knowing that you’re working with only the top SSPs and demand partners, all you have to do is partner with Playwire. We’ll handle everything from setting you up with 2023’s best SSPs to implementing full-scale programmatic advertising and direct sales across your websites and apps.

To get started, reach out to us. Just contact us online.

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More on the Ad Tech Ecosystem

Are you interested in reviewing all your ad tech options but unsure where to begin given the complexity of the industry? Don't fret, Playwire has your back!

Learn more about all the players and tools that are available across the ad tech landscape with our new Ad Tech Ecosystem webpage, which is updated regularly, and includes information on ad networks, native ad solutions, consent management partners, data management platforms, and everything in between!