10 Best DSPs on the Market in 2025 & How to Choose Yours

To DSP or not to DSP, that is the question… Not quite Shakespearean, but the DSP dilemma is very real. You or your team might be thinking “We need a DSP”, and that’s a rational instinct. But here’s the catch: which one? With top demand-side platforms promising a sea of features, choosing may be paralyzing.

With programmatic advertising powering nearly 90% of digital ad space dollars worldwide in 2025, it’s safe to say that the majority of agencies have or are planning to have a DSP in-house.

This article isn’t another "what is a DSP" tutorial. It’s your decision guide: we’ll spotlight what really matters in a demand-side platform, outline how to assess them, and help you land on the DSP that actually fits your ad strategy.

Demand-Side Platform (DSP) 101: What It Solves and What It Doesn’t

A demand side platform (DSP) pulls all your media buying into one place: instead of calling ten ad exchanges or ad networks separately, you bid on ad inventory from multiple sources in real time, manage targeting, and optimize ad campaigns on the fly. It’s the backbone of how programmatic advertising works at scale.

But a DSP isn’t a magic bullet. It doesn’t guarantee cheaper traffic or eliminate the need for strategy. It just gives you access to digital ad space and the tools to compete for it. Even the best demand side platforms can’t replace strong creatives, a clear target audience, or a thought-out traffic funnel.

Do You Need a DSP for Your Advertising Campaigns?

Let’s be blunt: if you’re running small Google Ads or Facebook campaigns, you don’t need a demand side platform.

But, if you’re an advertiser, ad agency, or ad network managing multiple ad campaigns across ad exchanges, formats, and geos, a DSP is the infrastructure.

Here’s why most mid-to-large advertisers and especially ad agencies can’t skip it in 2025:

• Scale – Programmatic advertising now accounts for over 90% of US digital display spend (eMarketer, 2025). Without a DSP, you’re locked into walled gardens and cut off from premium ad inventory.
• Efficiency – A DSP keeps all your programmatic ad buying in one place, handling bids in milliseconds across multiple ad exchanges instead of manual placements.
• Data & optimization – From frequency capping to audience segmentation, DSPs give you real-time tools that a simple ad network account can’t match.
• Cross-channel ad formats – Video ads, mobile ads, native, DOOH, even connected TV ads, most formats are only scalable through a programmatic advertising platform.

But there are limits and recent challenges:

• Setup costs & expertise – A DSP doesn’t run itself; it enables advertisers to run ad scale, but without skilled campaign managers, you’ll just overspend faster.
• Privacy shifts – With Google’s Privacy Sandbox rolling out, some features like cookie-based targeting and cross-site frequency capping may lose importance, while first-party data and browser APIs take over.
• Overkill for small advertisers – If your total budget is <$10k/mo, a DSP is likely over-engineering. Digital advertising platforms like Google marketing platform or Meta might cover your digital ad space just fine.

Bottom line: a demand-side platform is essential if you need prominent reach across ad exchanges, want to run successful digital ad campaigns at scale, and need automated campaign optimization to excel at ad performance.

How to Choose a DSP: Major Criteria for Ad Buying Process

If your monthly ad spend is less than $50k and you are not going to grow up there, it might not be your way to start with an in-house marketing platform.

Vice versa, if you're scaling fast and need a unified platform that allows you to buy ad impressions and occupy ad inventory from dozens of sources, you might want to skip the limitations of the serviced platform and walk your way. Let's see what might fit you exactly.

Pick Your Operating Model

There are three ways to implement programmatic media buying. You can either:

Outsource (Pay for Managed Service)

This one is the speediest option, which is also carrying high margins and limited transparency. You rely on a partner agency or vendor to do campaign management for you, while you pay a service fee.

Pros:

• Fast to launch: campaigns can go live within days.
• No internal expertise needed: you don't need to hire an ad buying team.
• Convenient for testing: useful for brands that need just purchase ad impressions without long-term commitment.

Cons:

• High margins: service providers typically add 20–30% fees on top of ad spend.
• Limited transparency: reporting is often aggregated; you may not see actual bid data.
• Zero scalability: your team doesn’t gain experience to improve campaign effectiveness later.

Embrace Hybrid Self-Service Approach

The hybrid model is the most common choice for mid-sized advertisers and small ad agencies. Your buyers run ad campaigns inside a media buying platform provided by an ad tech company, while this company provides integrations with SSPs, updates the platform and offers technical support.

Pros:

• Balanced control and convenience: you set audience targeting, budgets, and manage campaign optimization.
• Transparent reporting: direct access to impression, click, and basic performance data.
• Good scalability: works well for monthly budgets in the five- to six-figure range.
• Tech support: less risk of tech issues, as the provider usually helps with setup and resolves platform crashes.

Cons:

• Still some dependence: you rely on the provider's infrastructure and their pricing model.
• Learning curve: your team still needs basic programmatic advertising skills.
• Customization limits: you may not be able to access very specific features, unless you order custom development.

A comprehensive programmatic advertising solution you get from your provider can be both classic self-serve or white-label. What does it mean?

Self-serve DSP is a classic SaaS tool. Plug in creatives, set up targeting, launch. Great for testing but you’ll pay %-of-spend markups and usually can’t connect custom SSPs.

White-label DSP feels like your own digital advertising platform. You brand it, control fees, plug in multiple SSPs, and even resell. Needs more commitment, but it pays off if you’re scaling into serious ad space.

A self-serve platform only requires a sign up and a deposit to start with. A white-label DSP setup is a little more complex, but usually doable in 2-3 days.

"Epom White-Label DSP brings the agility of a self-serve tool aka fast launch, 80+ pre-set traffic sources and Lotame audience targeting on the spot, while giving you full brand ownership, direct SSP connections, and deep optimization that scales as you do"

Andriy Liulko

Head of Sales at Epom

Stuck with picking the right hybrid DSP solution? Epom expert team may help to get things moving!

Schedule an intro call

Go for a Fully In-House Solution

This is the full control option: you build or fully license your own demand side platform DSP, integrate it directly with supply-side platforms, and run everything internally. It’s the path chosen by the largest advertisers and ad networks.

Pros:

• Full transparency: you own the reporting, logs, and auction data.
• Deep customization: tailor platform and its features to your digital advertising strategy.
• Leverage first-party data: integrate your own data to optimize ad campaigns.

Cons:

• High upfront investment: setup and development easily run into six or seven figures.
• Heavy maintenance: constant updates to keep up with SSP specs and market trends.
• Requires expert team: in-house media buyers, engineers and data scientists.

It’s not difficult to guess which is the winner. A hybrid platform is easy to afford, easy to maintain, and easy to control.

Full in-housing is the most complete option, but it’s accessible only to multi-million corporations. If you’re googling “How to choose a DSP,” you probably aren’t there, but if you understand what stands behind a top demand-side platform, it might help you grow into one.

What Matters in a Good DSP (and Who It Matters To)

So what features usually tip the scale in the DSP choice? According to the internal Epom research, ad agencies focus on scale and control in their programmatic advertising platform — inventory breadth, optimization, reporting, and multi-client management matter most.

Advertisers focus on outcomes and relevance. They value ad format diversity and audience targeting higher, since these empower advertisers to connect directly to their customer journey, first-party data, and campaign performance.

Thus, the features you find below are the non-negotiables that define a top demand side platform (DSP) for serious media buyers scaling ad campaigns across digital advertising.

Rich Ad Inventory from Dozens of Ad Exchanges

A decent DSP connects to multiple supply-side platforms, so you would have a choice from the start. It’s kinda straightforward: the more ad space to buy traffic, the more changes your digital advertising efforts have to pay off.

Key features:

• Direct integrations with ad exchanges
• Custom SSP endpoints
• PMP/PG support and supply path optimization

Who needs it most: Ad networks, agencies, global advertisers sourcing cross-channel media.

Usable, Fast User Interface

No matter how rich in features the DSP is, it all just doesn’t make sense when the settings you need are hard to find. Your team needs to launch, monitor, and adjust fast. A slow or unintuitive UI kills that agility.

Key features:

• Intuitive workflows for setup and reporting
• Responsive load speeds
• Logical segmentation of targeting, bidding, and creative sections

Who needs it most: Mid-market brands, small teams, and non-technical users.

Multiple Ad Formats Availability

If you can’t serve the formats your audience engages with, it’s a deadlock. Many agencies now have a need to serve cross-channel advertising campaigns for their clients, so limiting yourself here might be unwise, at the very least.

Key ad formats:

• Core: banner, video, native ads
• Bonus: push, pop, rewarded video, HTML5, audio ads,
• Optional: feed-based dynamic formats, DOOH ad placements

Who needs it most: Multi-channel ad agencies, creative-focused brands

Audience Targeting & Data Management Platform

Great reach without precise targeting = wasted impressions. Even basic targeting must go beyond geo and device. Smart DSPs allow 1st party data, retargeting, and demographic and contextual setups, directly integrating with a data management platform.

Key features:

• Demographic and interest-based segments
• 1st-party audience import and activation
• Pixel-based and list-based retargeting

Who needs it most: Mobile app marketers, ecommerce, performance-based ad agencies

Campaign Optimization & Bidding Intelligence

If you’re still adjusting bids manually, you’re leaking the budget. The best scenario with a DSP is when you let automation run thousands of micro-adjustments per day, while you focus on strategy.

Key features:

• Metric-based bidding rules and modifiers
• Even pacing and other ad spend adjustments
• Auto-pause and blacklisting for underperformers

Who needs it: Mobile app marketers, performance-based agencies, ROAS-driven brands

User Management & Roles

Having a root admin account with an option to give less powerful accounts makes little sense for the average advertiser. But as an agency or ad network, you can’t scale with a single login and no audit trail. If you’re managing clients or teams, this can get critical.

Key features:

• Roles, permissions, and admin access
• White-labeling and branding control
• Custom permissions for sub-accounts

Who needs it: Ad networks, agencies, resellers.

Data Analytics and Reporting Module

Real-time, granular analytics help pinpoint what’s working, where budget is wasted, and how to scale efficiently across formats and audiences.

Key features:

• Customizable dashboards and reporting
• Creative-level breakdowns
• Conversion tracking and performance metrics analytics

Who needs it: Media buyers, performance teams, growth marketers

Best Demand-Side Platforms for Agencies, Brands & Ad Networks

Spoiler: this is a brief DSP platforms list where we highlight their main pros and cons, but for the detailed information you might want to dive into a full feature breakdown to save time on demand-side platform demos. Download a guide below to choose a single platform which suits you best.

Epom (White-Label, Video Traffic, DMP Available)

If you're looking for a white-label platform for seamless campaign management, Epom DSP stands out. Epom offers the closest thing to owning your own digital advertising platform without rebuilding the stack from scratch.

Recently, we've also rolled out Lotame and Pixalate integrations, truly placing our DSP among the top demand-side platforms on the market.

Pros:

• Hybrid-ready: Start buying from 80+ available SSPs; scale further with custom connections
• Smart audience targeting: Utilize Lotame target audience segments, create your own audiences, use custom 1st-party data
• White-labeling: Rebrand the platform including logo, colors, dashboard, and domain
• Smart optimization: Bid multipliers, custom rules, frequency caps, and even pacing
• Various ad formats available: Run banner ads along with advanced CTV
• Top-notch tech support: Dedicated account manager + custom development if needed
• Strong analytics for video ads: Viewability metrics and vast amount of video traffic
• In-built brand safety: Pixalate protection is coming for all accounts.

Cons:

• No DOOH or audio ad formats for now
• Steeper learning curve for white-label solution
• No managed ad buying service

Who it’s best for: Ad networks, agencies building their own white-label DSP, or media teams scaling beyond self-serve.

BidMind (Self-Serve, CTV-Focused)

BidMind offers a solid self-serve DSP experience with a strong lean into CTV and cross-device targeting. It is a top demand-side platform that has numerous customization options and an accessible tutorial.

• Omnichannel coverage: Offers reach across CTV, DOOH, mobile and audio ads
• Flexible operational models: Available as managed service, hybrid, or self service
• Robust audience targeting: Supports first-party and third-party data usage with partners like LiveRamp, Adstra, and TruAudience
• AI-powered optimization: Built-in features like machine learning bid adjustment, frequency capping, and pacing
• Smart onboarding: Tutorial-based setup and therefore friendly UI

Cons

• Custom pricing may get steep
• No SSP-level integration
• No free trial or transparent demo
• Unknown depth of advanced analytics

Who it’s best for: CTV-focused advertisers looking for a low-friction entry point.

Eskimi (Full-Stack, Creative Powerhouse)

Eskimi is a full-stack DSP platform with one of the best rich media builders available. They also offer managed services.

Pros:

• Advanced marketing capabilities: DSP + SSP + DMP stack in one place
• Rich creative tools: Support for animated, playable, and in-game ads
• Strong hybrid model: Media planning & managed services
• Optimization for mobile apps: Features that aid mobile campaign performance.
• Mobile-first audience targeting: Telco-level audience data help reach precise segments

Cons:

• CPM-only bidding
• Report delays mentioned
• No custom SSP connections
• Unclear pricing models with no fixed fee
• Ad visibility restrictions reported by users

Who it’s best for: Brands with heavy creative assets, those who need managed service, mobile advertisers.

SmartyAds (Full-Stack, Developer-Friendly)

One of the best demand-side platforms when it comes to a full stack offering and both self-serve and white-label support as their other brand Teqblaze.

Pros:

• White-labeling and customization: Modular DSP with custom feature dev support
• Full-stack software: SSP, DSP, SDK, curated deals from premium publishers
• Omnichannel ad inventory: Access to unique ad space across channels, especially mobile
• Reporting transparency: Users appreciate sharing progress with clients in near real-time
• Cookieless & contextual enhancements: Integration with privacy-first tech like ID5

Cons:

• Fraud and brand safety concerns, according to some reviews
• Only basic CPM bidding
• Limited ad formats (no pop, push, interstitial)
• No DCO or multiple conversion tracking

Who it’s best for: Networks that need a full-stack offering, large companies looking for custom solutions.

Adform (Enterprise-Grade, CPA Support)

Adform is an enterprise-level top DSP platform with deep analytics and creative tools. Best for large teams and media agencies.

Pros:

• Advanced bidding strategy (CPA): Enhances campaign performance by optimizing traffic towards specific CPA goals after gathering 100 conversions
• Diverse inventory: With a range of ad formats available, including banner & mobile ads, video ads, CTV, and DOOH
• Rich media support: Built-in creative builder
• Advanced video ad campaigns: Strong performance in video ad delivery, supported by MRC-accredited viewability metrics
• Regional strength in EU: One of the earliest DSPs in Europe and a feature in Magic Quadrants

Cons:

• No free trial and limited demo access
• Not a white-label platform
• Steep learning curve and UI complexity
• Quite high pricing compared to other top demand-side platforms

Who it’s best for: Enterprises needing format variety, targeting depth, and strong European traffic.

The Trade Desk is a massive player among the best demand-side platforms on the market. It's renowned as a go-to open-web DSP built for data-driven media buying across all possible channels.

It offers expansive reach across premium publisher's inventory and pioneers in advanced analytics, UID 2.0 identity, and real-time optimization to empower advertisers.

Pros:

• Data-driven targeting: Integrates both first-party and third-party data for precision targeting, built on their Unified ID 2.0 and European UID ecosystem.
• Diverse inventory: Grants ad placement across display, video, CTV, audio, DOOH, and native
• Machine learning and AI-driven optimization. Native AI engine helps optimize ad spend automatically
• Full-funnel audience insights: Detailed reporting on metrics rom awareness to conversions and custom real-time dashboards
• Platform independence: Despite being huge, TTD is not a Walled Garden. It enables advertisers to choose their preferred data, measurement, and inventory partners

Cons:

• Significant platform fees (20% of ad spend, which is 2-3 times more than other platforms on our best DSP list)
• Inaccessible for smaller teams
• Challenging UX for new users
• No white-labeling and customization
• Support limitations for lower pricing tiers

Who it’s best for: Enterprises looking for massive reach and third-party data clouds.

Google Display & Video 360 (Google Hub, Walled-Garden Giant)

Google Display & Video 360 (DV360) is Google’s enterprise-grade DSP and part of the Google Marketing Platform. It integrates seamlessly with Google Ads, YouTube, Google Analytics, and Campaign Manager. DV360 is considered the default choice for advertisers already deep in the Google stack.

Pros:

• Exclusive inventory: Only way to buy YouTube programmatically at scale, plus extensive access to Google Display Network.
• Deep integrations: Native links with Google Ads, Analytics 360, and Campaign Manager simplify campaign orchestration and reporting.
• Advanced brand safety: Built-in verification, pre-bid filters, and fraud detection to maintain ad quality.
• Granular targeting: Leverages Google’s vast first-party audience data and contextual signals.
• Cross-channel coverage: Unified management of display, video, CTV, audio, and native campaigns.

Cons:

• Walled-garden limitations, as inventory and data use heavily tied to Google’s ecosystem
• Pricing structure isn’t always transparent; advertisers report higher tech fees
• Complex user interface makes it difficult for beginners without Google expertise
• No white-label or flexible branding options for agencies.
• Dependence on Google’s data clouds

Who it’s best for: Large advertisers and agencies already working within Google’s ecosystem

RTB House (Machine Learning, Strong Retargeting)

RTB House is a global demand-side platform known for pioneering deep learning AI. It specializes in delivering hyper-personalized ad experiences and excels in dynamic retargeting, particularly for e-commerce brands.

Pros:

• Deep machine learning algorithms: Proprietary AI engine adapts in real time, improving bid efficiency
• Dynamic retargeting: Strong e-commerce focus with tailored product recommendations and conversion optimization for profitable ad campaigns
• Cross-channel inventory: Access to display, video, native ads, and CTV at global scale
• Performance focus: Transparent reporting with proven lift in ROAS for retail and travel verticals.
• Privacy alignment: Early adopter of cookieless targeting with AI contextual solutions

Cons:

• Strong in retargeting, but quite niche
• AI-driven optimization requires trust in black-box algorithms
• No white-labeling or extensive branding options
• Strength in Europe/APAC; US market presence smaller than other top DSPs

Who it’s best for: E-commerce brands and performance marketers seeking AI-driven retargeting.

MediaMath (Omnichannel, Independent)

MediaMath is one of the earliest independent demand-side platforms, established in 2007 and often credited with pioneering programmatic advertising. Despite financial challenges in recent years, it remains a recognizable name for advertisers seeking transparency,

Pros:

• Omnichannel reach: Supports campaigns across display, video, mobile, native, audio, and CTV
• Transparency: Strong reputation for transparent reporting, fees, and campaign metrics
• Agency-oriented: Built to serve agencies with customizable workflows
• Data integrations: Supports both first-party and third-party data, enabling flexible audience building
• Brand safety: Includes fraud prevention and verification integrations

Cons:

• Financial instability with funding issues in past years
• Slower to adopt advanced identity frameworks (like UID 2.0) and AI optimization
• Steeper learning curve for new users without prior DSP experience
• Not designed for reselling or custom branding.

Who it’s best for: Agencies and advertisers seeking a mature, independent, and time-tested DSP.

AdLib DSP (White-Label Ready, Mid-Market Focus)

AdLib is a demand-side platform built to buy ad space programmatically without locking into walled gardens. This DSP platform positions itself as a streamlined, customizable tool with white-label options.

Pros:

• White-label support: Agencies can fully brand the DSP interface and offer it as their own platform.
• Cross-channel reach: Covers display, video, native, CTV, and DOOH advertising campaigns
• User-friendly design: Simplified UI/UX compared to enterprise DSPs like DV360
• Custom reporting engine: API-driven analytics export with automated scheduling into BI tools
• Budget management: Hierarchical budget controls with pacing algorithms
• Precise targeting stack: Standard audience + contextual + geo + device + inventory lists.

Cons:

• Fewer advanced identity frameworks or machine learning optimization engines.
• SSP connections present, but lacks exclusive deals
• Lacks strong cookieless graph integrations
• No dynamic creative optimization (DCO) engine

Who it’s best for: Mid-sized agencies and ad networks that need a white-label DSP with accessible workflows.

Which One is The Best Demand-Side Platform for You?

As you might see, there are plenty of good DSP platforms to choose from, whether you need a self-serve solution or a white-label one. Would you pick a giant among best demand-side platforms like The Trade Desk, will stick to CTV-first Bidmind or choose digital advertising freedom with Epom?

Anyway, we offer the one we've created and what we believe is perfect for an ad agency looking for a sweet balance between reach, campaign performance, and customization. Epom white-label DSP is waiting for you to test it, with the first two weeks always free.

Best Demand-Side Platforms FAQ

• Which is the top DSP platform for mobile ad campaigns?

  No single winner. If you need a solution for user acquisition, it could be mobile-first Kayzen or Epom White-Label DSP for a lower entry barrier. If you seek in-app retargeting, Remerge can be a specialized platform for that.

• How do I evaluate a DSP’s ad inventory quality quickly?

  When you’re comparing DSPs, don’t just look at how many impressions they can buy. Look at the quality of the ad inventory they give you access to. A quick checklist:

  • Exchange depth: Does the DSP plug into enough SSPs to cover web, in-app, CTV/OTT, etc.
  • Premium deals: Can it secure private marketplace (PMP) or programmatic guaranteed (PG) deals?
  • Compliance signals: Is the supply chain clean and authorized through standards like ads.txt, app-ads.txt, sellers.json, and schain?
  • Fraud & safety partners: Does the DSP integrate with accredited partners to filter invalid traffic?
  • Transparency: Does it offer log-level data so you can audit where your money really goes?

• Is a DMP still useful if I’m heavy on first-party data?

  Yes. A data management platform (or CDP+DMP combo) centralizes your audience data and creates precise targeting segments and pipes them to the DSP and other channels.

• What are retail media platforms and how are they different from DSPs?

  Retail media platforms (RMNs) are run by retailer platforms (like Amazon or Walmart). They sell ad space on their own sites and apps, and they use their shopper data to target ads. You can usually see exactly how ads influence purchases.

  Demand-side platforms (DSPs) are independent ad buying platforms. They connect you to ad space across thousands of websites, apps, CTV, and more. They don’t own shopper data like retailers, but they give you reach and control across the wider web.

• How does the right DSP choice improve campaign performance?

  The choice of best-suited demand-side platform for your goals sets the ceiling for your results. The right one helps you:

  • Spend smarter: budget optimization features push use your money to buy ad inventory that performs best.
  • Reach further: broad ad format support (banner, video, CTV, DOOH) enables advertisers to establish presence across the full customer journey.
  • Target better: first-party data and alternative IDs keep targeting precise without relying on third-party cookies.
  • Stay safe: built-in fraud detection inside a demand-side platform and brand-safety checks protect budgets and reputation.
  • Optimize faster: transparent analytics and automated rules cut waste quickly.