Best Demand Side Platform in 2026
Updated
In short: Amazon Marketing Cloud is ranked #1 of 16 as of 4 October 2026, ahead of Adform DSP and illumin.
Demand-side platforms support the purchase of advertising inventory across digital channels. Compare ad channels, inventory access and targeting options, then look at attribution reporting and the buying model to see how the listed capabilities differ. Supported regions, free-plan availability and paid-from details add useful context. Amazon Marketing Cloud and Adform DSP appear first, with illumin among the early entries. Consider which channels and regions matter for your campaigns, and weigh the listed buying and reporting details against those needs.
16 demand side platform ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
| # | App | Score | From | Free plan | Paid from | Buying model | Ad channels | Inventory access | Targeting options | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Amazon Marketing Cloud | 6.4 | Free | Yes | — | — | — | — | — | View |
| 2 | Adform DSP | 5.3 | — | — | — | both | Display, video, connected TV (CTV), audio, mobile, in-app, digital out-of-home (DOOH) | multiple | Audience/data-based (first-, second- and third-party); geographic (country, region, city, ZIP code); hyperlocal/proximity; cross-device; contextual and demographic/venue targeting | View |
| 3 | illumin | 5.3 | — | — | — | both | native, display, video, connected TV, audio, digital out-of-home, social, email integration | multiple | geographic, language, technology, inventory, inventory quality, deals, brand safety, content and keywords, connections, viewability, demographic, source, audience targeting | View |
| 4 | Moloco Ads | 5.2 | — | — | — | both | mobile app, mobile web, connected TV | multiple | AI-predicted user propensity; geographic targeting; operating-system targeting; campaign goals; first-party data signals | View |
| 5 | Nexxen DSP | 5.2 | — | — | — | both | connected TV, online video, display, linear television, mobile, web and digital channels | multiple | first-party data, proprietary and third-party audience data, demographic and location targeting, contextual targeting, content-level targeting, TV viewership data, interest and browsing-behavior segments, cross-device identity | View |
| 6 | rtb.com | 5.2 | — | — | — | self_serve | display | open_auction | retargeting; behavioral browsing and engagement signals; high-intent audiences; product recommendations | View |
| 7 | Adobe Advertising Creative | 5.1 | — | No | — | — | — | — | — | View |
| 8 | Adtelligent | 5.1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | precision targeting, audience segmentation, campaign scheduling, budget controls | View |
| 9 | Basis DSP | 5.1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | View |
| 10 |  The Trade Desk | 5.1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | View |
| 11 | Yahoo DSP | 4.9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | View |
| 12 | Infillion DSP | 4.8 | — | No | — | managed | connected TV, display, mobile, video, audio | multiple | audience targeting | View |
| 13 | Simpli.fi | 4.8 | — | No | — | — | — | — | — | View |
| 14 | Criteo Commerce Growth | 4.7 | — | No | — | — | — | — | — | View |
| 15 | StackAdapt | 4.7 | — | No | — | — | — | — | — | View |
| 16 | Viant DSP | 4.7 | — | No | — | — | — | — | — | View |
Is your app on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored. They are labelled, and the editorial order and scores never change for payment.
Questions about this list
Which demand side platform is ranked first on Freedom251?
Amazon Marketing Cloud is ranked #1 of 16 with a score of 6.4. Adform DSP is second and illumin third.
How many of these have a free plan?
1 of the 16 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked free-and-open first: a usable free tier and open-source code, then the platforms it runs on and its documentation. Paid placements never change a rank.