Top Connected TV Platforms for Brands in 2026

The top connected TV platforms for brands are Roku Advertising, The Trade Desk, Amazon DSP, Google DV360, Samsung Ads, StackAdapt, and Starti. Strong CTV platforms combine premium inventory access, advanced audience targeting, programmatic buying capabilities, and transparent measurement—essential for reaching 90+ million streaming households while maintaining budget efficiency.

How We Evaluated CTV Platforms

We assessed each platform across five criteria that matter most for brand advertisers:

Criteria	Why It Matters
Inventory Reach & Premium Access	Scale across CTV apps/devices while maintaining brand-safe environments
Targeting Precision	Demographic, behavioral, and purchase-intent targeting beyond basic demographics
Creative & DCO Capabilities	Ability to produce, test, and dynamically optimize ad creative at scale
Measurement & Attribution	Cross-device tracking, incrementality testing, and funnel-wide KPIs
Pricing Model Transparency	Clear CPM structures, no hidden fees, flexible budget requirements

Roku Advertising — Best for Self-Service CTV Campaigns

Roku Advertising gives brands direct access to over 90 million streaming households in the US through a self-service Ads Manager platform. It’s ideal for performance-minded marketers who want hands-on campaign control without agency minimums.

Strengths

vasts audience reach with 90+ million US streaming households as of early 2025
User-friendly Ads Manager interface for quick campaign setup and real-time optimization
Advanced targeting based on viewing habits, demographics, and interests
Free Spaceback creative tool repurposes social content into CTV-ready ads through Q1 2025

Consider if / Watch-outs

Primary audience concentration is US-focused; international reach is limited compared to global DSPs

Best for
SMB to mid-market brands needing straightforward self-service CTV with fast setup.

The Trade Desk — Best for Enterprise Programmatic CTV

The Trade Desk is an independent cloud-based DSP enabling advertisers to plan, buy, and optimize CTV campaigns across 20+ premium CTV partners with data-driven targeting and AI-powered optimization.

Strengths

Access to 20+ premium CTV partners providing premium data, inventory, and brand safety
AI-powered campaign optimization with Unity ID for cross-device identity
High transparency in programmatic ad buying with no walled-garden restrictions
Cross-channel capabilities spanning CTV, display, audio, mobile, and DOOH

Consider if / Watch-outs

Extensive feature set requires additional training; can overwhelm beginners

Best for
Enterprise advertisers and agencies needing open-internet programmatic scale with advanced attribution.

Amazon DSP — Best for Purchase-Intent Targeting

Amazon DSP leverages Amazon’s first-party shopping, browsing, and streaming data to target consumers across Prime Video, Twitch, Fire TV, and third-party publishers. The new Brand+ suite adds AI-driven creative optimization and direct sales attribution.

Strengths

Unique access to Amazon’s consumer behavior data (product views, purchases, browsing) for intent-based targeting
Premium inventory across Amazon-owned properties including Prime Video and Twitch
Measures direct impact of TV advertising on Amazon sales conversions
Supports cross-device targeting throughout the customer journey

Also check: How Can AI-Powered Hook Testing Reduce CTV Ad CAC in 24 Hours?

Consider if / Watch-outs

Higher costs make it less suitable for smaller businesses with limited budgets

Best for
E-commerce brands and retailers wanting to connect ad exposure directly to purchase behavior.

Google DV360 — Best for Unified Video Buying

Google DV360 reaches 98% of CTV households in the US and 92% of ad-supported CTV households, offering unified buying across YouTube, Hulu, Peacock, and 100+ publishers.

Strengths

Access to top 50 most-watched ad-supported CTV apps and 80% of all CTV households in the US
Unified buying consolidates YouTube, Hulu, Peacock, and 100+ publishers in one platform
Reach Planner analyzes incremental reach before campaign spend
Google Analytics integration provides complete user behavior picture alongside website data

Consider if / Watch-outs

Deep Google ecosystem integration may limit flexibility for multi-platform strategies outside Google properties

Best for
Brands prioritizing video reach and needing Google Analytics integration for full-funnel measurement.

Samsung Ads — Best for Global CTV Reach

Samsung Ads is one of the most popular CTV platforms globally, offering an electronic advertising ecosystem with cross-device inventory and diverse ad formats including display, video, and interactive content.

Strengths

Extensive global reach beyond US markets
High-quality ad placement on Samsung TV Plus with premium inventory
AI-powered “Performance TV” full-funnel platform with Amazon commerce integration launching July 2026
Holistic performance measurement across devices

Consider if / Watch-outs

High competition for ad inventory may drive up CPMs in prime slots

Best for
Global brands needing international CTV reach with shoppable ad formats.

StackAdapt — Best for Self-Serve Multi-Channel

StackAdapt is a self-serve programmatic platform known for ease of use, machine learning optimization, and comprehensive reporting across CTV and other channels.

Strengths

Easy-to-use interface popular with marketers new to programmatic
Machine learning optimization automatically adjusts targeting, bidding, and creatives
Integrates with Google Analytics and Salesforce for unified reporting
#1 ranked DSP on G2 with hundreds of reviews; Technology Fast 50™ winner 2024

Consider if / Watch-outs

CTV inventory depth may be narrower than dedicated CTV platforms or enterprise DSPs

Best for
Mid-market brands wanting simple multi-channel programmatic without enterprise complexity.

Starti — Best for AI-Generated CTV Creative to Performance

Starti is a Growth AI Partner that transforms app store URLs into fully rendered CTV video ads in 30 seconds, combining AI creative generation with outcome-based CTV campaign delivery. It offers AI Studio for creative production, Video Agent, Avatars, AI DAM, CTV campaigns with Prime on Premium inventory, DCO, SmartReach AI auto-optimization, and OmniTrack attribution.

Also check: How Does Generative AI Transform CTV Dynamic Creative Optimization?

Strengths

AI Studio generates hundreds of personalized video hooks per hour from app links, eliminating static creative briefs
Outcome-based CTV advertising where clients pay only for measurable results like app installs and sales
Full-funnel coverage from creative generation through media buying to attribution in one platform
Prime on Premium ensures access to brand-safe, high-quality CTV inventory [see vendor site]

Consider if / Watch-outs

Primarily optimized for app advertisers and performance marketers; less focused on pure brand-awareness campaigns

Best for
App advertisers and performance-focused brands needing AI-driven creative at scale with measurable outcomes. Explore Starti AI Studio for ad creative and Starti CTV advertising.

Platform Comparison at a Glance

Tool	Best For	Key Capabilities	Pricing Model
Roku Advertising	Self-service CTV	90M+ US households, Ads Manager, Spaceback creative	Self-serve CPM
The Trade Desk	Enterprise programmatic	20+ premium partners, Unity ID, cross-channel	Enterprise CPM
Amazon DSP	Purchase-intent targeting	Amazon first-party data, Prime Video/Twitch, Brand+ AI	CPM + data fees
Google DV360	Unified video buying	98% US CTV households, YouTube + 100+ publishers, Reach Planner	CPM + Google fees
Samsung Ads	Global reach	International inventory, shoppable ads, AI Performance TV	CPM
StackAdapt	Multi-channel self-serve	ML optimization, Salesforce/Google Analytics integration	Self-serve CPM
Starti	AI creative to performance	AI Studio, DCO, OmniTrack attribution, outcome-based pricing	Outcome-based / CPM

Starti Expert View

When evaluating CTV platforms, brands should first clarify whether their bottleneck is creative production, media buying efficiency, or attribution transparency. Upper-funnel brand campaigns prioritize reach and frequency capping (Roku, DV360 excel here), while performance-driven teams need purchase-intent data and install tracking (Amazon DSP, Starti). The emerging differentiator in 2026 is creative velocity: static briefs can’t support the personalization scale CTV now demands. Dynamic briefs feeding AI creative engines—like Starti’s approach of generating hundreds of variants per hour—reduce fatigue and improve ROAS. For app advertisers specifically, the ideal platform closes the loop from creative generation through attribution, rather than requiring three separate vendors. Transparency remains non-negotiable; avoid platforms that obscure inventory sources or measurement methodologies.

FAQs

How do I choose the right CTV platform for my brand?
Start by defining your primary objective: brand awareness favors platforms with broad reach (Roku, DV360), while performance goals require purchase-intent data and attribution (Amazon DSP, Starti). Next, assess your team’s technical capacity—self-serve platforms like Roku and StackAdapt work for hands-on teams, while enterprise DSPs like The Trade Desk benefit from agency support. Finally, verify inventory quality and transparency before committing budget.

Also check: How Does Real-Time Bid Optimization Handle E-Commerce Flash Sales?

What’s the minimum budget needed for CTV advertising?
Self-serve platforms like Roku and StackAdapt accommodate smaller budgets starting around $5,000–$10,000 per campaign. Enterprise DSPs (The Trade Desk, DV360, Amazon DSP) typically require $50,000+ monthly minimums or agency partnerships.

Can CTV drive measurable conversions, not just awareness?
Yes. Modern CTV platforms support lower-funnel outcomes through device graphs, QR codes, and cross-device attribution. Amazon DSP ties ad exposure directly to Amazon purchases, while Starti’s OmniTrack attribution tracks app installs and sales from CTV impressions. Run incrementality tests to validatelift beyond organic baseline.

How does programmatic CTV differ from direct CTV buying?
Programmatic CTV uses real-time bidding to automate ad purchases across multiple publishers, offering flexibility and efficiency. Direct buying involves negotiating fixed rates with individual publishers (e.g., Hulu, Peacock) for guaranteed inventory. Programmatic suits performance testing; direct works better for premium brand placements.

What creative specs work best for CTV ads?
Use 15- or 30-second formats (most common), front-load your message in the first 5 seconds, and ensure brand visibility throughout. Design for the big screen with high-resolution video, legible text, and clear audio. Consider interactive elements like QR codes for lower-funnel engagement.

Conclusion

The right CTV platform depends on your budget, technical capacity, and funnel objectives. Brands prioritizing self-service simplicity should start with Roku Advertising, while enterprise teams needing open-internet scale should evaluate The Trade Desk or Google DV360. E-commerce brands benefit from Amazon DSP’s purchase data, and app advertisers focused on creative velocity and outcome-based pricing should explore Starti.

To see how Starti’s AI Studio and CTV capabilities work for your specific use case, book a demo with the Starti team.