The #DSP market is oversaturated, a parade of platforms promising revolution but often delivering mediocrity. Platforms tout innovation like carnival barkers, yet many fail to deliver beyond the surface-level sizzle of flashy interfaces and bloated feature lists. What advertisers need is fewer PowerPoint presentations and more substance—cross-platform capabilities, airtight fraud prevention, robust analytics, and real accountability. But what we often get is the same recycled playbook, packaged with a different logo and a slightly tweaked pitch.
Thursday’s newsletter dives into the chaos, spotlighting the DSPs that get it right and calling out the ones that fall flat. We’ll unpack what separates the true contenders from the impostors, highlighting features that matter—like transparency, dynamic creative optimization, and compliance with privacy standards. If you’re ready to move past the noise and learn what actually works, don’t miss it.
Here’s the full list of many DSPs we’ve analyzed in detail, each earning their spot on the stage for better or worse. As part of this deep dive, we’re handing out $100K worth of free market insights to every company mentioned. Don’t say we never did anything for you:
Google DV360 – The dependable workhorse with all the scale but little excitement.
The Trade Desk – The class valedictorian, precise but intimidating.
Amazon DSP – The retail giant with legendary data and an interface that feels stuck in the ‘90s.
Yahoo Ad Tech – The nostalgic option, reliable but struggling to stay relevant.
Beeswax (Acquired by Comcast) – The tinkerer’s paradise, brilliant for niche audiences but complex.
StackAdapt – The underdog champion, straightforward and effective for smaller players.
InMobi Advertising – The mobile-first powerhouse, excelling in emerging markets.
Adform – Europe’s privacy-first innovator, tailored for the GDPR era.
Criteo – The retargeting king trying to expand its domain.
Basis Technologies – The quiet achiever, known for its streamlined ad-buying workflow.
SmartyAds – The budget-friendly all-rounder for emerging advertisers.
AdLib: DSP Advertising Made Easy – The struggler, battling to prove its worth in a crowded field.
Zeta DSP – The big talker with uneven performance to match.
Jampp – The mobile-focused player caught in a post-iOS 14.5 world.
AdCritter – The mysterious newcomer promising accessibility for small businesses.
Viant Technology: The DSP that proves you can bounce back from buying Myspace—well, almost.
Xandr: The DSP that’s still trying to prove being bought by AT&T wasn’t its peak.
Simpli.fi: The DSP that’s so good at geo-fencing, you half-expect it to track your coffee runs.
MediaMath The DSP that proved even ad tech can have a midlife crisis—complete with bankruptcy.
This is the who’s who of the DSP universe. Catch the full breakdown in Thursday’s newsletter, where we lay it all out with wit, precision, and a dash of irreverence.
