How we make this list: we compare pricing pages, product documentation and public user reviews. Ratings come from G2, Capterra or Trustpilot, with the date we checked them.
What is the best video advertising software in 2026?
Google Ads is the top pick for most businesses because it combines YouTube reach, flexible budgets with no minimum spend, and strong measurement in one account. Meta Ads is the best alternative for social video and retargeting. Larger advertisers who need open web and connected TV should shortlist StackAdapt or Basis Technologies.
- Google Ads leads for reach and flexible budgets, with no minimum spend and YouTube as the main video inventory.
- Meta Ads and TikTok Ads suit short vertical video, social discovery and retargeting at low daily minimums.
- StackAdapt, Tremor Video, Innovid and Basis Technologies suit programmatic video and connected TV at larger budgets.
- MNTN suits direct to consumer brands that want performance TV with visit measurement.
- Four tools in this guide publish no price list, so ask for a written quote before you plan a budget around them.
Start with Google Ads for the widest video reach, then add Meta Ads for social video and retargeting. Both let you start small and pause at any time. Test one video on YouTube and one vertical cut on Meta Ads, compare cost per completed view, and move budget to the winner. Add a demand side platform such as StackAdapt or Basis Technologies once the creative is proven. Do not start with four platforms at once, because thin budgets slow learning everywhere.
How much does video advertising cost at a 5,000 dollar monthly budget?
A 5,000 dollar monthly budget works very differently on each platform, and the minimum spend is often the deciding factor. Google Ads has no minimum spend, so the full 5,000 dollars can go to media, with skippable YouTube views reported by third parties at about 5 to 10 cents per view. Meta Ads needs only 1 dollar a day for a video views ad set in the United States, with third party CPM reports near 9 to 22 dollars. TikTok Ads needs more than 50 dollars a day at campaign level and more than 20 dollars a day at ad group level, with third party CPM reports near 4 to 12 dollars. StackAdapt states no minimum spend, but its guidance says most teams hit their stride around 5,000 dollars a month. MNTN is the tightest fit, because third party reporting cites a 5,000 dollar monthly minimum, while the vendor page cites budgets from 2,000 dollars. Tremor Video, Innovid and Basis Technologies publish no minimum, so confirm the floor in writing before you commit.
A walled garden sells its own inventory, while a demand side platform buys video across many publishers and exchanges. Google Ads, Meta Ads and TikTok Ads are walled gardens, because each platform controls its own auction and reporting. StackAdapt, Tremor Video and Basis Technologies are demand side platforms, because they buy video across the open web, apps and connected TV. Innovid focuses on ad serving and measurement, rather than buying media itself. Choose a walled garden first, then add a demand side platform when you need reach outside those three networks.
How do you measure video ad results without wasting budget?
Measure completed views, cost per completed view and site visits before you judge sales, because a view alone tells you little about intent. Set one clear goal per campaign, and keep the creative and budget stable for at least two weeks where the budget allows. Use the platform view through attribution window with care, because a person who saw an ad and later bought may have bought anyway, so a holdout test gives a cleaner read than a platform reported return on ad spend. For connected TV, ask for household level visit measurement and incrementality testing, and confirm what is included before you sign.
We picked platforms where a business buys and runs video ads, not tools that only make video ads. That scope covers demand side platforms and ad networks with video inventory. We checked each vendor pricing page or help centre on 11 November 2026 for minimum spend and platform fees, and we marked figures from third party reporting as third party reported where the vendor publishes no price. We excluded AI video ad creation tools, including Higgsfield, Creatify, AdCreative.ai, Arcads, HeyGen, Synthesia, VEED, InVideo and Canva, because a live Rankite page already covers those tools.
Last verified 11 November 2026
Comparison table
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan |
| Google Ads | YouTube video reach at any budget | No minimum spend, pay as you go | No free plan, free account setup |
| Meta Ads | Social video and retargeting | No platform fee, minimum 1 dollar a day for video views ad sets in the United States | No free plan, free account setup |
| TikTok Ads | Short vertical video discovery | No platform fee, campaign budget above 50 dollars a day | No free plan, free account setup |
| StackAdapt | Programmatic video and connected TV | Quote, no minimum spend to get started | No free plan, demo on request |
| Tremor Video | Premium video and connected TV through Nexxen | Quote, no published price | No free plan |
| Innovid | Video ad serving and measurement | Quote, no published price | No free plan |
| Basis Technologies | Agency programmatic buying and workflow | Quote, no published price | No free plan |
| MNTN | Performance TV for direct to consumer brands | Quote, budgets from 2,000 dollars a month on the vendor self serve page | No free plan |
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan |
|---|
 Google Ads | Businesses that want YouTube video reach with flexible budgets and strong measurement | No minimum spend, pay as you go, no platform fee, checked 11 Nov 2026 | No free plan, account setup is free |
 Meta Ads | Social video, Reels and retargeting across Facebook and Instagram | No platform fee, minimum 1 dollar a day for video views ad sets in the United States, checked 11 Nov 2026 | No free plan, account setup is free |
 TikTok Ads | Short vertical video discovery and reaching younger audiences | No platform fee, campaign budget above 50 dollars a day and ad group budget above 20 dollars a day, checked 11 Nov 2026 | No free plan, account setup is free |
 StackAdapt | Mid market teams that want self serve programmatic video, display, native and connected TV in one platform | Quote, no minimum spend to get started, vendor guidance says most teams hit their stride around 5,000 dollars a month, checked 11 Nov 2026 | No free plan, demo on request |
 Tremor Video | Premium video and connected TV buying through the Nexxen platform | Quote, no published price, checked 11 Nov 2026 | No free plan |
 Innovid | Brands and agencies that need video ad serving, creative delivery and measurement across connected TV | Quote, no published price, checked 11 Nov 2026 | No free plan |
 Basis Technologies | Agencies that want programmatic buying, planning, billing and reporting in one workflow | Quote, no published price, checked 11 Nov 2026 | No free plan |
 MNTN | Direct to consumer brands that want performance TV with visit measurement | Quote, budgets from 2,000 dollars a month on the vendor self serve page, third party reporting cites a 5,000 dollar monthly minimum, checked 11 Nov 2026 | No free plan |
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
#1Google Ads
Best for: Businesses that want YouTube video reach with flexible budgets and strong measurement4.3/5 on
G2 (2,047 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit ads.google.com
Starting priceNo minimum spend, pay as you go, no platform fee, checked 11 Nov 2026
Free planNo free plan, account setup is free
Google Ads is the default starting point because YouTube gives it unmatched reach and the budget rules are simple. Google states there is no minimum ad spend, so you set an average daily budget and change it at any time. Skippable in stream ads bill a view when a person watches 30 seconds, watches the whole ad if it is shorter, or interacts, so a skip in the first five seconds costs nothing. Third party reports put skippable views near 5 to 10 cents each, but your own cost will depend on audience and creative.
What we like- Largest video reach through YouTube, no minimum spend, detailed audience and placement controls, strong conversion tracking
Watch out for- Costs vary widely by audience and competition, and the account can feel complex for a first time advertiser, with many campaign types and bidding options to learn
#2Meta Ads
Best for: Social video, Reels and retargeting across Facebook and Instagram4.2/5 on
G2 (1,457 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit facebook.com
Starting priceNo platform fee, minimum 1 dollar a day for video views ad sets in the United States, checked 11 Nov 2026
Free planNo free plan, account setup is free
Meta Ads runs video across Facebook, Instagram, Messenger and partner apps from one Ads Manager account, which makes it a strong second platform after Google Ads. The minimum daily budget for a video views ad set is 1 dollar a day in higher cost countries including the United States, according to Meta Marketing API documentation reported by third parties, while conversion ad sets need 5 dollars a day. That low floor lets a small business test Reels cheaply, but the practical budget is higher, because Meta needs enough events to exit the learning phase. Third party reports put typical CPMs near 9 to 22 dollars in 2026.
What we like- Large social audience, strong retargeting, many vertical video placements, flexible daily budgets
Watch out for- Learning phase needs about 50 optimisation events a week per ad set to stabilise, so very small budgets can stay in learning and deliver uneven results
#3TikTok Ads
Best for: Short vertical video discovery and reaching younger audiences4.2/5 on
G2 (144 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit ads.tiktok.com
Starting priceNo platform fee, campaign budget above 50 dollars a day and ad group budget above 20 dollars a day, checked 11 Nov 2026
Free planNo free plan, account setup is free
TikTok Ads buys in feed video in an auction, with no fixed price list and no platform fee beyond the media you buy. TikTok Help Centre sets the floor at more than 50 dollars a day at campaign level and more than 20 dollars a day at ad group level. Third party reports put typical United States CPMs near 4 to 12 dollars in 2026, but that range is a benchmark, not a vendor quote. TikTok recommends a daily ad group budget of 10 times the cost per result for purchase campaigns, or 200 dollars a day with no sales history.
What we like- Strong short video engagement, clear published minimums, useful for product discovery and creator style ads
Watch out for- Minimum budgets are higher than Meta Ads, so a small test costs more, and creative needs frequent refreshes to avoid fatigue
#4StackAdapt
Best for: Mid market teams that want self serve programmatic video, display, native and connected TV in one platform4.7/5 on
G2 (905 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit stackadapt.com
Starting priceQuote, no minimum spend to get started, vendor guidance says most teams hit their stride around 5,000 dollars a month, checked 11 Nov 2026
Free planNo free plan, demo on request
StackAdapt is a demand side platform that buys video, display, native, audio, digital out of home and connected TV across exchanges, rather than selling one publisher network. Its plans page lists five tiers from Basic to Enterprise, with Basic open to self serve signup by card and higher tiers gated behind a demo, but no dollar figures appear on the public site. The vendor states there is no minimum spend required to get started, and its guidance says most teams hit their stride around 5,000 dollars a month. Third party estimates put the platform fee near 15 percent of media spend, but that figure is not confirmed on the vendor page.
What we like- Self serve access after approval, no minimum spend to get started, strong targeting and cross channel buying in one account
Watch out for- No published price list, so the platform fee and CPM are only known after a quote, which makes early budgeting harder than on a walled garden
#5
Tremor Video
Best for: Premium video and connected TV buying through the Nexxen platform
Visit nexxen.com
Starting priceQuote, no published price, checked 11 Nov 2026
Free planNo free plan
Tremor Video is the video brand inside Nexxen, and the platform is now presented as Nexxen, with Tremor Video as its video and connected TV offer. It buys video across premium publishers, streaming services and apps, with targeting, optimisation and measurement built in. Nexxen publishes no price list, and third party directories also list no price information, so the starting price is quote only. That makes it a poor fit for a small test budget, because you cannot confirm the minimum spend before you talk to sales.
What we like- Access to premium video and connected TV supply, omnichannel buying across video, display, social and audio, measurement tools for video outcomes
Watch out for- No published price or minimum spend, so a buyer cannot plan a budget without a sales conversation, and the Tremor Video name now sits under Nexxen, which can confuse a first time buyer
#6Innovid
Best for: Brands and agencies that need video ad serving, creative delivery and measurement across connected TV4.1/5 on
G2 (375 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit innovid.com
Starting priceQuote, no published price, checked 11 Nov 2026
Free planNo free plan
Innovid is an ad technology platform for serving, delivering and measuring video ads, rather than a place to buy media by itself. Its core job is to make sure the right creative reaches the right screen, to support interactive and personalised video formats, and to report on delivery and outcomes across connected TV, mobile and desktop. That role matters for brands that run the same video across many publishers, because it gives one view of frequency, reach and performance. Innovid publishes no price list, so pricing is quote only and depends on volume and contract terms.
What we like- Strong ad serving and measurement for video and connected TV, interactive and personalised creative options, cross platform reporting
Watch out for- It is not a media buying platform on its own, so you still need a demand side platform or direct publisher buys for the media, and pricing is only available on request
#7Basis Technologies
Best for: Agencies that want programmatic buying, planning, billing and reporting in one workflow4.5/5 on
G2 (289 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit basis.net
Starting priceQuote, no published price, checked 11 Nov 2026
Free planNo free plan
Basis Technologies, formerly Centro, offers an omnichannel demand side platform that covers programmatic video, display, audio and connected TV, plus direct, search and social buying. Its main strength is workflow, because it handles insertion orders, approvals, billing and client reporting next to the media buying. The vendor publishes no rate card, so pricing is quote only. Some user reviews report no minimum spend, but that is third party reported and not confirmed on the vendor page, so confirm the terms in writing.
What we like- Combines demand side platform buying with planning, approvals, billing and reporting, useful for agencies managing many clients
Watch out for- No published price or minimum spend, so the cost is only known after a sales quote, and setup can take time for a team that only needs simple video buying
#8MNTN
Best for: Direct to consumer brands that want performance TV with visit measurement4.8/5 on
G2 (61 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit mountain.com
Starting priceQuote, budgets from 2,000 dollars a month on the vendor self serve page, third party reporting cites a 5,000 dollar monthly minimum, checked 11 Nov 2026
Free planNo free plan
MNTN, formerly Mountain, is a performance TV platform that runs streaming commercials across more than 150 networks and measures site visits. Its Verified Visits product matches site visits to households that saw an ad, and its incrementality dashboard compares exposed and holdout households for eligible campaigns. The vendor self serve page states no minimum spend, with a three day minimum flight and budgets from 2,000 dollars, while third party reporting cites a 5,000 dollar monthly minimum. Treat the 5,000 dollar figure as third party reported and confirm the current minimum with MNTN before you plan. MNTN suits direct to consumer brands with a proven offer and a budget that can support television CPMs near 25 to 65 dollars, as third parties report.
What we like- Performance TV focus with Verified Visits measurement, creative production bundled through Creative as a Subscription, fast launch across many streaming networks
Watch out for- Minimum spend is unclear, because the vendor self serve page states no minimum spend while third party reporting cites a 5,000 dollar monthly minimum, so confirm the current floor before you budget
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest video advertising software to start with?
Google Ads is the cheapest to start with, because it has no minimum spend and no platform fee, so you can test with a small daily budget and pause at any time. Meta Ads is close behind, with a 1 dollar daily minimum for video views ad sets in the United States. TikTok Ads costs more to start, because it needs more than 50 dollars a day at campaign level.
Do I need a demand side platform for video ads?
No, most businesses do not need a demand side platform at first. Google Ads, Meta Ads and TikTok Ads cover YouTube, social video and short video at scale, with simple setup and low minimums. Add a demand side platform such as StackAdapt or Basis Technologies when you need video across the open web and connected TV. Keep the walled gardens running while you test the new channel, so you have a baseline to compare.
How much should a small business spend on video ads per month?
A small business can learn from 500 to 1,500 dollars a month on one platform, with one video and one clear goal, if the audience is narrow and the creative is strong. A 5,000 dollar monthly budget gives more room to test two platforms and compare results. Below 500 dollars a month, learning is slow. Set a test period of two to four weeks, then move budget to the platform with the lower cost per completed view.
Is MNTN worth it for a small brand?
MNTN can be worth it for a small brand with a proven product and a budget of at least 5,000 dollars a month, because it buys premium streaming TV and measures site visits. It is less suited to a first test under 2,000 dollars a month, because television CPMs are higher than social video. Confirm the current minimum with MNTN in writing before you commit.
What video length works best for ads?
Short video works best on social placements, with 6 to 30 seconds a useful range for Reels, TikTok and in feed ads. YouTube skippable ads can run longer, because you only pay when a person watches 30 seconds or interacts. Connected TV ads are usually 15 or 30 seconds, because they run full screen and are not skippable. Test one short cut and one longer cut, then keep the length with the better view rate.
Sources we checked (8)
- https://ads.google.com
- https://www.facebook.com/business/ads
- https://ads.tiktok.com
- https://www.stackadapt.com
- https://www.nexxen.com
- https://www.innovid.com
- https://basis.net
- https://mountain.com
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
Shihab Mia · Founder, Rankite
Shihab has 5+ years in B2B and SaaS SEO. He writes Rankite's software buying guides from pricing pages, documentation and public user reviews. More about Shihab.