Google AdSense is one of the most popular digital advertising platforms for bloggers to monetize their content. But it’s not the only choice out there. Here are better Google Adsense alternatives ⇣ you might want to check out.
Let’s say you’ve started a blog or small website. You’ve put in the hard work of creating engaging content in your particular niche and have started building up a steady audience. Now it’s time to start earning a profit from your labor, for example – to use Google Ads and other options to monetize your website.
If you’re running a blog or small website, ad revenue is one of the best ways to earn a profit from all your hard work. Today, Google AdSense is the most commonly used ad placement platform, with over 2 million publishers using it to place ads on their sites.
But popularity isn’t a guarantee of quality, and Google AdSense is far from perfect. Amongst other problems, AdSense places ads on your blog that aren’t targeted to your specific audience, and the payout is notoriously low.
Fortunately, Google AdSense is far from the only option for making revenue through advertisements on your blog.
To save you time, I’ve compiled a list of the top 13 alternatives to Google AdSense in which I check out their individual features, pros and cons, and why they might be a great fit for helping you make money from your blog.
TL;DR: Although Google AdSense is one of the most commonly-used display ad placement tools for blogs and websites, there are a ton of great alternatives on the market that offer benefits (and higher profits) that AdSense lacks. Among all the best AdSense alternatives is NewOrMedia.
Top Google AdSense Alternatives in 2024
Here are the best alternatives to Google AdSense, what the competitors are, their display ad network requirements (pageviews, visits), why they are better, and give you better payouts compared to AdSense.
1. NeworMedia
NeworMedia is a header-bidding network that uses AI-powered tools and analytics to get you a solid payout from optimized ad revenue.
While the barriers to entry are pretty high, NeworMedia is a fantastic tool for blogs or websites that have already established their audience to increase their revenue exponentially.
Signing up is easy, and NeworMedia allows users to either choose their recommended, optimized settings for ad placement or customize their own settings for location and ad style. They limit you to 6 ads per page but don’t require you to include this many if you don’t want to.
NeworMedia Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Comes with a full ad-management service
- Great catalog and a wide variety of ads
- Access to the full Google AdX inventory
- SEO and big-data analytics included
- Non-exclusive (no need to sign an exclusive contract)
Cons
- High barriers to entry: minimum traffic requirement of 30,000 page views per month, meaning that newer blogs are excluded.
- Only websites published in English with traffic primarily from the U.S are eligible.
NeworMedia Requirement
- 30,000 unique visitors per month
Why NeworMedia Is Better Than AdSense
Like most of the AdSense alternatives on my list, NeworMedia offers a much higher payout for your blog.
NeworMedia targets advertising based on the content of your site, offers advanced analytics and AI-powered tools, and lets advertisers bid for the prime real estate on your website while acting like an auctioneer whose job is to field offers and secure the best deal for you.
Best of all, you can receive competing ad offers from a variety of sources, including AdSense, Yahoo, xandr, pubmatic, outbrain, smartadserver, and many more.
If you're looking for a powerful ad-management service that can help you increase your revenue exponentially, sign up for NeworMedia today. With AI-powered tools and analytics, you'll get a solid payout from optimized ad revenue.
2. Ezoic
Founded in 2010, Ezoic offers products that help companies and other digital publishers increase the revenue earned through their websites by optimizing their UX.
They boast that they are the first company in the market to build AI and machine learning into their products and digital solutions, a move that has clearly paid off for them and for their customers: in 2021, Ezoic reported surpassing 1.03 billion unique monthly visits across its shared customer base.
Ezoic Pros & Cons
Pros:
- A comprehensive set of AI-powered tools to increase ad revenue for your website, including big data analytics, site speed optimization, layout testing, and more.
- Helpful customer service
- Simple and user-friendly layout
- Google Certified Publishing Partner
- No limits on website language or country
- Uses DNS-level integration, which won’t slow down your site
Cons
- Can be difficult for smaller/low-traffic websites to get approval
Ezoic Traffic Requirement
- None
- But a minimum of 10,000 site visits per month to access premium ad partners
Why Ezoic Is Better Than AdSense
Using their AI-powered tools, Ezoic can help your website earn more money than AdSense.
They offer a wide variety of ad types from the AdSense and Google AdX inventory and perform regular automated website tests to determine the right ad styles, combinations, and locations for your website or blog.
As long as your on-page SEO is optimized, you can expect Ezoic to increase your website’s traffic and revenue from ads, as they offer a bigger payout than Google AdSense.
Visit Ezoic.com now to start earning!
3. Mediavine
Mediavine is another excellent alternative to Google AdSense that comes with features to monetize your website successfully.
Mediavine works very differently than AdSense. By allowing different advertisers to essentially “bid” for a place on your website (rather than simply placing them automatically based on content, the way AdSense does), Mediavine allows the price to be driven up, giving you a bigger payout.
And, thanks to Mediavine’s status as a Google Certified Publishing Partner, they maintain exclusive relationships with Google and other companies that allow for integrations that help optimize their customers’ earnings.
Mediavine Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Bloggers can earn a higher income
- Optional ad-optimization service
- Ad inventory primarily comes from the AdSense library of ad content
- Google Certified Publishing Partner
Cons:
- It’s a competitive environment that excludes new or low-traffic blogs.
Mediavine Traffic Requirement
- 50,000 sessions in the previous 30 days (approx 60,000 pageviews)
Why Mediavine Is Better Than AdSense
Mediavine is one of the best Google Adsense alternatives for blogger in particular, as they can earn a much higher payout with Mediavine.
Mediavine’s advanced technology, integration with Google products, and holistic approach to matching high-paying ads with your specific website’s content mean you’ll likely see a huge bump in revenue compared to simply relying on Google AdSense.
4. Adthrive
Adthrive is a much more targeted tool than Google AdSense: specifically, it’s an advertising tool geared toward the online lifestyle blogger/website community.
This is a niche that is still growing in popularity, with increasing numbers of people looking to the internet to tell them how to live their best lives. And if you’ve built an audience giving lifestyle advice in a blog or website online, Adthrive can help you get a big payout from your work.
If you’re wondering whether Adthrive could apply to you, it’s worth noting that their website defines lifestyle-related content as including food, finance, home, pets, sports, tech, travel, and, somewhat confusingly, lifestyle.
Adthrive Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Offer competitive advertising bids within the online lifestyle niche
- Customers are guaranteed payment
- In-depth knowledge and analysis of the changing facets of their particular niche market.
Cons:
- Highly competitive – difficult to get approved for membership
- Only designed for ads relevant to the lifestyle blogger niche
Adthrive Traffic Requirement
- 100,000 monthly page views (Google Analytics)
Why Adthrive Better Than AdSense
Adthrive isn’t for everyone, as it’s specifically targeted toward already decently successful blogs and websites in the lifestyle niche – a pretty broad niche but certainly not inclusive of all websites.
However, if you do own or manage a blog that falls under the umbrella category of lifestyle content, Adthrive will undoubtedly deliver a better payout and higher revenues for you than AdSense – not to mention that the ads on your blog will be carefully targeted to your audience and content.
5. Media.net
Media.net is another awesome tool for maximizing your payout from targeted ads on your website. Run by Bing and Yahoo, it’s a serious competitor for Google AdSense that comes with some great benefits.
Media.net allows customers to monetize content through contextual ads or ads that are specifically targeted to be relevant to your website and its audience.
The company also pioneered the use of a server-side header bidding platform, which is a type of ad auction that takes place on the ad server, rather than the user’s browser, in which advertisers can bid for a prime spot on your website.
What this means is that your website can manage offers from multiple bidding partners without its speed or performance being compromised in the process.
Media.net Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Free to join
- Great customer support
- In-depth analysis and reporting on your site’s performance and ad engagement
- Pioneered the server-side header bidding platform
Cons:
- Only available in the U.S, U.K, and Canada
- No SEO optimization (that’s left up to you)
- Some ads require a double-click to earn a payout
Media.net Traffic Requirement
- None
Why Media.net Is Better Than AdSense
Media.net’s marketplace connects its customers to content-specific publishers, which lets them take advantage of ads that are much more carefully curated than AdSense.
You can think of it as the difference between painting with a paintbrush vs. throwing a whole jar of paint at a canvas: with better and more specific tools, you’re probably going to get a better outcome.
6. PropellerAds
PropellerAds is one of the larger advertising tools on the market, and being plugged into their network could deliver major profits to your blog.
PropellerAds offers a wide variety of different ad styles, from push notifications and banners to sponsored links. These ads are mobile compatible, meaning they’ll be visible on your blog no matter what kind of screen your viewers access them on.
Best of all, unlike many of the competitors who have a minimum payout threshold of $50, PropellerAds will start sending you your ad revenue as soon as it surpasses $5, effectively ensuring that you’ll get a payout every time.
You also get automated ad optimization powered by AI, meaning you won’t have to spend the time and effort curating or placing ads on your blog manually.
PropellerAds Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Super low minimum payout threshold of $5
- Ad styles supported for both desktop and mobile screens
- SEO-optimization features included
- User-friendly, with an easy learning curve
Cons:
- Ads can slow down page loading speed and overall performance
PropellerAds Traffic Requirement
- None
Why PropellerAds Is Better Than AdSense
PropellerAds’ easy ad designer tool puts the control in your hands, letting you choose to either curate ad campaigns yourself or let their AI-powered ad optimization tool do the work for you.
Not only do you have more control and more optimization features, but PropellerAds also guarantees higher ad revenue than AdSense and gives you your profits at a lower threshold.
7. AdPushup
AdPushup is an ad revenue optimization tool that boasts an impressive list of online publishers using their product for ad placement, including CNET, Elle, Spin, PCMag, Mashable, and more.
While these are all big publications with very high levels of traffic, AdPushup could be a good solution for your blog, too.
They have a daily page hit requirement of 10,000 unique views, meaning it’s not going to be the best fit for brand-new blogs or websites still in the early stages of building their audience.
However, if your blog surpasses this requirement, you can use AdPushup to boost your site’s ad revenues in a big way.
AdPushup Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Includes features to optimize UX and ad placement
- Offers competitive rates to ensure you get the best deal possible
- Clients are paired with a responsive, highly knowledgeable account management team
- Easy to set up and use
Cons:
- Ad network works by invitation only
- Installs ads with javascript snippets, which can slow down your website
- Barebones analytics and reporting features
AdPushup Traffic Requirement
- 10,000 daily pageviews
Why AdPushup Is Better Than AdSense
The difference between AdPushup and Google AdSense comes down to personalization.
Whereas AdSense takes an impersonal, one-size-fits-all approach to advertising, AdPushup works by pairing their clients with an expert management team that takes your blog’s specific niche and needs into account. Your team then pairs your blog with the best possible ad content.
This frees you up to focus on content, knowing that your site is busy earning money for you.
8. Infolinks
Infolinks is another great beginner-friendly Google AdSense competitor for blogs. They are a global advertising network that creates targeted content for your blog’s viewers.
Getting started with Infolinks is free and easy (it takes just a few minutes) and let their sophisticated algorithm determines the best ad content and placement for your blog.
Infolinks Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Truly global; operating in 128 countries with no language restrictions
- Includes SEO optimization features
- Supports a wide variety of ad styles
Infolinks Traffic Requirement
- None
Why Infolinks Is Better Than AdSense
Infolinks carefully curates the placement and style of the ads it places, ensuring that they’re seamlessly integrated with your blog in a way that isn’t visually disturbing to viewers.
This may seem like a small thing, but think about how annoying it can be to be scrolling through interesting content and suddenly be interrupted by pop-up ads that you just can’t get rid of.
Infolinks ensures that this won’t happen by using an algorithm to determine relevance and ensure that ads are delivered at the right moment. This also ensures a higher rate of click-throughs and more revenue in your pocket.
9. BuySellAds
For mid-sized blogs, BuySellAds is an awesome ad placement tool that matches your website with brand-relevant, tastefully designed advertisements.
Here’s how it works: you submit an application, and BuySellAds evaluates your website or blog to make sure it meets their standards. Once you get approved, BuySellAds serves carefully curated display ads, sponsored content, emails, and more.
You take great care to design your blog, and BuySellAds believes that the same care should be taken with ad placement. They only serve visually pleasing and brand-relevant ads that won’t detract from your audience’s viewing experience.
BuySellAds Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Self serve ad platform for publishers.
- You control the price and bidding
- Full transparency and lots of flexibility
- Opportunity to make a high monthly profit
Cons:
- BuySellAds takes a whopping 25% commission
- Restricted to English websites only
- High minimum page views (100,000 per month)
BuySellAds Traffic Requirement
- 100,000 monthly pageviews
Why BuySellAds Is Better Than AdSense
BuySellAds is indisputably a better ad placement solution than AdSense if your blog is already well-established. With BuySellAds, the barrier to entry is high: your blog needs to be in English, with high-quality content and at least 100,000 unique monthly visits.
If you meet these requirements, then the ability to set the price of ad space on your website and manage the bidding yourself is an awesome feature that puts the control in your hands.
10. Monumetric
Monumetric is an all-inclusive ad revenue partner geared towards mid-size blogs and websites that can guarantee a relatively high traffic load.
Monumetric’s team of professionals helps design research-backed ad campaigns for your website or blog that preserve user experience while guaranteeing revenue for you.
They offer a great pay rate for CPM (cost per mile), a style of advertising in which you get paid for every 1,000 impressions (i.e., views) an ad receives.
Compared to CPC (cost per click), where viewers have to actually click on an ad for you to get paid, CPM puts a lot more money in your pocket, particularly if your site receives a decent number of monthly visitors.
You can also view your blog’s metrics and performance in their user-friendly dashboard, so you can keep an eye on your site’s performance and growth over time.
Monumetric Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Get paid for every impression (not just for clicks)
- One of the best pay rates on the market
- Curates ads carefully to ensure a good experience for your blog’s visitors
Cons:
- 10K minimum monthly visitors and a high setup fee for websites under 80K monthly visitors
Monumetric Traffic Requirement
- 10,000 visitors per month
Why Monumetric Is Better Than AdSense
Compared to Google AdSense, Monumetric is more personalized and has the potential to deliver a much higher payout.
It has one of the best pay rates for CPM on the market and will also curate ad content to match your website’s content and style.
11 RevContent
RevContent partners with media brands around the world to ensure a high level of engagement for their clients.
RevContent carefully curates all of its advertisers to ensure only the highest quality of ad content. They use light widgets that won’t slow down your page, an important factor for both viewer experience and SEO performance.
RevContent also offers a highly competitive rate of CPC, ensuring a steady payout for you.
RevContent Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Great pay rate for clicks = higher, more consistent revenue flow
- 1st party demand marketplace (direct bidding)
- Lighter widgets for faster page loading and no lagging
- No cookie dependence
- A great referral program that speeds up approval time
Cons:
- High standards for approval, and the process can take a few days
RevContent Traffic Requirement
- 50,000 visitors per month
Why RevContent Is Better Than AdSense
For blogs and websites, creating a smooth, aesthetically appealing experience for site visitors is one of the most important considerations. All of the ads they serve are designed to blend in seamlessly, matching your website’s style and appearing as just another native article or piece of content.
Unlike AdSense, which places ads on your website without matching for style or content, RevContent ensures high-quality, brand-relevant ads for your blog.
12. Skimlinks
If you’re looking for a way to set up and make money through affiliate links on your blog, look no further than Skimlinks.
Once you’re approved, you’ll find yourself connected to a global network of close to 50,000 merchants and advertising partners. This is an extremely valuable network for growing your blog and making money from your content.
Skimlinks Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Connected to a broad global network of advertisers
- Fully automated affiliation
- Fast approval process
Cons:
- Takes a 25% cut of all affiliate link profits
Skimlinks Traffic Requirement
- None
Why Skimlinks Is Better Than AdSense
If you want to earn money from affiliate links, Skimlinks is a much better tool than AdSense.
Best of all, adding Skimlinks to your blog automates the affiliate links process, meaning your site will be automatically aligned with some of the biggest brand names around, including Target, Zappos, Airbnb, and Sephora.
13. SHE Media
Formerly known as the SHE Media Partner Network, SHE Media has successfully brought #girlboss culture to the ad revenue game. They focus on connecting women-focused publishers, content creators, and entrepreneurs, creating a network that benefits all of its members.
SHE Media was created by women to amplify the voices and social impact of other women, and if your blog or site fits that niche, then SHE Media can connect you to tons of big-name brands and advertising content curated for your specific audience.
SHE Media Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Specifically geared towards women-centered content creators
- Connects your site to an audience of more than 50 million unique visitors per month
- Tons of options for monetization, including paid sponsorships and paid product reviews
Cons:
- High standards for acceptance
She Media Traffic Requirement
- 20,000 page views per month
Why SHE Media Is Better Than AdSense
SHE Media focuses exclusively on monetizing blogs and websites that are geared toward women. By connecting your blog with its exclusive network, you also get access to ad content designed specifically with your audience in mind.
In addition to ads, they also offer their partners tons of other opportunities for monetization, from paid partnerships and product reviews to affiliate links.
What is Google AdSense?
AdSense is a popular advertising tool run by Google. For bloggers and other website owners interested in monetizing their websites, Google AdSense is one of the most common ways to do that.
Chances are high that you’ve seen an advertisement powered by AdSense before – they’re those little square-linked images in the corner of a website that tell you that the secret of eternal youth can be found simply by following the link.
These ads then pay websites to host their content, and Google AdSense is the platform that enables that exchange to happen.
The way AdSense works is pretty simple. Website owners or bloggers will copy/paste a line of code where they want an ad to appear, and AdSense will match an ad to the blog or website based on its content.
Many different types of websites can use Google AdSense, but it’s particularly useful for blogs, community forums, and free online tools – in other words, websites that have no other way of earning a steady income for their creators.
Why Look for Alternatives to AdSense?
Just because AdSense is popular doesn’t mean that it’s a perfect tool. There’s no such thing as perfect, but what works for one person may not be the right solution for another, and with so many options on the market, it’s good to look for alternatives and know what’s out there.
There are a ton of benefits to using Google AdSense, including the ability to get instant ad approval, even for low-traffic blogs. However, there are also a fair number of drawbacks, including an abysmally low earning and payout rate compared to many of the alternatives on my list.
In other words, the alternatives I’ve offered here give their customers a higher payout. If you’re interested in earning more from your website’s ad revenue, it’s well worth taking the time to check out some alternatives to AdSense.
Popular Questions Answered
Our Verdict
Placed ad content is one of the best ways to monetize your blog and start earning a passive income from site visitors.
So what are the top alternatives to AdSense?
If you’re not thrilled with Google AdSense and looking for programs similar to AdSense, you’re in luck: there are tons of great companies that you can partner with to place carefully designed, high-quality ad content on your blog.
If you're looking for a powerful ad-management service that can help you increase your revenue exponentially, sign up for NeworMedia today. With AI-powered tools and analytics, you'll get a solid payout from optimized ad revenue.
The best overall is NewOrMedia, which offers a high level of hands-on management and uses AI and advanced machine learning technology to deliver high-quality ads to your blog. It could definitely be considered as the best alternative of Google AdSense.
The close runner-up is Mediavine, which helps drive up the price of ad space on your blog by letting advertisers bid for it. Adthrive is another great alternative that delivers high-quality, brand-relevant ad content to lifestyle blogs.
Overall, all of the AdSense competitors on my list bring something unique to the table and are guaranteed to help you increase your passive income and start reaping the benefits of your hard work.
