The Top Native Ad Networks for Affiliate Marketing in 2021

Native ads continue to be a premier affiliate marketing traffic source for one important reason: they work.

With an average click-through-rate of 0.20% compared to regular display ads’ 0.05%, native ads are simply better at engaging users than traditional formats.   

Advertisers (including affiliates) agree, as they continue to allocate more ad spend to native ads year over year.

If you are a beginner MaxBounty affiliate who is unfamiliar with native ads, here is how they work.

The success of most online advertising is limited by the fact that people immediately recognize it as advertising. They tend to view most ads as a distraction from the surrounding content that brought them to that site or platform.      

Native ads aim to solve this inherent issue by blurring the line between content and advertising.

This is accomplished by integrating ads with the content that users are seeking out. By mimicking the media format in which they appear, they are less likely to disrupt the user’s online experience.

Here is an example of what they look like in the form of content recommendations.

Affiliates can utilize native ads as their traffic source by purchasing them (media-buying) from native networks/platforms.

If you want to start experimenting with them as your traffic source, we would like to help point you in the right direction.

Here is our list of the top native ad networks affiliates should be looking at in 2021.  

Taboola

Reach: 1.5 billion unique users per month across desktop and mobile

Targeting Options: Location / Device / Operating System / Audience

Pricing Model: CPC

Minimum Deposit: None

Taboola is one of if not THE biggest name in native advertising. They continue to be a premier platform by offering unprecedented reach on some of the world’s biggest websites.  

Even if you are unfamiliar with native advertising, you have likely seen Taboola’s ads deployed on website content recommendations.

Although they have a good selection of targeting options, their platform excels most at providing advanced reporting.

You will have access to numerous detailed reports on campaign performance and optimization that will provide you with data-rich recommendations. They also offer a lot of flexibility with your ad creatives.  

Although they have a massive reach and high-quality traffic, that does come at a cost. Combine this with relatively a strict content policy and Taboola becomes an option best suited for experienced affiliates with medium to larger budgets. No minimum deposit does provide you with an opportunity to experiment, however.

Most Notable Feature

High-quality traffic in over 55 countries.

Sign-up to Taboola through this link to receive a $100 bonus when you spend $100 on their platform.

MGID

Reach: 850 million unique monthly visitors across desktop and mobile

Targeting Options: Location / Browser / Browser Language / Device

Pricing Model: CPM / CPM / RevShare

Minimum Deposit: $100

MGID are a true pioneer in the native ad space. That has made them a long-standing choice for many affiliate marketers for over a decade.

Their network offers affiliates access to a massive amount of European and Asian traffic. One of the largest out of all the networks on this list.

They are a great option for affiliates who are new to native ads because their traffic is comprised of both tier-1 and lower tier countries. The latter can be a more optimal choice for beginners who may not have the budget for higher CPCs.

A feature-rich platform that includes retargeting, scheduling, frequency capping, and selective bidding rounds out their network’s perks.

We should also point out that nearly 70% of MGID’s traffic comes from smartphones. This makes them a great option if you are more inclined to promote mobile campaigns.

Most Notable Feature

MGID allows for a broader array of campaign types to be promoted through their platform compared to other native networks. This can be beneficial for affiliates who may require some freedom for promoting campaigns in a wide array of verticals.

Sign up to MGID through this link to receive 25% bonus on an initial deposit of $1000 or more.

RevContent

Reach: 180-500 million ad impressions per month

Targeting Options: Location / Device / Operating System / Brand / Re-targeting

Pricing Model: CPC / vCPM

Minimum Deposit: $50

RevContent is a relatively new native ad network compared to some of the long-standing innovators in this list. However, that has not prevented them from quickly becoming one of the leading platforms available.

They offer a great balance between high-quality traffic and a feature rich platform. Real-time reporting, fully customizable widgets, and the ability to optimize for clicks or ROI are just some of the tools at your disposal. They are also have a reputation for having one of the most responsive and helpful support teams.

Their vCPM pricing model offers a unique option to only be billed per viewable 1000 impressions. vCPM differs from standard CPM by offering true viewability for your ads. Although it is likely that you will mostly use their CPC model, vCPM can be a great way to maximize ROI on successful campaigns.  

Most Notable Feature

RevContent offers the largest percentage of US traffic than any other native network. Although this correlates with them permitting only English ads, their laser-focus on US users makes them a great option for promoting US offers.

They also differ from other networks on this list by offering push notification traffic.

OutBrain

Reach: 1.3 billion unique users per month

Targeting Options: Location / Device / Operating System / Browsers / Interests / Re-targeting

Pricing Model: CPC / CPM

Minimum Deposit: Postpaid  

Founded in 2006, Outbrain is the longest-running native ad network on our list. They have managed to maintain a strong presence in the space for over 15 years by prioritizing quality over everything else.

A testament to their high standards is the fact that your ads will not be placed on any sites with less than one million visits per month. Over 50% of OutBrain’s traffic also comes from tier-1 countries like the United States, Germany, Japan, and France.

This makes them a great option if you want to get well-branded, trusted offers in front of a premium audience. Of course, similar to Taboola, your CPC is likely to be higher when paying for traffic of this quality.

It is important to note that OutBrain may have the strictest approval policies of any network on this list. If you are considering using them, be sure to read their content guidelines or use a spy tool to see which offers fit within their standards.  

Carousel Smartads, ad format recommendations, and the ability to manually adjust CPC bids round out their collection of unique features.  

Most Notable Feature

OutBrain’s Interest Targeting option allows you to create complex audience segments. Spend some time playing around with this feature and you will find it provides you with the ability to really hone in on specific niches.

AdCash

Reach: 150 million+ unique daily visitors

Targeting Options: Location / Browser / Browser Language / Device / Operating System / User Interests

Pricing Model: CPM / CPC / CPC Target

Minimum Deposit: $25

A long-standing PPV network, AdCash decided to get into the native ad game in 2017. Since then, they have become a great native option for affiliates by offering superb targeting options and support.

Once you have been approved into their network, you will be assigned a dedicated account advisor that will help you with launching campaigns and navigating their interface. This is can be a huge benefit if you are still somewhat new to media-buying and could use the extra assistance.

Something quite unique about AdCash is that they offer CPA Target bid option. This helps you achieve the specific acquisition cost of the offer you are promoting. Just make sure to give it some to analyze your campaign.

Their bid-capping option is also a helpful feature that can help keep your spending under control. This is another one that could be especially useful if you are a beginner working with a tight budget.

Most Notable Feature

AdCash’s platform offers next-level granular targeting. This allows you to tailor your ads to a specific audience which can save you time and budget from trying to find your demographic with broader targeting.