DSP vs SSP
A demand-side platform is the buyer's software: advertisers and agencies use it to bid on impressions across many sources, apply audiences, cap frequency, and report. A supply-side platform is the seller's software: publishers use it to offer inventory to many buyers, run the auction, set floors, and manage deals. The two meet in the bid request and response. Most large SSPs also operate as exchanges, and a few companies operate on both sides, which is the conflict the Google antitrust case turned on.
| DSP | SSP | |
|---|---|---|
| Who uses it | Advertisers and agencies | Publishers and app developers |
| Job | Buy impressions at the best price for the objective | Sell impressions at the highest yield |
| Key controls | Bids, audiences, frequency, brand safety, deals | Floors, deal setup, demand partner management, ad quality |
| Examples | The Trade Desk, DV360, Amazon DSP, Yahoo, StackAdapt | Google Ad Manager, Magnite, PubMatic, Index Exchange, OpenX |
| Fee | Percentage of media paid by the buyer | Percentage of revenue taken from the seller |
Terms in this comparison
Cite this page:
Agency Echelon. "DSP vs SSP." Agency Echelon Reference, reviewed September 2026. https://agencyechelon.com/reference/compare/dsp-vs-ssp/