What Is The Best Ad Network For Publishers In 2023? Adsense, Ezoic, Newor Media, Media Vine, And Raptive Reviewed

As a publisher, it’s in our best interest to find a good Ad network to work with. But good is not enough. You want to work with an Ad network that will listen to you whilst giving you RPMs (revenue) without a hitch on your site performance or user experience.

Therefore, just to be clear, this is not one of those reviews. I’ve personally been in a long and painful process of searching for an advertising partner; the network that will understand my needs and deliver on their promises.

In this article, I’ll share with you my experience after having tried 5 of the best Ad networks for publishers in search of one that will understand my needs and meet them.

I cover my experience having tried out Adsense, Ezoic, Newor Media, Mediavine and Adthrive, now Raptive.

Each Ad network has its own requirements; your traffic demographic (Geo locations), monthly traffic and a lot more.

Let’s get dive into it.

1. Adsense for Publishers

Google Adsense is the most popular Ad network out there. For most publishers, myself included, this is the first Ad network they work with. Getting accepted into the Adsense program is not as hard as getting into any of the other Ad networks.

In fact, as you read on you’ll realize that all other Ad networks require that you’re in good standing with Google, which means that you must first have been accepted into the Google Adsense program.

Joining Adsense

There are generally a few requirements to get accepted into the Adsense program;

• Have about 5 -10 originally published articles on your site. You may start by creating a storyboard for your website.
• Have a visible navigation menu on the site with an About page included.
• Have a visible privacy policy page on your website.
• Lastly, you should have a Contact page on your website.

Tip :

These requirements cut across all other Ad networks and if you’re to join any, first make sure you meet them.

Now that you have all the requirements for Adsense, you can go ahead and submit your application to join Google Adsense. It may take from a few hours to a few weeks to get feedback from Google with a YES or NO regarding your application.

Having been in the Adsense program for some time, I discovered that it wasn’t the best Ad network in terms of user experience and revenue. Google Adsense tends to push a lot of Ads on your articles so that you get more revenue. This, however, worsens the user’s experience.

Google Adsense also has some of the lowest RPMs. By RPMs I mean, Revenue per 1000 impressions . To calculate your RPM; divide your estimated earnings by the number of page views you received, then multiply by 1000 (revenue/page views x1000).

During the time I was monetized by Adsense, my site, which is in the EdTech niche averaged an RPM of $3.54.

Yes, the RPMs may rise or fall based on seasonality and how long you have stayed with the Ad partner. The longer, the more their Adtech will understand your site and content hence bringing in competitive Ad bids for space on your site.

However, from the word go, I knew that an RPM of 3-4 wasn’t good enough. Not only that, I had to have more than 10 Ads running on the page which is something I disliked personally.

Secondly, the Adsense program does not offer any Support. I have not seen any email address or phone number to call in case I need help getting things fixed. So don’t expect that from Adsense.

Overall, if I’m to rate Google Adsense out of 5 stars (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐) and 5 being the best.

Google Adsense take home is ⭐⭐ 2/5

So, I started on my search for a better Ad network with more gains, which led me to discover Ezoic .

2. Ezoic for Publishers

After you make a few pennies with Google Adsense, you’re excited when you discover a possibly higher-paying Ad network for publishers.

I came across Ezoic .

I watched videos and read blog posts especially from creators already using Ezoic on their sites. I was pumped to see creators shoot RPMs between $10-20 for 1000 views . This was insane compared to what I was getting with Adsense.

Note that Ezoic uses a metric they call ePMV (earnings Per Thousand Visitors). To ease the calculations, I could just get what I earn in Ezoic and divide it with the page views I got in Google Analytics and then divide the answer by 1000 impressions. That could give me the RPM I was getting in Ezoic.

I later realized that I was getting even lesser RPMs in Ezoic as compared to Adsense. I was averaging about $3.2 RPM ($2.77 ePMV) for 1000 views.

That shocked me because coming from Adsense, I expected more. Also not to forget that Ezoic counts their page views differently. You’ll have more page views in Ezoic than you do in Google Analytics.

Joining Ezoic

To join Ezoic as a publisher is pretty easy. As long as you’re in good standing with Google (Adsense approved) and you have the aforementioned pages on your site, Ezoic will get you in.

You’ll have to take a short onboarding course, install the Ezoic plugin, change your DNS, and voila! you’re in to enjoy more benefits from Ezoic like Leap and Humix.

I find the Ezoic dashboard more clear and it provides much more needed details for your analytics.

However, on the flip side, Ezoic Ads are very intrusive ; they try to show as many Ads as possible on your website, and this is where the speed/performance issues kick in. Although their Leap extension tries to help, it didn’t do it for me.

They have an excellent support team already available to help you.

However, most times when I wanted to know why my site was performing worse than it did in Adsense yet Ezoic promises more earning potential, the support team always recommended solving it by adding more Ads, using their Humix video extension etc. I tried them all but they didn’t work for me.

For instance, I used the Humix app and added over 200 videos and got about 300k views all combined, but it didn’t make me anywhere close to $5. So, not worth it.

Overall, if I’m to rate Ezoic out of 5 stars (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐) and 5 being the best

Ezoic take home is ⭐⭐⭐ 3/5

3. Mediavine for Publishers

Before I moved on from Ezoic, I kept my eyes wide open still in search of a better Ad network. By this time, I had started feeling like my content isn’t good enough, or the tech setup I’m using, or this or that…

But this didn’t stop me. I kept searching until I came to know about Mediavine, Newor Media, and Adthrive. I’ll come to the other two in the next part of this article. Mediavine markets itself as an Ad management company for content creators. I was like “This is it!”

Joining Mediavine

I contacted Mediavine since I knew that I met their requirements. Firstly, they require you to have at least 5 0,000 sessions in the last 30 days which is roughly 60,000 page views.

Secondly, you must have your biggest audience coming from the top English-speaking countries, that is the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. My site met both requirements.

So, I sent in my request to join, and guess what, I was rejected a week later! They looked into my analytics and I guess they were not impressed by a couple of things.

Note that Mediavine is one of the most respected Ad networks out there with some of the highest RPMs in the industry. I have seen creators get RPMs over $30 per 1000 page views, which is really insane!

There I go, my journey ends here? Yes. Well, maybe Not. Remember I mentioned Newor Media and Adthrive.

4. Newor Media for Publishers

By this time, I had transferred my site back to Adsense from Ezoic and it was already performing much better than in Ezoic when it came to earnings (RPMs) and performance.

Newor Media states that they’re a premium Ad network and you’re guaranteed higher RPMs if you’re moving from Adsense. I was somewhat convinced to check out their website and that’s when I come across the earnings calculator .

After keying in the requested information, I discovered that their estimates on the calculator were way less compared to what I was getting in Adsense. A few days later, a Newor Media rep reached out to me and requested to have a call and discuss some opportunities for Newor Media as a publisher.

All went well and I was promised a guaranteed $15 RPM or higher if I joined them.

I was pretty excited and curious to see how this turns out.

My account was set up, Google Ad Exchange MCM approved and in we went.

Joining Newor Media

Newor Media setup is quite fast and straightforward. You only get about 7 Ads per page with the option to introduce a video Ad as well. Their team setups up your Ads and if given access they can do all the installations on your website’s back end.

Once the Ads were set up it took 4weeks to access my dashboard to see how my Ads were performing.

Before we go into my disappointment with them, I was very impressed at how they handled everything, from support to site speed and performance, to clean Ads and layout, etc.

From the first 5weeks with Newor Media, my site earned the least from Ads. It averaged an RPM of $2.40 based on how much I earned and the page views I got via Google Analytics. They use a metric called eCPM (effective cost per mille).

Yes, I was very disappointed since I had been promised by their team that my site would perform exceptionally well with their Ad tech. That I would get $15 RPMs, but now it could not even outperform the RPMs I got with Adsense.

Overall, if I’m to rate Newor Media out of 5 stars (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐) and 5 being the best.

Newor Media take home is ⭐⭐⭐ 3/5

5. Raptive for Publishers (formerly Adthrive)

After my frustration with Newor Media, I wondered what was there to lose. I’ll try one more Ad network and if it fails me, I’ll get back and settle with Adsense.

Now, a little bit of background, Adthrive before it became Raptive had been in a head-to-head battle with Mediavine when it came to who offers the best Ad management experience, optimization, performance, support, and overall revenue.

Though Mediavine is on the downside when it comes to requirements, it is known to slightly outperform Adthrive when it comes to RPMs. At least from what I have read across several blogs. But that doesn’t make Adthrive any less.

They (Raptive – Adthrive) offer some of the best Ad management experiences and revenue. They offer some premium Ads and have a very steep requirements list.

Joining Raptive

To join Raptive, you should have had at least 100,000 page views in the previous 30 days, your traffic should come from the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and the list goes…

Since I had all the boxes checked when it came to requirements, I decided to fill in the application form and I gave them access to my analytics to do some pre-checks.

And guess what, a few days later, I got a congratulatory email from Raptive support that my was site accepted. I couldn’t stop the excitement! However, after my previous experiences, I really wanted to see it work.

So, a few more emails later, I could get my Ads setup up on the site. The Raptive team literally did everything after accessing my site’s backend, and they optimized Ad placements.

By the way, they only show 7 Ads on a post including a sticky out-stream video Ad, unless otherwise decided. It took another 3 days to have access to the dashboard to see how my Ads are performing.

Upon accessing my dashboard just after 3 days in, RPMs are more than double what I was getting in Adsense and Newor Media. My site’s performance is way better and Ads aren’t intrusive to the visitors.

In just a space of 3 days, my Raptive Ads earned 255% more than I could with the previous networks.

That’s an average of $8.52 RPM (earnings per 1000 sessions) compared to the a$2.40 RPM I earned with Newor Media. I’m pretty excited to share about Raptive in the coming weeks as Ads are getting more optimized for my site, and to see how the RPMs perform.

So far, Raptive feels like the missing piece in the puzzle and now that I have got it, seems like all is fixed. I can’t forget to mention that Raptive guarantees a 20% revenue increase within the first 2 weeks if you integrate with them, and I can confirm that in just days, I’ve seen that.

Overall, if I’m to rate Raptive for Creators out of 5 stars (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐) and 5 being the best,

Raptive’s take home is ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4/5

What’s the best Ad network for publishers?

Well, there is no direct answer to this. It depends on what you want and what the Ad network offers. If these merge, then you’re good.

For me, it was increased revenue without negatively impacting my site speed, performance, and user experience. After several trials and errors, I’m into the Raptive network, I feel it’s where I belong.

Conclusion

It’s hard to write and conclude this article and not sound like I’m pushing for something. Yes, that’s not it. I was not paid by anyone to write this. It is out of utter frustrations and disappointments from Ad networks that either promise and do not deliver or that my site couldn’t work well with their Adtech.

The ball is in your court, but for me, Raptive is it for now.

Editor’s note: This is a guest post by Kwehangana Hamza. The Author blogs at Gotechug.com and creates content around building websites for non-techies. You can read some of his content on his blog or watch his video tutorials on his youtube channel.

This account is managed by the in-house team at Dignited, a collective of passionate tech writers, editors, and enthusiasts dedicated to bringing you the latest insights, reviews, and news on consumer technology. For inquiries or feedback, feel free to reach out to us at [email protected] .

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Talkio Mobile , Uganda’s newest telecommunications service provider, is excited to announce a groundbreaking partnership with Banana Life Investments, a leading chain of mobile phone and retail shops. This strategic alliance aims to bring Talkio’s innovative telecom services closer to Ugandans.

This collaboration will leverage Banana Life Investments’ extensive retail network of 26 stores strategically located across Uganda in major malls, towns, and cities to provide customers with unparalleled convenience. Through this partnership, Talkio Mobile will offer its full suite of services, including SIM cards, airtime, and exclusive product offerings at any Banana Life Investment location.

This partnership is more than a business initiative—it’s a shared commitment to transforming lives. By integrating Talkio Mobile’s forward-thinking services & nationwide reach with Banana Life Investments’ retail footprint, the two brands are setting a new standard for customer convenience and inclusivity.

READ ALSO: 5 Things You Need to Know About Talkio Mobile: New Telecom Company in Uganda

“This partnership aligns perfectly with our mission of connecting Ugandans to innovative and transformative telecom solutions,” said Vianne Allan Ahura, CEO of Talkio Mobile. “By leveraging Banana Life Investments’ trusted presence and nationwide footprint, we are not only expanding our agent network but also bringing our services closer to the communities we serve. This collaboration ensures that our online customers can now enjoy a seamless offline experience right at their doorstep. Together, we are empowering Ugandans with the tools they need to stay connected, grow their businesses, and unlock new opportunities.”

Solomon Ssemuyaba, the assistant general manager at Banana Life Investments, echoed this sentiment: “We are proud to join hands with Talkio Mobile to deliver innovative, customer-centric solutions. This partnership represents our shared vision of fostering a connected future for Uganda. Together, we are redefining what convenience and accessibility mean for our customers.”

The partnership goes beyond retail distribution, introducing joint initiatives aimed at value addition and personalized service. Customers can expect seamless access to:

• SIM Card Sales : Available at all Banana Life Investments locations.
• Talkio phone number bookings : Book your preferred Talkio number at any Banana Life Investments location.
• Airtime Services : Recharge easily through in-store purchases.
• Customer Support : Friendly and knowledgeable staff trained to assist with Talkio Mobile products and services.

Additionally, the two companies plan to launch promotional campaigns and expand services to even more locations, ensuring no Ugandan is left behind in the digital transformation.

Solomon Obwot is a tech writer based in Kampala, Uganda, with extensive experience in the local tech startup ecosystem. He covers the latest news and analysis on consumer tech, writes in-depth smartphone reviews, and conducts insightful interviews with industry experts. Solomon is also a passionate podcaster, sharing his knowledge and engaging in discussions about Africa’s rapidly growing tech landscape. Send emails to [email protected]

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The Mobile World Congress (MWC) Barcelona , the world’s largest exhibition for the mobile industry, has just concluded. This annual event gathers leading technology brands to unveil groundbreaking mobile, AI, and digital solutions innovations. At MWC 2025, TECNO showcased a range of AI-driven products, reinforcing its commitment to cutting-edge technology.

The key launches included:

• CAMON 40 Series – AI-powered smartphones with One-Tap FlashSnap and advanced mobile imaging features.
• MEGABOOK S14 – The world’s lightest 14-inch OLED laptop, featuring AI-enhanced multitasking and Snapdragon® X Elite.
• MEGABOOK T14 Air & K15S – Lightweight ultrabooks with AI capabilities and extended battery life.
• TECNO AI Glasses Series – Smart eyewear integrating AI imaging, translation, and AR display.

Jan Stryjak, Associate Director at Counterpoint Research, shared, “In the past year, we have observed significant advancements in the field of AI. AI will continue to drive transformative changes in our daily lives. In this critical period for the economic development of emerging markets, TECNO’s AI technologies are unlocking potential for diverse needs.”

“The application of AI technologies is crucial and urgent in emerging markets. We’re committed to bridging the digital gap between emerging and mature markets,” said TECNO CMO, Laury Bai. “TECNO is taking a practical approach to make AI more accessible, ensuring users in emerging markets can access AI and cutting-edge technologies.”

Laury Bai, TECNO CMO

Driven by its commitment, TECNO has forged a robust partnership with MediaTek, establishing a joint AI laboratory dedicated to accelerating advancements in AI. At the event, James Chen, Vice President of Product and Technology Marketing at MediaTek, emphasized, “The synergistic R&D efforts between TECNO and MediaTek are set to democratize AI technology. Our collaboration powers a seamless, interconnected AI experience, bringing users a future of truly connected intelligence.”

James Chen, Vice President, Product and Technology Marketing at MediaTek

CAMON 40 Series Powered by AI One-Tap FlashSnap Revolutionizes Smartphone Snapshot Photography

TECNO’s Global Product Launch Officer, Olivier Mas, officially unveiled TECNO’s next-generation AI-driven products. Attendees at TECNO’s launch event witnessed the highly anticipated debut of TECNO’s new CAMON 40 Series, a device that embodies TECNO’s legacy of excellence in mobile imaging. Featuring One-Tap FlashSnap Mode and TECNO AI, the series sets a new benchmark in smartphone photography, delivering exceptional snapshot capabilities and AI-enhanced user experiences.

Olivier Mas, TECNO Global Product Launch Officer

The CAMON 40 Series exemplifies a commitment to innovation that transcends hardware and software, extending into strategic partnerships that deliver cutting-edge AI solutions to emerging markets. Matt Waldbusser, Managing Director of Global Solutions and Consumer AI at Google Cloud, remarked, “Our collaboration with TECNO on the CAMON 40 Series is a standout example. Leveraging Google Cloud’s capabilities, we’ve introduced groundbreaking features such as Ask Ella, AI Image Generator, AI Writing, and AI Translate. I am particularly impressed by the industry-leading and competitive edge of some of these innovations. For instance, TECNO’s AI supports text translation in 136 languages, voice translation in 44 languages, and photo translation in 51 languages. We are excited to further strengthen our partnership with TECNO, unlocking limitless potential to bring advanced yet practical AI capabilities to emerging markets in a convenient and secure manner.”

Matt Waldbusser, Managing Director of Global Solutions and Consumer AI at Google Cloud

The CAMON 40 Series’ innovative One-Tap FlashSnap leverages AI to enhance imaging capabilities, revolutionizing mobile photography. AI optimizes camera startup and continuous shooting for instant captures, while AI-powered multi-frame processing intelligently reduces noise and enhances details, delivering sharper, more refined images. Additionally, the BestMoment algorithm analyzes motion patterns, automatically selecting the optimal frames for precise, high-quality shots in dynamic scenarios, ensuring users an unparalleled mobile imaging experience.

TECNO CAMON 40 Demonstrates the Cutting-Edge FlashSnap Capability

To delve deeper into the imaging prowess of the CAMON 40 Series, TECNO invited Frédéric Guichard, CEO of DXOMARK, to share the image performance of CAMON 40 Pro. Frédéric highlighted, “The CAMON 40 Pro 5G has demonstrated exceptional imaging and performance capabilities in our rigorous evaluations. We’ve been particularly impressed with photo performance being the best for devices under 600$, and the 1st eligible device to our Smart Choice Label.”

Onsite photo of Frédéric Guichard, CEO of DXOMARK

Beyond its advanced rapid-capture functionality, the integration of TECNO AI further enhances the device’s capabilities. Intelligent imaging, a 360° AI Call Assistant, and productivity tools elevate creativity and efficiency. Powered by MediaTek’s latest chipsets, the series ensures smooth performance, fast processing, and extended battery life. With a sleek, durable, and water-resistant design, it seamlessly blends style with practicality for modern users.

MEGABOOK S14, the World’s Lightest 14-inch OLED Laptop, Inspires Creators and Game Lovers

The MEGABOOK S14 is TECNO’s first OLED laptop and the industry’s lightest 14-inch OLED laptop, featuring a 2.8K OLED display and incredibly weighing only 899g (31.7oz). The laptop is equipped with the outstanding power of the Snapdragon® X Elite compute platform, the flagship chipset for AI PCs from Qualcomm Technologies, and integrates TECNO’s world’s first self-developed edge-side large-scale AI model, to achieve AI-enhanced multitasking.

World’s Lightest 14-inch Laptop MEGABOOK S14

Specifically designed for next-gen AI productivity, TECNO AI enhances the Ella AI Assistant, AI-powered PPT generation, AI-driven image search, smart albums, and offline meeting transcription with multilingual support. The External Graphics Dock, equipped with a powerful NVIDIA graphic card, delivers scalable, high-performance capabilities for design, gaming, and content creation. The laptop’s 2.8K OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate ensures exceptional visuals, while DTS:X Ultra dual 2W speakers, Wi-Fi 6E, fingerprint login, and PC Manager optimize connectivity and user experience.

TECNO’s strategic partnership with Qualcomm Technologies was a highlight of the TECNO AI Ecosystem Product Launch event, demonstrating a shared vision for the future of AI PCs. Kedar Kondap, SVP & GM of Compute and Gaming at Qualcomm, took the stage to discuss the integration of Qualcomm’s cutting-edge PC chipset into the new MEGABOOK S14 laptop, underscoring TECNO’s commitment to delivering high-performance computing solutions.

Kedar Kondap, SVP & GM of Compute and Gaming at Qualcomm

In addition, TECNO also introduced several standout new products. The featherlight 999g (35.2oz) ultrabook MEGABOOK T14 Air, features high-speed storage and LPDDR5 memory, while the ultra-thin, all-metal MEGABOOK K15S, equipped with a powerful 70Wh battery and supported by a 65W PD GaN charger, offers a smarter and more long-lasting user experience. Both devices are empowered by TECNO AI with advanced AI capabilities such as AI Album and AI Voice Assistant, making them perfect companions for all aspects of life.

The Next Game-Changing Tech Innovation: See the World with the TECNO AI Glasses Series

TECNO’s new AI Glasses Series also took center stage with the introduction of TECNO AI Glasses Pro and TECNO AI Glasses, reimagining eyewear with cutting-edge imaging, intelligent interactions, and a sleek aesthetic. The TECNO AI Glasses feature an aviator design, while the Pro model showcases a browline style, both embodying timeless elegance and modern fashion.

TECNO AI Glasses Redefine the Way People See the Future

Equipped with a 50MP high-definition camera, the series integrates an OV50D sensor, a 100° ultra-wide-angle custom lens, and an AI ISP imaging chip, forming a mobile-grade imaging system. This system lets users capture stunning, high-resolution photos with advanced AI noise reduction and HDR capabilities. With real-time translation supporting over 100 languages, TECNO AI’s Ella empowers accurate translation even for less common languages, as well as voice control, AI-powered object recognition, and intelligent information summaries for ultimate convenience.

Additionally, the AI Glasses Pro features a MicroLED display with 7th-gen resin waveguide technology, offering a 30° field of view, over 1,500 nits of brightness AR display, and a lightweight, ultra-thin design. The AR display allows users to effortlessly enjoy features like translation display, navigation, information prompts, and teleprompting.

Equipped with a 250mAh battery, these glasses offer over 11 hours of music playback and 8 hours of mixed use with just 30 minutes of charging. An advanced ultra-linear speaker, bass enhancement, and spatial sound deliver an immersive audio experience, while Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.4 ensure seamless connectivity.

With these innovative launches, TECNO is setting new standards in mobile imaging and AI-enhanced technology, shaping a more connected and empowered future for consumers in emerging markets. Once again, TECNO has showcased its cutting-edge innovation on the global stage at MWC. With the brand essence of “Stop at Nothing”, TECNO’s relentless pursuit of innovation is making AI-powered technology more accessible, allowing consumers to experience the future ahead of time.

Solomon Obwot is a tech writer based in Kampala, Uganda, with extensive experience in the local tech startup ecosystem. He covers the latest news and analysis on consumer tech, writes in-depth smartphone reviews, and conducts insightful interviews with industry experts. Solomon is also a passionate podcaster, sharing his knowledge and engaging in discussions about Africa’s rapidly growing tech landscape. Send emails to [email protected]

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