If you are comparing demand side platform examples, you are probably deciding where to spend programmatic budget and who should operate the platform. These nine were chosen on inventory reach, channel coverage (display, video, CTV, audio, native), targeting and measurement depth, how accessible the pricing is, and how well each fits a specific type of buyer. One entry is not a DSP at all: it is included for teams whose real spend lives on Meta and who may not need open-web programmatic.
Quick Comparison of the Demand Side Platform Examples
- AdStellar: performance marketers and agencies scaling Meta ads; plans from $100 (see website); an agentic AI media buyer that builds and launches data-backed Meta campaigns with visible reasoning.
- The Trade Desk: enterprise brands and agencies with large multi-channel budgets; quote-based; independence from owned media plus broad identity and CTV reach.
- Google Display & Video 360: brands already invested in Google; quote-based; native tie-in with YouTube and the Google Marketing Platform stack.
- Amazon DSP: e-commerce brands selling on Amazon; see website; targeting built on Amazon first-party purchase signals.
- StackAdapt: mid-market advertisers and agencies wanting self-serve; quote-based; native advertising heritage with accessible onboarding.
- Quantcast: brands prioritizing open-web audience modeling; quote-based; modeling grounded in its own measurement data.
- Basis: agencies managing many clients; quote-based; planning-to-billing workflow in one platform.
- Viant: CTV-heavy advertisers wanting household targeting; quote-based; household-level identity built around CTV.
- Yahoo DSP: buyers wanting Yahoo-owned media inside a programmatic buy; quote-based; Yahoo first-party inventory and data alongside open-exchange buying.
1. AdStellar
AdStellar is an AI media buying and creative platform for Meta (Facebook and Instagram) ads. To be clear about the category: it is not a DSP. It does not buy open-web display, CTV, or audio. It is on this list because many teams searching for a DSP are really trying to scale paid social, and for them a Meta-specific tool may be the better answer than a programmatic platform.
What sets it apart from everything else here is that it is agentic. Instead of handing you a dashboard to operate, its conversational Agent analyzes your account, builds a campaign from your past performance, and launches it, showing the reasoning behind each decision so you can check it rather than trust it blindly.
- A conversational AI media buyer that analyzes performance, builds campaigns, and launches them, so you spend less time in Ads Manager.
- Seven specialized AI agents for campaign building, each handling a different part of structure and setup.
- AI image ads, video ads, and UGC avatar ads, which lets you produce creative without a shoot or a designer queue.
- Bulk launch of hundreds of ad variations, so testing at volume takes minutes rather than days.
- Element-level creative scoring and fatigue detection, showing which headlines, visuals, or hooks drive results and when a winner is wearing out.
Setup is light: connect Meta Ads, optionally pair it with Cometly for attribution, and you can import existing campaigns. A media buyer or marketer can run it day to day without a trading desk.
The limitation is scope. It is Meta only, so if your plan depends on CTV, audio, publisher deals, or open-exchange inventory, you still need one of the DSPs below. Pricing starts at $100 and scales up to $10,000 depending on plan; verify current tiers on the website.
Best for: Performance marketers and agencies focused on scaling Meta ads.
2. The Trade Desk
The Trade Desk is an independent omnichannel DSP covering display, video, CTV, audio, and native. Its positioning rests on not owning media, which appeals to buyers who want a platform with no inventory conflict of interest.
Where it stands out against the rest of this list is the combination of that independence with broad identity infrastructure and CTV reach. Its Unified ID 2.0 initiative is an attempt to give the open web a cookie-independent identifier, and many large advertisers use it as their primary programmatic hub.
- Omnichannel buying from one interface, so you can plan across display, video, CTV, and audio without stitching tools together.
- The Kokai platform, its current-generation interface, which brings AI-assisted optimization and audience tools into the buying workflow.
- Unified ID 2.0 support, which helps you reach addressable audiences as third-party cookies fade.
- Audience and measurement tools deep enough for brand lift, reach, and conversion analysis.
It integrates with major SSPs and exchanges, data partners, and measurement vendors. Expect a real onboarding effort: most advertisers run it through a trained trader or an agency, and the learning curve is steep.
That is also the main limitation. Spend thresholds and complexity make it a hard fit for small teams, and managed-service arrangements are common. Pricing is quote-based, often with high minimums, so confirm terms directly as of 2026.
Best for: Enterprise brands and agencies with large multi-channel budgets.
3. Google Display & Video 360
Limitations first: Google Display & Video 360 (DV360) is built for enterprise operations, and its complexity and walled-garden data limits mean you will not get the same transparency into Google-owned inventory that you get elsewhere. It is Google's DSP inside Google Marketing Platform, aimed at advertisers who want serious cross-channel control.
Its distinctive strength is the native connection to YouTube and the wider Google stack. If your measurement, analytics, and search buying already live in Google products, DV360 reduces the friction of moving data between them.
- Access to YouTube and exchange inventory from a single buying interface.
- Audience and creative tools that let you build and refine segments and ad formats in one place.
- Cross-channel planning, which helps coordinate programmatic with the rest of a Google-led media plan.
- Floodlight and conversion measurement, giving you a consistent way to attribute actions across Google tools.
It integrates with Campaign Manager 360, Search Ads 360, and Google Analytics 4. Day-to-day operation usually sits with a dedicated programmatic specialist or agency, since the interface and permissions model are not casual-user friendly.
Pricing is quote-based and typically accessed through partners or commitments, so ask about minimums and fees before assuming it fits your budget.
Best for: Brands already invested in the Google ecosystem.
4. Amazon DSP
Amazon DSP uses shopping signals and Amazon-owned media to reach audiences, and it also buys off-Amazon inventory through third-party exchanges. Its pitch is that purchase behavior is a stronger targeting input than most inferred interests.
Compared with the other DSPs here, the differentiator is Amazon first-party purchase data. A brand selling on Amazon can retarget product viewers, reach in-market shoppers, and tie ad exposure back to retail outcomes in a way open-web platforms cannot replicate.
- Amazon shopper audiences, which let you target by real shopping and purchase behavior.
- Prime Video and Twitch inventory, giving you streaming and gaming placements you cannot get elsewhere.
- Off-Amazon reach through third-party exchanges, so campaigns are not confined to Amazon properties.
- Retail-linked measurement, connecting ad exposure to sales on and off Amazon.
It works through the Amazon Ads console and Amazon Marketing Cloud, plus third-party exchanges. Teams already running Sponsored Ads will find the account structure familiar, though DSP campaigns demand more strategic setup.
The trade-off is that its best value is commerce-focused and Amazon-centric. If you do not sell on Amazon, much of the advantage disappears. Fees and minimums vary, so check the website and talk to Amazon Ads for current terms.
Best for: E-commerce brands selling on Amazon.
5. StackAdapt
StackAdapt is a self-serve multichannel programmatic platform that grew out of native advertising. It now covers native, display, video, CTV, audio, and digital out-of-home, aimed at teams that want to run campaigns themselves rather than through a managed service.
Its edge over larger DSPs is accessibility. The interface and onboarding are designed for marketers who are not full-time traders, which makes it a common first programmatic platform for mid-market teams and agencies.
- Native, display, video, CTV, audio, and DOOH in one buying interface, so you can test channels without switching platforms.
- A self-serve workflow that puts campaign control with your own team.
- Audience targeting options to build segments from first-party and partner data.
- Reporting and optimization tools that surface what is working and help you shift budget.
It connects with major data providers, CRM and analytics tools, and measurement partners. A single marketer or small paid media team can realistically run it day to day after onboarding.
The limitation is scale: it is smaller than the biggest DSPs, so you may find less depth in certain premium inventory or advanced identity options. Pricing is quote-based; verify minimums as of 2026.
Best for: Mid-market advertisers and agencies wanting self-serve.
6. Quantcast
Quantcast is an audience-intelligence-led advertising platform for the open internet. Its roots are in audience measurement, and that history shapes how it approaches targeting.
What it does differently is open-web audience modeling grounded in its own measurement data. Rather than leaning on a walled garden or retail dataset, it uses modeling to find likely buyers across publishers, which suits advertisers focused on prospecting beyond their existing customers.
- Audience modeling that expands from seed audiences to similar users, widening reach with relevance.
- Display, video, and CTV buying, covering the main open-web formats.
- Measurement heritage, so reporting benefits from a long history in audience analytics.
- Publisher and consent tools, useful when handling consent signals across sites.
It integrates with data partners, publisher platforms, and measurement tools. Expect to work with its team during setup, particularly for modeling configuration.
The main limitation is that it has less CTV breadth than larger rivals, so a CTV-first plan may outgrow it. Pricing is quote-based, so request terms directly.
Best for: Brands prioritizing open-web audience modeling.
7. Basis
Basis, formerly Centro, is a unified planning, buying, and reporting platform built for agencies. It is less a pure bidding engine and more an operating system for running media across clients.
Its differentiator is the end-to-end workflow. Where other DSPs on this list focus on buying, Basis extends from planning through to billing, which removes a lot of spreadsheet work for agencies juggling many accounts.
- Programmatic buying within a broader multi-channel platform, so one login covers many campaign types.
- Workflow automation that reduces repetitive trafficking and setup tasks.
- Consolidated reporting across channels and clients, which speeds up client updates.
- Planning and billing tools that connect media plans to invoicing.
It integrates with ad servers, data and measurement partners, and finance tools. Setup tends to involve process mapping as much as technical configuration, because the value is in standardizing how an agency operates.
The limitation is that it is agency-oriented and less suited to a solo in-house buyer who needs only a bidding platform. Pricing is quote-based; confirm what is included.
Best for: Agencies managing many clients.
8. Viant
Viant is an advanced DSP with household-level identity and a strong focus on connected TV. Its approach centers on reaching households rather than individual cookies or devices.
That household orientation is its distinctive trait versus the rest of this list. For advertisers whose plan is mostly streaming, targeting at the household level can make CTV planning, frequency control, and measurement more coherent across screens.
- A household ID graph, which links devices in a home for more consistent targeting.
- CTV planning and buying, designed around streaming as a primary channel.
- Cross-device targeting, helping you coordinate CTV with mobile and desktop exposure.
- Measurement tools that connect household exposure to outcomes.
It works with CTV publishers, data partners, and measurement vendors. It is generally operated by experienced programmatic teams or with Viant support rather than by casual users.
The limitation is audience: it is aimed at advanced and enterprise buyers, so small advertisers may find the entry barrier high. Pricing is quote-based; ask about minimums and managed-service options.
Best for: CTV-heavy advertisers wanting household targeting.
9. Yahoo DSP
Yahoo DSP is a programmatic platform with access to Yahoo-owned media and data. Note up front that Yahoo's positioning has shifted over time, so verify the current offering, packaging, and support model before building a plan around it.
Its standout feature is the combination of Yahoo first-party inventory and data with open-exchange buying. Advertisers can reach audiences on properties such as Yahoo's own sites alongside the wider programmatic market from one platform.
- Native, display, video, and CTV buying, covering the common programmatic formats.
- Yahoo first-party inventory, giving you direct access to owned placements.
- Audience data tools to build and activate segments using Yahoo and partner data.
- Cross-channel reporting that consolidates results across formats.
It integrates with exchanges and SSPs, data partners, and measurement vendors. Plan for a sales-led onboarding rather than instant self-signup.
The main caution is the shifting positioning noted above, which makes due diligence on current capabilities worthwhile. Pricing is quote-based, so get terms in writing as of 2026.
Best for: Buyers wanting Yahoo owned media within a programmatic buy.
Which Platform Fits Which Buyer
A DSP is software for buying impressions across exchanges and publishers through real-time bidding and programmatic deals. Meta Ads Manager and Google Ads are not DSPs in the strict sense, which is why the right choice depends on where your budget actually goes.
- Enterprise omnichannel: The Trade Desk, for independence and broad channel coverage.
- Google-stack brands: Display & Video 360, for the YouTube and Google Marketing Platform tie-in.
- Amazon sellers: Amazon DSP, for purchase-signal targeting.
- Mid-market self-serve: StackAdapt, for accessible onboarding across channels.
- Agencies: Basis for workflow at scale, with StackAdapt as a self-serve alternative.
- CTV-first: Viant, for household-level targeting.
- Open-web modeling or Yahoo inventory: Quantcast or Yahoo DSP, respectively.
If most of your revenue comes from Facebook and Instagram, you may not need a DSP at all. AdStellar is built for that case: an AI media buyer that builds and launches Meta campaigns from your own performance data, generates creative, and flags fatigue, so you can scale paid social without adding headcount. Confirm minimums and fees with each vendor before committing, since terms change.
