METHOD
How the CTV ad platform finder decides
QUICK ANSWER
We read each platform's public pages, record what they state for four platform types and 19 practical checks, and apply published rules to your finder answers. There are no scores or rankings. The same rules apply to every platform.
By The Tuning Desk · CTV Ad Finder · Published 2026-10-18
Built only from each platform's own public pages. We opened no accounts, bought no media and held no demos or vendor interviews.
What do we record for each platform?
For each of the four platform types we record Described or Partly. We also record 19 checks, eight of them shown as bars on every platform's test card. Each is Stated, Partly or Not on the pages we read, with a note quoting or closely paraphrasing the platform's page and a source link with its read date.
- Stated on the platform's pages
- Partly stated
- Not on the pages we read
Scroll the table sideways
| Check | Question |
|---|---|
| Bar 1Self-serve buying | Do the platform's pages describe setting up and buying campaigns yourself? |
| Bar 2Managed service option | Do its pages describe a managed service or optional help from its team? |
| Bar 3No-commitment or no-minimum terms | Do its pages state no commitment, no minimum or pay-as-it-delivers terms? |
| Bar 4Incrementality or lift testing | Do its pages describe incrementality, holdout or lift measurement? |
| Bar 5Attribution to visits or sales | Do its pages describe tying ad exposure to site visits, conversions or revenue? |
| Bar 6Named measurement partners | Do its pages name third-party measurement or attribution partners? |
| Bar 7Brand-safety partner named | Do its pages name a brand-safety or verification partner? |
| Bar 8Campaigns in plain language | Can campaigns be planned or changed in plain language through an AI assistant or agent? |
| Outcome or CPA pricing option | Do its pages describe paying per outcome or CPA? |
| Enterprise terms or account team | Do its pages describe an enterprise plan, invoicing or net terms, or an account team? |
| Agency licensing or multi-account access | Do its pages describe access for agencies or several accounts? |
| Netflix listed | Is Netflix named on its inventory pages? |
| Prime Video listed | Is Prime Video named on its inventory pages? |
| Disney+ or Hulu listed | Are Disney+ or Hulu named on its inventory pages? |
| Published reach or channel count | Does it publish a household reach figure or a count of channels or networks? |
| Linear TV buying | Do its pages describe buying linear (traditional) TV? |
| Other channels in the same platform | Can display, audio, DOOH or other channels be bought in the same platform? |
| AI or automated optimization | Do its pages describe AI or machine-learning optimization? |
| Manual bid or delivery controls | Do its pages describe manual bidding, bid caps or frequency controls? |
How does the finder weigh the four types?
Scroll the table sideways
| Question | Answer | Points |
|---|---|---|
| How do you want to commit budget? | Start with a pilot, without a long-term commitment | CTV performance platforms +2, Publisher ad managers +1 |
| How do you want to commit budget? | Pay for outcomes where the platform offers it | CTV performance platforms +2, Streaming plus linear TV +1 |
| How do you want to commit budget? | A planned budget with negotiated terms and a sales contact | Multi-channel DSPs +2, Streaming plus linear TV +1 |
| Who will run the campaigns day to day? | Our team, in a self-serve platform | Publisher ad managers +2, CTV performance platforms +1, Multi-channel DSPs +1 |
| Who will run the campaigns day to day? | Our team, with optional help from the platform's team | Streaming plus linear TV +2, CTV performance platforms +1, Multi-channel DSPs +1 |
| Who will run the campaigns day to day? | Mostly the platform's team, as a managed service | Streaming plus linear TV +2, Multi-channel DSPs +2 |
| What does measurement need to prove? | Incremental lift, with holdout or incrementality tests | CTV performance platforms +2, Streaming plus linear TV +2 |
| What does measurement need to prove? | Site visits, conversions and revenue tied to ad exposure | CTV performance platforms +2, Multi-channel DSPs +1 |
| What does measurement need to prove? | Reach, delivery and completion rates are enough | Publisher ad managers +2, Multi-channel DSPs +1 |
| Which inventory matters most? | Netflix | Publisher ad managers +2 |
| Which inventory matters most? | Prime Video | Multi-channel DSPs +2, Publisher ad managers +1 |
| Which inventory matters most? | Disney+ or Hulu | Publisher ad managers +3 |
| Which inventory matters most? | No single service: wide reach across many streaming apps | CTV performance platforms +1, Multi-channel DSPs +1, Publisher ad managers +1 |
| Which inventory matters most? | Streaming TV plus display, audio or other channels in one platform | Multi-channel DSPs +3 |
| Which inventory matters most? | Streaming and linear TV together | Streaming plus linear TV +3 |
| Who is buying? | A brand team buying for itself | CTV performance platforms +1 |
| Who is buying? | A large brand with verification and procurement requirements | Multi-channel DSPs +1, Streaming plus linear TV +1 |
| Who is buying? | An agency buying for several clients | Multi-channel DSPs +1, Streaming plus linear TV +1 |
| How should AI and automation fit in? | Plan and change campaigns in plain language from an AI assistant | CTV performance platforms +1, Multi-channel DSPs +1 |
| How should AI and automation fit in? | Automated bidding and optimization is enough | Multi-channel DSPs +1, CTV performance platforms +1 |
| How should AI and automation fit in? | Manual control of bids and frequency | Publisher ad managers +1 |
Order types by points, highest first; ties keep the fixed order Multi-channel DSPs, Publisher ad managers, CTV performance platforms, Streaming plus linear TV. The first is Start here. Of the next two in that order, each is Also worth a look if its points are above 0 and at least 3 or half the first type's points, whichever is higher. The rest with points above 0 are Lower on your list; a type with 0 points is Not suggested by your answers.
How does the finder check platforms?
Your picked types are Start here plus every Also worth a look. For each picked type a platform's pages describe, it gets 3 points; for each it partly describes, 1 point.
Scroll the table sideways
| Check | When it applies | Stated | Partly | Not on the pages we read |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Self-serve buying | Who runs it is self-serve or optional help | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Managed service option | Who runs it is optional help or managed | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| No-commitment or no-minimum terms | Budget is a pilot | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Outcome or CPA pricing option | Budget is pay for outcomes | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Enterprise terms or account team | Budget is planned, or the buyer is a large brand | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Incrementality or lift testing | Measurement is incremental lift | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Attribution to visits or sales | Measurement is incremental lift or visits and sales | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Named measurement partners | Measurement is incremental lift, or the buyer is a large brand | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Brand-safety partner named | The buyer is a large brand or an agency | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Agency licensing or multi-account access | The buyer is an agency | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Netflix listed | Inventory is Netflix | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Prime Video listed | Inventory is Prime Video | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Disney+ or Hulu listed | Inventory is Disney+ or Hulu | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Published reach or channel count | Inventory is wide reach | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Linear TV buying | Inventory is linear too | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Other channels in the same platform | Inventory is other channels too | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Campaigns in plain language | AI is a plain-language assistant | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| AI or automated optimization | AI is automated optimization | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Manual bid or delivery controls | AI is manual control | 2 | 1 | 0 |
Netflix note: when you pick Netflix, the result shows how many of the platforms we profile name Netflix on the pages we read, the Netflix Ads entry and a reminder to confirm access in writing. Prime Video note: when you pick Prime Video, the result names the platforms that list Prime Video on the pages we read.
Platforms with the same total are shown as equals and listed alphabetically. We never show the total as a score.
How often does each platform come first?
There are 1,458 possible sets of answers. This table shows, for each platform, how many of them place it in the first equal-fit group, computed from the published rules.
Scroll the table sideways
| Platform | Answer sets where it is in the first group |
|---|---|
| Amazon DSP | 309 |
| Disney Campaign Manager | 2 |
| MNTN | 310 |
| Roku Ads Manager | 0 |
| StackAdapt | 54 |
| Tatari | 335 |
| The Trade Desk | 26 |
| tvScientific | 53 |
| Universal Ads | 0 |
| Vibe | 709 |
Two things drive these counts: which types a platform's pages describe, and how many of our checks its pages state. We read more pages for some platforms than others, listed below, and a platform with fewer pages read has more Not on the pages we read marks. Vibe (vibe.co) has the most pages read and appears in the first group most often; the counts are shown so you can weigh that.
What does Not on the pages we read mean, and is it fair?
It means we did not find the feature on the pages we read. It counts zero, not against the platform. It does affect order: a platform whose pages describe holdout tests can match that check, and one whose pages do not cannot. If a platform does more than its pages say, the fix is a source, not a guess: send it through the contact page and we will add it.
Which platforms are covered, and which pages did we read?
10 platforms: Amazon DSP, Disney Campaign Manager, MNTN, Roku Ads Manager, StackAdapt, Tatari, The Trade Desk, tvScientific, Universal Ads and Vibe.
Scroll the table sideways
| Platform | Pages read | Page titles |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon DSP | 3 |
|
| Disney Campaign Manager | 1 | |
| MNTN | 7 |
|
| Roku Ads Manager | 1 | |
| StackAdapt | 2 | |
| Tatari | 3 | |
| The Trade Desk | 3 |
|
| tvScientific | 4 |
|
| Universal Ads | 1 |
|
| Vibe | 8 |
|
Looked at but not profiled:
- Google Display & Video 360. Google's page describes "end-to-end campaign management for enterprises in one tool", with YouTube inventory and "dozens of third-party exchanges". Access is "Sign in to Display & Video 360" or "Talk to Sales", with no public pricing, minimum or fee. We did not read enough CTV detail to profile it.
Source: Google Display & Video 360
- Netflix Ads. Netflix's advertiser site offers a "Get Connected" contact, with no self-serve sign-up, pricing or minimum on its homepage. Its FAQ covers programmatic buying and deal types; named DSP partners were not on the pages we.
Source: Netflix Ads FAQs
Where do the facts come from?
- Each platform's own pages: homepage, pricing or plans, inventory or channels, measurement, enterprise and FAQ pages.
- For ownership: the acquirer's own release (Walmart for Vibe, Pinterest for tvScientific) or the platform's investor relations site.
- G2 ratings only where we read the rating on G2's own page (Vibe and MNTN), quoted as text with the review count. We never draw stars or average ratings.
- Where a platform does not publish something, we write Not published or Not on the pages we read. We do not use third-party estimates of minimums or CPMs, and we do not repeat one platform's claims about another.
What are the limitations?
Public pages only. We did not open accounts, buy media, sit through demos or interview anyone. A platform's pages describe what it offers, not how well campaigns perform. Vendor figures such as reach percentages and customer counts are the vendor's own and are labelled as such. Terms change: confirm minimums, fees and inventory with the platform before you commit budget.
How do we handle corrections?
Send a correction through the contact page with the topic Correction and a public source. We check it against the platform's page and update the data; finder results recompute automatically.