DSP Vendors: A Landscape of Names Worth Evaluating
The DSP field is larger than any single post can cover, but a few names come up consistently when brands and agencies start building a shortlist. Below are a few worth evaluating, spanning the largest independent and walled-garden platforms alongside smaller specialists, listed with no ranking implied.
Names worth evaluating
The Trade Desk runs an independent, publicly traded DSP built for agencies and brands buying across the open web, connected TV, audio, and other channels outside the major walled gardens.
DV360 (Display & Video 360) is Google's DSP, built into the broader Google Marketing Platform and integrated with Google's own supply, including YouTube.
Amazon DSP buys programmatic inventory both on and off Amazon's owned properties, with targeting built around Amazon's first-party shopping and streaming data.
StackAdapt is an independent DSP that built out native and connected TV inventory alongside standard display and video, with a self-serve model that agencies commonly use for mid-sized programs.
Viant Technology is a publicly traded, people-based DSP built around Viant's own identity graph, positioned for advertisers who want addressability without relying on cookies.
Basis Technologies (formerly Centro) combines DSP functionality with broader media planning and workflow tools, aimed at agencies that want buying and operations in one platform rather than separate systems.
Yahoo! DSP is Yahoo's programmatic buying platform, built on the advertising technology stack Yahoo has continued to operate and develop following its separation from Verizon.
This is a non-exhaustive list. Other platforms worth researching depending on channel mix and region include specialists in connected TV, retail media, and mobile that do not compete on the same axis as the platforms above.
How to narrow this list
A DSP shortlist narrows fastest around three questions: which channels the platform buys well (open web, CTV, audio, retail media, in-app), whether identity and targeting rely on a graph you already have access to or one the platform provides, and whether your team needs a self-serve interface or a managed-service relationship. A platform that is a strong fit for open-web display buying is not automatically a strong fit for a CTV-heavy plan, and the reverse holds too. For the underlying evaluation criteria, a category decision guide walks through the dimensions that separate DSPs regardless of which names end up on the shortlist.
CartographAI is a free tool brands and agencies use to research DSPs, with independent assessments across the field.
FAQ
Which DSP should I use?
The answer depends on channel mix, existing identity data, and whether you need self-serve or managed buying, not on picking a single platform that fits every advertiser. Start from the decision criteria rather than a name.
Is DV360 or Amazon DSP better for a brand that already advertises on that platform's owned inventory?
Both platforms weight targeting toward their own first-party data and owned supply, so advertisers already active on Google or Amazon properties often see stronger addressability there. Whether that outweighs the value of an independent DSP's cross-channel reach depends on the rest of a brand's media mix.
What is the difference between an independent DSP and a walled-garden DSP?
An independent DSP like The Trade Desk, StackAdapt, or Viant Technology buys across the open web and multiple exchanges without favoring one publisher's inventory. A walled-garden DSP like DV360 or Amazon DSP is built by a company that also owns significant ad inventory, and typically offers deeper integration with that inventory and its first-party data.
Do I need more than one DSP?
Many mid-size and large advertisers run more than one, often an independent platform for open-web and CTV reach alongside a walled-garden DSP for owned-inventory targeting. Smaller advertisers with a narrower channel mix can often consolidate on one.
How often should I revisit my DSP shortlist?
Annually is reasonable for most programs, or sooner after a major shift in channel mix (for example, a significant move into connected TV or retail media) that changes which platforms are competitive for your buy.
Last reviewed: September 28, 2026.