Best Google Ad Manager Alternatives for Publishers

Short answer: the best Google Ad Manager alternatives are AdButler, Kevel and Broadstreet. All three are independent of an ad exchange, which gives publishers neutral control over demand and direct access to support.

Why publishers look beyond Google Ad Manager

Google Ad Manager is powerful and widely used. But because the same company runs the ad server and one of the largest ad exchanges, many publishers want an alternative that keeps their ad decisioning neutral. Other common reasons include:

• Difficulty reaching human support on smaller accounts
• A steep learning curve for new ad ops staff
• A desire to diversify away from a single technology vendor

The best alternatives

1. AdButler: independent, full-featured, with newsletter ads, a self-serve portal and migration help.
2. Kevel: API-first and highly flexible for teams with developers.
3. Broadstreet: built for local news publishers selling direct to local businesses.
4. Adnuntius: ad serving plus self-serve booking, popular in Europe.
5. Equativ: an enterprise ad server and SSP in one platform.

Planning a migration

A good migration runs both ad servers in parallel for a few weeks. Map every ad unit, export active campaigns and advertisers, and agree on reporting definitions before you switch. Ask your new vendor who will do this work, not just whether it can be done.

Compare the options side by side: AdButler vs. Google Ad Manager.