What are the best CTV advertising platforms?

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Last updated: April 8, 2026

Quick Answer: The best CTV advertising platforms include Google's Display & Video 360, The Trade Desk, and Roku's OneView, which collectively reach over 80% of U.S. CTV households. These platforms leverage programmatic buying to target specific audiences, with CTV ad spending projected to reach $31.1 billion by 2024. They offer advanced features like audience segmentation, cross-device tracking, and real-time bidding, making CTV advertising more efficient and measurable than traditional TV ads.

Key Facts

CTV ad spending is projected to reach $31.1 billion by 2024, up from $19.1 billion in 2022
Google's Display & Video 360 reaches over 90% of internet users globally, including major CTV platforms
The Trade Desk's platform processes over 14 million ad impressions per second, with CTV being its fastest-growing channel
Roku's OneView platform reaches over 70 million active accounts in the U.S., representing about 50% of CTV households
Programmatic CTV advertising grew by 57% in 2023, driven by increased adoption of connected TV devices

Overview

Connected TV (CTV) advertising refers to video ads delivered through internet-connected television devices, including smart TVs, streaming sticks, gaming consoles, and set-top boxes. The CTV advertising market emerged in the early 2010s with the rise of streaming services like Netflix and Hulu, but gained significant momentum after 2015 as smart TV adoption accelerated. By 2020, CTV advertising became a mainstream channel, with platforms like Roku and Amazon Fire TV establishing dedicated ad networks. The market has grown rapidly, from $8.1 billion in 2020 to $19.1 billion in 2022, driven by cord-cutting trends and increased streaming consumption. Major players include Google (through YouTube TV and Display & Video 360), The Trade Desk, Roku, Amazon (via Fire TV and IMDb TV), and Samsung Ads. These platforms compete to provide advertisers with access to premium streaming inventory across thousands of apps and channels.

How It Works

CTV advertising platforms operate through programmatic technology that automates ad buying and placement. Advertisers use demand-side platforms (DSPs) like The Trade Desk or Google DV360 to set targeting parameters, budgets, and creative assets. These platforms connect to supply-side platforms (SSPs) that aggregate inventory from streaming apps and publishers. When a user streams content, an ad request is sent to an ad exchange, where real-time bidding occurs based on the user's profile and viewing context. Winning ads are served within seconds, often as pre-roll, mid-roll, or display ads. Advanced platforms use first-party data (like viewing history) and third-party data (demographics, interests) for precise targeting. Measurement includes metrics like completion rates, viewability, and attribution through device graphs that track cross-device behavior. Some platforms also offer interactive ad formats and shoppable ads that drive direct conversions.

Why It Matters

CTV advertising matters because it combines the reach of traditional TV with the precision of digital advertising, reaching cord-cutters and streaming audiences that are inaccessible via linear TV. It enables brands to target specific demographics, interests, and behaviors with measurable ROI, unlike traditional TV's broad targeting. For publishers and streaming services, CTV ads provide crucial revenue streams that support content creation and distribution. The growth of CTV advertising is reshaping the media landscape, driving innovation in ad formats and measurement standards. It also supports the sustainability of free ad-supported streaming services, offering consumers more choices while maintaining privacy-compliant targeting. As CTV usage continues to grow, these platforms will play a key role in the future of video advertising.