You’ve probably heard of AdSense, maybe Ezoic, and a few others—but figuring out which ad network to choose (and when) can get overwhelming fast.
In this guide, we’ll walk through how display ad networks work, the different types, which ones pay the most, and exactly which platforms real, profitable bloggers are using today.
Whether you’re just starting out or getting ready to scale, you’ll know exactly where to begin—and what to aim for next.
What Is a Display Ad Network (And Why You Should Care)
A display ad network is a platform that helps content creators, bloggers, and publishers earn money from their websites by showing ads.
Instead of reaching out to advertisers one by one, ad networks handle everything for you. They connect your site with advertisers who want to place ads in front of your audience. Once you’re approved and set up, ads automatically appear on your site, and you earn money when users view or click them—depending on how the network pays.
This is one of the simplest and most popular ways to monetize a website.
Here’s how it typically works:
- You apply to join the network. Some are open to beginners. Others require a certain amount of traffic.
- You place a code on your website. The ad network uses that code to display ads to your visitors.
- You get paid. Most networks pay monthly, and your earnings depend on things like traffic volume, ad placement, and audience location.
For creators, ad networks offer a hands-off way to earn passive income. You don’t need to negotiate with advertisers, manage campaigns, or handle billing. The network does that for you.
If you’re just starting out, this can be a reliable way to begin monetizing your content while you grow your traffic.
The Main Types of Display Ad Networks
Not all ad networks work the same way. Some focus on specific industries or audiences, while others offer a mix of tools and features. Knowing the main types can help you choose the right fit for your content and goals.
Here are the most common types of display ad networks:
1. Contextual Ad Networks
These networks match ads to your content. For example, if you write a blog post about fitness, your readers might see ads for running shoes or protein shakes. The goal is to make the ads feel more relevant—and increase the chances of clicks.
2. Behavioral Ad Networks
These networks show ads based on a user’s past behavior, such as websites they’ve visited or products they’ve viewed. This is why someone who recently searched for laptops might see laptop ads on your food blog. It’s all about targeting the person, not the page.
3. Vertical Ad Networks
Vertical networks focus on a specific industry or niche, like finance, travel, or gaming. If your content fits into one of these categories, a vertical network can connect you with advertisers that are a better match for your audience.
4. Premium Ad Networks
These are more selective. They often work with high-traffic or high-quality sites and offer access to top-tier advertisers. If accepted, you’ll likely earn more—but these networks usually have stricter requirements.
5. Performance-Based or Affiliate Networks
These networks pay when a user takes a specific action, like signing up for a newsletter or making a purchase. This model can work well if your audience is highly engaged, but it often requires more effort and strategy than traditional display ads.
Each type of network has its pros and cons, and some platforms combine several of these models. The key is to choose one that fits your content, your traffic level, and how hands-on you want to be.
The Top Display Ad Networks for Bloggers and Niche Site Owners
1. Google AdSense
If you’re just starting out with monetization, Google AdSense is usually the first stop—and for good reason.
It’s beginner-friendly, easy to set up, and doesn’t require any minimum traffic to apply. That means you can start earning from day one, even if your blog is brand new.
Best For:
New bloggers, small niche site owners, and anyone just starting out with monetization. Since there’s no traffic requirement, it’s ideal for beginners looking for a low-barrier entry point.
Approval Process:
After you apply, Google manually reviews your site. This usually takes about one to two weeks. If you’re approved, you’ll get access to your AdSense dashboard and ad code to install on your site.
Publisher Requirements and Common Rejection Reasons:
There’s no official traffic minimum, but your site needs to be complete and meet quality standards. That means original, valuable content (not scraped or spun), good grammar, and a clear site structure. Google expects to see basic pages like About, Contact, and a Privacy Policy. Rejections often happen because of thin content, a confusing layout, missing pages, or violations of Google’s content policies—like hosting copyrighted material, promoting misleading claims, or having a cluttered user experience.
Payment:
AdSense pays out once your earnings reach $100. Payments go out on a net-30 basis, meaning if you hit the threshold in January, you’ll be paid near the end of February. Google keeps 32% of ad revenue and gives publishers the remaining 68%.
2. Mediavine
Mediavine is one of the most trusted ad networks for content creators looking to scale their revenue. Known for high RPMs and fast-loading ads, it focuses heavily on balancing income with user experience. For many bloggers, it’s a step up in both earnings and professionalism compared to beginner networks.
Best For:
Established blogs with strong U.S. traffic. Lifestyle, food, parenting, and travel niches tend to perform particularly well. Once you’re getting consistent sessions each month, Mediavine is often the first major upgrade from entry-level networks.
Approval Process:
All sites are reviewed manually. Once approved, Mediavine’s team handles ad setup and optimization for you. Expect a few weeks between application and going live.
Publisher Requirements and Common Rejection Reasons:
To join Mediavine’s core network, your site needs at least 50,000 sessions per month, based on Google Analytics. The content must be original, high-quality, and long-form. Most traffic should come from the U.S., Canada, U.K., Australia, or New Zealand. Rejections usually stem from low-quality content, unclear site structure, traffic from poor sources, or issues with previous ad violations.
Payment:
Mediavine pays on a Net‑65 schedule, meaning you receive your earnings 65 days after the end of the month they’re earned. The minimum payout is $25 via ACH or PayPal. Publishers keep 75% of the ad revenue, with potential to earn more over time depending on performance.
3. Mediavine Journey
Mediavine Journey is the entry-level program for creators who aren’t quite ready for Mediavine’s core ad platform but are on their way there. It allows bloggers with smaller but growing traffic to start monetizing sooner while getting hands-on support to improve site performance and scale faster. It’s designed for sites with between 10,000 and 50,000 monthly sessions, and acts as a bridge into Mediavine’s full offering once you cross that threshold.
Best For:
Bloggers with 10,000–49,999 monthly sessions who want to join the Mediavine ecosystem early and grow into the full platform with personalized support and better long-term earnings potential than AdSense.
Approval Process:
Once you apply, your site goes through a manual review by the Mediavine team. You’ll need to connect your GA4 account so they can verify that your traffic meets the minimum session requirement. The review typically checks your content quality, user experience, and traffic sources. Once approved, setup includes ad integration and access to growth tools.
Publisher Requirements and Common Rejection Reasons:
You need at least 10,000 verified monthly sessions from Google Analytics 4. Your content must be original and demonstrate value to readers. Sites should have a clean layout, good navigation, and comply with Mediavine’s ad policy guidelines. Common rejection reasons include: copied or low-quality content, confusing site structure, poor UX, or traffic that doesn’t meet their standards (e.g., incentivized or bot traffic).
Payment:
Mediavine Journey pays out on a net-65 basis. This means earnings from January are paid out in early April. Payment is issued through Tipalti with multiple options including direct deposit and PayPal. Revenue share details aren’t published publicly for Journey, but earnings are typically lower than Mediavine’s full platform due to reduced advertiser access.
4. Raptive (Formerly AdThrive)
Raptive is one of the top-tier ad networks for established content creators. Known for its strong relationships with premium advertisers and focus on brand-safe content, it’s a popular choice for bloggers in lifestyle, parenting, food, and similar niches. It’s not for beginners, but if your site has high traffic—especially from the U.S.—Raptive can deliver some of the best RPMs in the industry.
Best For:
Established bloggers and niche site owners with large, primarily U.S.-based audiences. Strong fit for lifestyle, food, home, parenting, and travel content.
Approval Process:
After applying, Raptive manually reviews your site. You’ll need to connect Google Analytics so they can verify your traffic and audience demographics. If approved, the Raptive team handles onboarding and ad setup. Most sites see an increase in revenue shortly after launch.
Publisher Requirements and Common Rejection Reasons:
To qualify, you’ll need at least 100,000 pageviews per month and the majority of your audience must be based in the U.S. Your content must be original and appeal to a broad, brand-safe audience. Rejections typically happen due to low traffic, international traffic, poor content quality, or past advertising violations.
Payment:
Raptive pays on a net-45 schedule. You’ll receive your earnings 45 days after the end of the month. The platform uses a 75/25 revenue split, with 75% going to publishers. PayPal and wire transfer are available, with thresholds depending on the payment method.
5. Raptive Rise
If your site is growing but not quite at the level needed for Raptive’s core ad program, Raptive Rise is built for you. It’s a structured stepping stone designed to support mid-sized creators on their way to the next level, with access to premium ad revenue, business coaching, and optimization tools.
You’ll get ad monetization through Raptive’s network and personalized help to grow your traffic and revenue. Think of it as an accelerator for creators with momentum.
Best For:
Site owners with 50,000 to 99,999 monthly pageviews who want premium ad rates and strategic support before hitting the threshold for Raptive’s main program.
Approval Process:
You’ll need to apply and meet specific eligibility requirements. Once accepted, Raptive’s team will install ads via their WordPress plugin and set up your optimized layout. You’ll also gain access to a member dashboard and support resources.
Publisher Requirements and Common Rejection Reasons:
To be eligible for Raptive Rise, your site should receive between 50,000 and 99,999 monthly pageviews, with at least 40% of that traffic coming from the U.S. You must be running a WordPress site with long-form, original content making up the majority of your pages. Google Analytics must be properly installed and tracking correctly, and Raptive requires access to implement ads through their WordPress plugin. Sites are commonly rejected for low-quality or republished content, a lack of original material, misconfigured analytics, or if the traffic isn’t primarily U.S.-based.
Payment:
Raptive pays on a net-45 basis. That means if you earn ad revenue in August, you’ll receive payment in mid-to-late October. You keep 75% of the revenue generated, with the remaining 25% going to Raptive.
6. Ezoic
Ezoic is a smart choice for bloggers who’ve outgrown AdSense but aren’t quite ready for the strict entry requirements of premium networks like Mediavine or Raptive. It’s built around one core idea: optimization through testing. Ezoic uses AI and machine learning to constantly test different ad placements, formats, and combinations to increase your revenue while keeping user experience in check.
It’s also one of the few networks that let smaller publishers access Google Ad Exchange, which normally requires approval through a certified partner.
Best For:
Growing bloggers and niche site owners with moderate traffic who want more control, better optimization, and access to higher-paying ads without needing 50k+ sessions per month.
Approval Process:
To get started, you’ll need to apply through Ezoic’s website and integrate your site—typically via Cloudflare or name server changes. Then you’ll walk through their onboarding, which includes connecting Google Ad Manager and setting up ad placeholders. The approval process can take a few days depending on setup and site review.
Publisher Requirements and Common Rejection Reasons:
Ezoic no longer requires a minimum number of pageviews to apply. Previously, the threshold was 10,000 monthly visits, but this has been removed. To qualify, your site must comply with Google’s content and ad policies, use original content, and not rely on automatically generated or copied material. Your site must also be written in an AdSense-supported language. Rejections usually occur due to policy violations, low-quality content, or misleading user experiences.
Payment:
Ezoic pays on a net-30 basis, meaning your earnings for January will be paid out at the end of February. The minimum payout is $20, and you can get paid via PayPal, direct deposit, or wire transfer. Ezoic offers a very competitive revenue share—publishers keep 90% of ad revenue.
Ezoic is especially well-suited for publishers who are willing to invest a bit of time upfront learning the platform. Once set up, it offers long-term growth potential through continuous testing and performance insights.
7. Honorable Mentions
There’s no shortage of ad networks out there. From large programmatic platforms to niche-specific players, you’ll find dozens of options promising great returns. But here’s the reality: if you’re a blogger or niche site owner, you’ll almost always do better by sticking with the top-tier networks we covered above.
At Investors Club, we’ve reviewed and sold hundreds of websites — and over 95% of the successful blogs we see sold use AdSense, Ezoic, Mediavine, or Raptive. Very few rely on alternative networks, and when they do, the results often aren’t as strong. These four networks consistently deliver on performance, user experience, and earnings potential.
That said, here are a few other platforms that might be worth a look in some cases:
Monumetric is a managed network that works with sites starting at 10,000 monthly pageviews (though a $99 setup fee applies under 80K). It offers solid support and decent RPMs, but it’s slower to onboard and only works with certain platforms like WordPress.
Media.net, backed by Yahoo and Bing, is a contextual ad network that performs best in niches like finance, tech, and health. Approval can be strict, and results are mixed outside of those high-value verticals.
Infolinks provides in-text and less intrusive formats. It’s accessible with no traffic requirements, but the earnings potential is generally lower—better suited for small sites looking to test the waters.
Taboola specializes in native content recommendations—the kind you see in “Around the Web” widgets. It can perform well at scale, but with a minimum requirement of 500,000 monthly pageviews, it’s out of reach for most. And content quality control can be hit or miss.
Ultimately, these networks might make sense in specific situations. But for the vast majority of bloggers and niche site owners, you’re far more likely to succeed by starting with the networks that are most common on successful sites. That’s where your focus should be.
How to Choose the Right Display Ad Network
Here are a few key factors you want to consider:
Your Traffic Level
Most ad networks have traffic minimums. Use your current monthly sessions or pageviews as a starting point:
- Less than 10,000 monthly visitors → Start with Google AdSense or Media.net. These are beginner-friendly and have no traffic requirement.
- 10,000+ pageviews/month → You can apply to networks like Ezoic or Monumetric. They offer better payouts and more control.
- 50,000+ sessions/month → You now qualify for Mediavine, which tends to offer much higher RPMs (revenue per thousand sessions).
- 100,000+ pageviews/month → Consider Raptive (AdThrive). It’s one of the highest-paying networks but has strict requirements.
Your Audience’s Location
Where your visitors are coming from can affect your earnings.
- If most of your traffic comes from the U.S., U.K., Canada, or Australia, you’ll likely earn more from premium ad networks.
- If your traffic is mostly international, stick with platforms like Ezoic or AdSense that serve a global advertiser base.
Some networks, like Raptive, won’t accept you unless most of your traffic is from specific countries.
User Experience
Do you care about keeping your site fast, clean, and easy to navigate? If yes, avoid networks that use aggressive pop-ups or intrusive formats.
Look for networks that:
- Prioritize fast loading ads (like Mediavine)
- Offer layout control or fewer ad placements
- Let you preview or approve ad categories
If user experience isn’t a major concern right now and you’re just testing revenue options, more flexible networks like PropellerAds or Infolinks might be worth a try.
How Hands-On You Want to Be
- If you want full control over ad types, placement, and testing → Try Ezoic or BuySellAds.
- If you prefer a hands-off approach and want someone to optimize everything for you → Go with Monumetric, Raptive, or Mediavine. These networks do most of the work once you’re set up.
Which Ad Network Pays the Most? (And Why It’s Not Always That Simple)
If you’re looking strictly at earnings per session, Mediavine and Raptive consistently pay the most. They have the highest average RPMs among ad networks commonly used by bloggers and niche site owners.
Blogs that switch from AdSense or Ezoic to Mediavine or Raptive often report 2x to 3x revenue increases — sometimes more — with no increase in traffic.
So, if your goal is maximum ad revenue, Mediavine and Raptive are the top performers. There’s no debate there.
But here’s why it’s not always that simple:
- Not everyone qualifies. Mediavine requires 50,000 monthly sessions, Raptive requires 100,000 pageviews.
- Performance varies by niche, geography, and audience behavior. A U.S.-based parenting blog might thrive on Mediavine, while a tech blog with mostly international traffic might do better elsewhere.
- Site experience matters. These top networks often perform best when paired with fast-loading sites, long-form content, and high engagement.
So while bloggers often report that Mediavine and Raptive pay the most, the network that’s best for you depends on your current traffic level and growth goals.
If you’re under the threshold, Ezoic is a solid stepping stone, and if you’re just getting started, AdSense is a good way to begin earning right away.
Can You Use More Than One Ad Network?
In most cases, no—you can’t mix multiple ad networks on the same site. Or at least, not without running into problems.
Here’s why:
Top-tier networks like Mediavine and Raptive require 100% exclusivity. That means once you’re accepted, they’ll handle all your ad inventory. You can’t run AdSense or Ezoic ads alongside them—and if you try, you’ll likely get removed from the platform.
Networks like Ezoic, on the other hand, do offer flexibility. Their Mediation feature allows you to run ads from multiple sources (like AdSense) and have them compete in real-time. This can help you squeeze out higher earnings during your growth phase.
But for most bloggers and niche site owners, this juggling act isn’t worth the hassle long term.
Once you qualify for a premium network, exclusivity becomes a benefit, not a drawback. These platforms take care of everything—from layout optimization to advertiser relationships—and that simplicity is part of what drives better performance.
So yes, you can technically use more than one network—but only in certain situations, and usually only when you’re not yet working with a premium provider.
Final Thoughts
Choosing the right display ad network can make a huge difference in how much you earn—and how much time you spend managing your monetization. The good news is that you don’t need to chase every option out there.
TLDR is:
If you’re just getting started, AdSense or Ezoic gives you an easy entry point. As your traffic grows, stepping up to Mediavine or Raptive can significantly boost your earnings. These aren’t just the biggest networks—they’re the ones we see used most often by blogs that go on to sell successfully.
Yes, there are plenty of other ad networks out there. But for most niche site owners sticking to the proven platforms will get better results, faster.
Build quality content. Focus on growing traffic. That’s the simplest path to long-term revenue and a site that’s built to sell—or support your lifestyle.