Comparisons⏱️ 8 min readFor affiliates and media buyers

Native ad networks place your ad inside a publisher’s content: in a “recommended for you” widget, in an article feed or between paragraphs. The ad looks like the content around it, with a headline, an image and a small “sponsored” label. For affiliates, that’s useful because native visitors arrive in reading mode, which suits advertorial and review-style pre-landers.

Native networks differ a lot, though. Some are open-web platforms built for performance buyers, some lean on premium publishers, and some are multi-format networks that sell native next to push and pop. This roundup compares well-known native ad networks using details from their own websites, checked on 21 and 22 October 2026. Rawbitads is included, and we’ve tried to be fair about where each one fits.

How Native Ads Work for Affiliates

A native ad usually has three parts: a headline, a thumbnail image and the site or brand name. Visitors click because the headline makes them curious, not because they’re ready to buy. That’s why most affiliate native funnels go ad → advertorial or review pre-lander → offer. The pre-lander tells the story, answers doubts and sends warm visitors to the offer.

If you’re new to the format, our push vs pop vs native guide explains how native compares with other formats, and our guide to picking a self-serve network covers the general checks.

What to Look For in Native Ad Networks

• Pricing models. CPC is standard. CPM and conversion-based bidding are useful once you have tracking in place.
• Entry budget. Look at the minimum deposit and any minimum daily or campaign budget, plus what the network recommends for a real test.
• Placement reporting. You need widget, site or sub-ID data so you can block placements that don’t convert.
• Targeting. GEO, device, OS, browser and, ideally, interest or contextual targeting.
• Creative tools. A/B testing of headlines and images saves time, because native lives or dies on creatives.
• Offer fit. Check each network’s creative and content guidelines before you build a funnel for it.

Native Ad Networks Compared

Test native traffic on Rawbitads →

A Closer Look at Each Network

Rawbitads. Native placements styled as sponsored articles, recommended content and in-feed posts, on CPC or CPM in 220+ GEOs. SmartBid works from your target CPA and blacklists weak zones in real time, and there’s no minimum spend, so you can test an advertorial angle without a big deposit. The same account also sells push, pop, in-page, direct click and Telegram, which is handy when a native headline starts winning.

MGID. A large open-web native platform with several widget formats. It runs on prepaid CPC and says it doesn’t offer a CPA model, but its CPA Tune tool bids toward a cost per action. The minimum deposit is $100, and MGID recommends $650 so a test collects enough data and unlocks CPA Tune.

Taboola (Realize). Sells on CPC or CPM. Its help center doesn’t list a fixed minimum deposit but recommends a daily budget of at least $50, or ten times your CPA goal, per campaign. Billing can be automatic (typically in $100 increments), monthly invoice or prepaid.

Outbrain. Buys through Outbrain Amplify or programmatically through a DSP. Its buying options page lists a conversion bid strategy that optimizes toward conversions, CPA or ROAS, plus lookalike and interest targeting.

Revcontent. A native platform that says advertisers generally buy on CPC and that there are no minimum spending requirements.

RichAds and Evadav. Push-led networks that also sell native. RichAds prices native on CPC with a $150 minimum. Evadav sells native on CPC or CPM with a $100 minimum.

How a Native Affiliate Funnel Works

Native Settings That Matter on Every Network

• Separate desktop and mobile. Feeds look different on each, and so do conversion rates.
• Start with three to five ads. Different headlines with the same image, then the reverse.
• Bid near the recommendation. Low CPCs on native often mean you only win low-value placements.
• Use daily caps. Especially in the first week, while placement data builds up.
• Refresh creatives. Native audiences see the same widgets often, so winning ads tire.
• Track to the real goal. For lead or sale offers, optimize to the conversion, not the click. Our bidding models guide explains when to switch to target CPA.

Common Mistakes With Native Networks

• Sending native clicks straight to the offer. Most native visitors need a pre-lander first.
• Clickbait that the pre-lander can’t back up. High CTR with a high bounce rate burns budget.
• Judging a platform on two days. Native needs placement data, so plan a test budget that covers a week or more.
• Ignoring placement reports. Many campaigns are profitable only on a fraction of their sources.
• One creative for every GEO. Headlines and images often need to be localized.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a native ad network?

It’s an ad network that places ads inside publisher content, such as recommendation widgets and article feeds, styled to match the page. Native ads are usually bought on CPC, and some networks also offer CPM or conversion-based bidding.

Which native ad network is best for affiliates?

It depends on your offer, GEO and budget. Compare networks on pricing models, entry budget, placement reporting and bidding tools, check their creative guidelines, then test two with the same pre-lander and tracking and keep the one with the lower cost per conversion.

How much budget do I need to test native ads?

That depends on the network’s minimum and your CPA. Some networks publish entry points, such as a $100 minimum deposit at MGID or a recommended daily budget of at least $50 at Taboola, while Revcontent and Rawbitads list no minimum spend. Plan enough budget for several conversions per placement group.

Do native ads need a pre-lander?

For most affiliate offers, yes. Native visitors click out of curiosity, so an advertorial or review page that explains the offer usually converts better than sending them straight to it.

Does Rawbitads sell native ads?

Yes. Rawbitads sells in-feed native placements on CPC or CPM in 220+ GEOs, with SmartBid target CPA bidding, real-time zone blacklisting and no minimum spend, alongside push, pop and Telegram in the same account.

Sources

Checked on 21 and 22 October 2026 on each network’s own pages: Rawbitads formats, Rawbitads advertisers, MGID advertisers, MGID pricing and billing, MGID campaign setup, Taboola pricing and billing, Taboola budget and pacing, Outbrain buying options, Revcontent advertisers, RichAds FAQ and Evadav advertiser FAQ.

Test Two, Keep the Winner

The best native ad network for your affiliate offers is the one that accepts your offer type, fits your test budget and gives you the placement data to cut waste. Pick two from this list, run the same advertorial on both and scale the one with the better cost per conversion.