Up to 4 at once.
| Criteria | Google AdSense | Google AdX (via GAM) |
|---|---|---|
| Weighted Score | 4.1/5 | 4.0/5 |
| Pricing | Free to join; Google pays publishers a revenue share (typically 68% for AdSense for Content and 51% for AdSense for Search). | Free 'Small Business' tier available for up to 90-200 million monthly impressions; Ad Manager 360 requires custom enterprise pricing. |
| Platform Type | Ad network | Supply-side platform |
| Revenue yield & RPM uplift | 3.0/5 | 4.8/5 |
| Demand access & header bidding | 1.8/5 | 4.7/5 |
| Ad quality & brand safety controls | 4.6/5 | 4.6/5 |
| Publisher control & transparency | 2.8/5 | 4.5/5 |
| Payment terms & reliability | 4.8/5 | 4.8/5 |
| Page speed & Core Web Vitals impact | 3.2/5 | 3.6/5 |
| Reporting & reconciliation | 3.5/5 | 4.5/5 |
| Integration & ad-ops workload | 4.8/5 | 2.0/5 |
| Eligibility & onboarding | 4.5/5 | 3.0/5 |
| Consent & privacy readiness | 4.2/5 | 4.6/5 |
| Strengths | ✓ Largest network of online advertisers bidding for ad space ✓ Free to join with minimal technical setup | ✓ Access to premium advertiser demand typically offering significantly higher CPMs ✓ Publishers utilizing AdX's dynamic flooring, Google Open Bidding, and preferred deals can expect 20-50% revenue increases |
| Limitations | ✗ No header bidding or third-party demand competition; that requires Google Ad Manager ✗ Policy-related account suspensions can cut off revenue with little warning | ✗ Requires an existing Google Ad Manager account and technical expertise to manage complex header bidding configurations effectively ✗ Significantly more challenging and complex to manage and optimize |
Google AdSense
4.1
Rating
★ 4.1/5
Pricing
Free to join; Google pays publishers a revenue share (typically 68% for AdSense for Content and 51% for AdSense for Search).
Platform
Ad network
Scores
Revenue yield & RPM uplift
3.0
Demand access & header bidding
1.8
Ad quality & brand safety controls
4.6
Publisher control & transparency
2.8
Payment terms & reliability
4.8
Page speed & Core Web Vitals impact
3.2
Reporting & reconciliation
3.5
Integration & ad-ops workload
4.8
Eligibility & onboarding
4.5
Consent & privacy readiness
4.2
Strengths
✓ Largest network of online advertisers bidding for ad space
✓ Free to join with minimal technical setup
Limitations
✗ No header bidding or third-party demand competition; that requires Google Ad Manager
✗ Policy-related account suspensions can cut off revenue with little warning
Google AdX (via GAM)
4.0
Rating
★ 4.0/5
Pricing
Free 'Small Business' tier available for up to 90-200 million monthly impressions; Ad Manager 360 requires custom enterprise pricing.
Platform
Supply-side platform
Scores
Revenue yield & RPM uplift
4.8
Demand access & header bidding
4.7
Ad quality & brand safety controls
4.6
Publisher control & transparency
4.5
Payment terms & reliability
4.8
Page speed & Core Web Vitals impact
3.6
Reporting & reconciliation
4.5
Integration & ad-ops workload
2.0
Eligibility & onboarding
3.0
Consent & privacy readiness
4.6
Strengths
✓ Access to premium advertiser demand typically offering significantly higher CPMs
✓ Publishers utilizing AdX's dynamic flooring, Google Open Bidding, and preferred deals can expect 20-50% revenue increases
Limitations
✗ Requires an existing Google Ad Manager account and technical expertise to manage complex header bidding configurations effectively
✗ Significantly more challenging and complex to manage and optimize
