Ad networks explained

AdSense, Ezoic, Mediavine and Raptive. What Ad networks are how most content sites make money.

Published September 16, 2026

An ad network is the company that sells the display ad space on a content site to advertisers and pays the site owner a cut of what those advertisers spend. Almost every ad-supported content site you'll look at as a buyer runs one of a handful of networks, and which one it runs tells you something real about the site's size, traffic quality and revenue potential.

Where the term "AdSense site" comes from

Google AdSense launched in 2003 as the first major contextual ad network, matching ads to a page's content rather than relying only on search keywords^[1]. For most of the 2000s and early 2010s, it was the only realistic option for a small site to monetize display ads at all, since it had no minimum traffic requirement and instant, self-serve signup.

That history is why "AdSense site" is still common shorthand among buyers, sellers and brokers for any ad-supported content site, even now that most established sites have moved to a premium network instead. If you see a listing described that way, don't assume the site literally still runs AdSense. Check which network it actually uses, since that changes what the site is worth and how much work it'll take to keep running it.

How the major ad networks actually differ

The networks you'll run into as a buyer differ mainly on three things: how much traffic you need to qualify, what share of ad revenue you keep, and how much control you have over ad placement and pricing.

Network	Minimum traffic to join	Revenue share	Best fit
Google AdSense	None	About 68% of content ad revenue^[2]	Brand-new sites still building an audience
Ezoic	250,000 monthly active users for new sign-ups (existing publishers before Feb. 19, 2026 are grandfathered in)^[3]	Varies by plan	Larger sites willing to hand ad testing over to Ezoic's algorithm
Mediavine	$5,000 in trailing annual ad revenue for the main network, or 1,000 monthly sessions from Tier 1 countries for its Journey on-ramp^[4]	70% on Journey^[5]	Growing sites transitioning off AdSense
Raptive (formerly AdThrive)	25,000 monthly pageviews, down from 100,000 as of October 2025^[6]	Not publicly disclosed	Established sites with a track record of clean, engaged traffic

Google AdSense

AdSense is Google's own network, and it's still the default starting point for a new content site because there's no traffic minimum to apply. The tradeoff is a lower revenue share and less control: you can't negotiate rates or hand-pick which advertisers show up on your pages, since Google's algorithm handles placement and pricing automatically.

Pros: instant eligibility, no minimum traffic, reliable payouts, works on day one.

Cons: a fixed, non-negotiable revenue share, minimal control over ad placement or advertiser mix, ads can feel generic compared to a premium network's better-matched inventory.

Ezoic

Ezoic was historically pitched as a stepping stone below the premium networks, since it used to accept much smaller sites than Mediavine or Raptive would. That's changed: as of February 2026, new publishers need 250,000 monthly active users to join, a higher bar than either Raptive's current minimum or Mediavine's Journey on-ramp^[3]. Sites already monetizing with Ezoic before that date keep their access regardless of current traffic. Once a site qualifies, Ezoic uses automated testing to try different ad placements, densities and layouts on your pages and picks whichever combination earns the most, without you having to run that testing manually.

Pros: automated placement optimization that doesn't require manual A/B testing, and existing publishers keep their access even if traffic later drops.

Cons: the current 250,000-visitor bar for new sign-ups now sits above Raptive's, so it's no longer the easier premium option to qualify for, and payouts can be less predictable while the platform's algorithm is still learning a site's traffic patterns.

Mediavine

Mediavine is one of the two networks most established content sites eventually graduate to, and it has two entry points. The main network requires $5,000 in trailing annual ad revenue, while its Journey on-ramp accepts sites with as little as 1,000 monthly sessions from Tier 1 countries and pays a 70% revenue share, then automatically upgrades a site to the full network once it hits that $5,000 threshold^[4]^[5].

Pros: a disclosed, competitive revenue share on Journey, a lower-traffic on-ramp for sites not yet ready for the main network, strong support and community for publishers already on the platform.

Cons: the main network's revenue threshold locks out smaller sites without going through Journey first, and moving to Mediavine from another network still means installing its plugin and going through onboarding, so it's not an instant switch.

Raptive (formerly AdThrive)

Raptive is the other premium network established content sites target, historically known for a high traffic bar and a hands-on approach to ad placement and advertiser relationships. It dropped its minimum from 100,000 to 25,000 monthly pageviews in October 2025, explicitly to keep pace with sites whose traffic patterns shifted as AI search tools changed how people find content^[6]. Sites in the 25,000-to-99,999-pageview range need at least half their traffic from the U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia or New Zealand to qualify.

Pros: premium advertiser relationships, hands-on account management, generally regarded as one of the higher-paying networks for well-matched niches.

Cons: doesn't publicly disclose its revenue share, so you can't compare it against other networks without an active account, and the traffic-quality requirement (not just volume) can disqualify a site with cheap or low-intent traffic even above the pageview minimum.

Which network fits which stage of a site

Brand-new site, no track record: AdSense, since nothing else will accept it yet.
Growing but under 25,000 monthly pageviews: Mediavine's Journey program, which only requires 1,000 monthly sessions from Tier 1 countries.
Past 25,000 monthly pageviews with clean, engaged traffic: Raptive or Mediavine's main network, whichever a trial run with each shows pays better for that specific niche.
Large enough to clear 250,000 monthly active users: Ezoic becomes an option too, worth comparing against whichever premium network the site already qualifies for.

There's no universally "best" network. The right one depends on the site's current traffic level, audience geography and niche, and the only reliable way to know which pays more for a specific site is to test more than one where the platform allows it.

What to check when buying a site that runs an ad network

Which network it's actually on, not just what the listing calls it. A "6-figure AdSense site" that's actually still on AdSense, rather than having graduated to a premium network, is leaving revenue on the table you could capture post-acquisition, which is worth factoring into your offer.
Whether the account transfers to you or has to be reapplied for. Some networks let you add a new site owner to an existing account, while others require the new owner to reapply from scratch, which can mean weeks without ad revenue during the transition.
The site's standing with its current network. A site that's been flagged for invalid traffic or policy violations can lose its ad account entirely, and that risk doesn't show up in a revenue chart. Ask the seller directly about any past warnings or suspensions.
How close the site sits to the next network's minimum. If it's a few thousand sessions below a premium network's threshold, that's a concrete, near-term lever for growing revenue after you take over, worth factoring into how you value the deal.