The best programmatic advertising platforms for buying CTV and streaming TV ads offer much more than inventory. Verification, AI-powered campaign management, data access, and more all shape how effectively an advertiser can buy, manage, and measure campaigns.
Advertisers evaluating alternatives to The Trade Desk may be looking for a platform that better fits the way they buy and manage CTV, whether that means a different approach to campaign management, greater visibility into media and performance, or more flexibility in how they work with a DSP.
The differences become clearer when platform capabilities are put side by side. This comparison examines Blockboard alongside seven major alternatives to The Trade Desk, using the factors that matter most when evaluating a demand-side platform (DSP).
| Platform | Impression Verification | AI-Powered Advertising | Platform Minimum | Service Model | Data Transparency | Pricing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blockboard | 100% human impressions; pre- and post-bid verification; blockchain | Audience segmentation, targeting, bidding, campaign optimization, creative generation | None | Self-service or managed | Site-, program-, and log-level reporting; real-time dashboards; publisher-level data; blockchain-verified impression records | CPM or CPA; no setup or data fees; no technology fees; no third-party verification costs |
| MNTN | Third-party verification available through DoubleVerify | Audience segmentation, targeting, bidding, campaign optimization, creative generation | None | Self-service | Platform reporting with network/publisher-level data; API access; third-party measurement supported | Dynamic CPM; no technology or service fees; MNTN retains an undisclosed margin from media spend |
| tvScientific | Fraud prevention; invalid-traffic detection; fraud-free guarantee | Audience segmentation, targeting, bidding, campaign optimization | None | Self-service or managed | Log-level media cost and delivery data; placement visibility; CPA, ROAS and incrementality reporting | CPM or CPA |
| Vibe.co | Direct publisher inventory; no open exchange | Audience segmentation, targeting, campaign optimization | $50/strategy | Self-service or managed | Placement-level reporting; app/channel, strategy, creative, audience, demographic and geographic data; API access | CPM; no technology or service fees |
| Tatari | Direct publisher inventory; third party fraud/IVT filtering; IP filtering | Planning, targeting, bidding, campaign optimization | None | Self-serve, semi-managed, or fully managed | Publisher/placement-level reporting; log-level data | Media cost + platform/service fees; managed service is additional; optional all-in CPM pricing |
| The Trade Desk | Pre-bid fraud prevention; third-party fraud/IVT traffic filtering | Audience segmentation, targeting, bidding, campaign optimization | Undisclosed | Self-service with account/client support | Placement-level inventory quality data; supply-chain reporting; OpenAds auction transparency and OpenSincera publisher-quality data | Undisclosed; fee based on a percentage of total platform spend; data and value-added services may also incur charges |
| StackAdapt | Fraud detection; third-party fraud/IVT detection | Audience segmentation, targeting, bidding, campaign optimization | Undisclosed; terms say a minimum campaign value may be required for an initial campaign | Self-service, hybrid, or managed | Platform reporting; attribution; exact content-level visibility can depend on publisher agreements | Flexible; CPM, CPC, CPE; no hidden tech fees |
| Simpli.fi | Fraud prevention; IVT filtering; third-party pre-bid fraud protection | Planning, audience segmentation, targeting, bidding, campaign optimization | None (for Autopilot AI); undisclosed for other service models | Self-service, hybrid, or managed | Impression- and data-element-level reporting; targeting, bids, media costs, data costs, fees, and placement information | Undisclosed; custom pricing for self-service/managed models; Autopilot AI uses pay-as-you-go billing |
Take Control of Your CTV Advertising with Blockboard
Blockboard gives advertisers a flexible way to run campaigns across CTV, streaming TV, and more, with a 100% guarantee that impressions are delivered to humans.
The platform provides full visibility into campaign data, including reporting, attribution, and log-level data, so your team can see what was delivered and how campaigns perform. AI-powered campaign management and verified media give advertisers greater control over how CTV campaigns are bought, measured, and optimized.
Talk to Blockboard to start getting more from your CTV advertising.
