AdLib is the Basis alternative with premium streaming, lower CPMs and no lock-in
Basis gives you one DSP bundled with workflow tools. AdLib gives you 20+ tier-1 DSPs in one platform, with lower CPMs and premium streaming Basis can't match.
15 minutes to see the platform. No minimums. No contracts.
Our partners and integrations
See the inventory gap for yourself
Type any streaming platform, social platform, or data partner. We'll show you what's available in AdLib and Basis.
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AdLib gives you access across premium streaming, social inventory, and data-rich supply sources in one workflow, so you can see where Basis creates gaps before a campaign ever launches.
Found inventory Basis can't reach? Run a test campaign on it this week.
Start a test campaignHow users rate AdLib vs Basis on G2
The winning difference is in the details. AdLib scores higher where agencies care most: setup, usability, support, and product direction.
4.7 / 5 62 reviews
AdLib makes it easy to run campaigns across the world's top DSPs. We know its broad mix of channels, creative formats, and inventory partners will never hold us back, which gives us the confidence to deliver exactly what our clients expect.
On top of that, the platform itself is simple and intuitive—which I really enjoy—and the customer support is outstanding and attentive.
Why performance agencies switch from Basis to AdLib
Basis works for traditional teams that want one vendor to handle everything. But as your clients demand better performance, premium streaming inventory, and real-time reporting, Basis won't let you:
- × Compete for inventory across multiple DSPs in the same auction
- × Activate on YouTube, Prime Video, or Disney+
- × Walk into a client call with live, fast-loading dashboards
- × Launch a campaign in minutes without waiting on an account rep
AdLib gives you what one bundled DSP can't
20+ tier-1 DSPs in one platform
Trade Desk, DV360, Amazon, Yahoo, Moloco, Beeswax, and more, accessed through a single UI. AdLib auto-routes spend to the best-performing supply source per campaign.
Premium streaming Basis can't reach
Netflix, YouTube, Prime Video, and Peacock. With ~90% of CTV consumption happening across roughly 10 apps, missing the biggest ones is a problem.
Self-service speed or managed services
Choose full self-service, semi-managed, or fully managed per campaign. Launch in under 60 seconds without waiting on a rep.
What you get with AdLib that Basis doesn't offer
More bidders, lower effective CPMs
Basis runs a single proprietary DSP. If their supply partners change pricing or drop a publisher, you have nowhere else to go.
AdLib benchmarks 20+ tier-1 DSPs (Trade Desk, DV360, Amazon, Yahoo, Moloco) against each other in real time. When one underperforms, your budget shifts to the next best option.
Teams coming off Basis consistently report at least 30% lower effective CPMs.
Get access to inventory Basis simply doesn't have
Basis has no YouTube partnership, no Netflix, no Prime Video.
AdLib activates across YouTube, Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, Hulu, Peacock, and more.
Reporting you can put in front of a client mid-call
Basis users complain about slow-loading reports and end-of-flight summaries that fall apart in client meetings.
AdLib gives you one fast-loading dashboard across all DSPs with granular controls and client-friendly views.
Build your own programmatic product on top
Basis' API is limited and its workflow tools are legacy.
Every action in the AdLib UI is available through the API: campaign creation, reporting, budget management. Build your own white-label dashboard, control the client relationship and resell programmatic as your own offering.
Auto-invoice and collect, no manual reconciliation
Basis leaves billing and reconciliation to spreadsheets and end-of-month chasing.
AdLib generates invoices per client, tracks spend against budget automatically, and collects so you can run the books like a media product, not a side task.
Test with one campaign, scale when it works
Basis typically requires $25K–$50K+/month and prefers annual or multi-quarter contracts.
AdLib has no spend commitments and no contracts. Run a single test campaign this week. Stay or leave.
Run the same campaign through both platforms and compare the numbers yourself.
Start a parallel testBuilt for campaigns that keep scaling
AdLib is not just a test platform. Agencies keep using it when campaigns become ongoing media programs and spend moves into higher tiers.
Client retention rate
A stronger proof point than a one-off campaign win: clients continue using AdLib after the initial test.
Retention for clients spending >$500K/year
When spend gets serious, teams need broader supply access, reliable reporting, and support that does not slow them down.
We can run YouTube ads in AdLib. I have never seen such an option in any other DSPs.
Keep Basis where it works and use AdLib to plug the gaps
You do not have to rip and replace on day one. Run the same campaign through AdLib in parallel, then compare effective CPMs, inventory access, fill rates, and performance without taking on a long-term contract.
Frequently asked questions
You can run both. Most teams keep Basis where it already works and run the same campaign through AdLib in parallel to compare effective CPMs, fill rates, and inventory access head-to-head, with no rip-and-replace required and no contractual risk.
Basis runs a single proprietary DSP, so you only ever see one set of bids. AdLib benchmarks 20+ tier-1 DSPs against each other in real time and auto-routes budget to the best-performing supply source. More bidders competing for the same impression means lower effective CPMs, with teams coming off Basis consistently reporting at least 30% improvement.
Yes, and you choose the model per campaign. Run fully self-service for speed, semi-managed for a hybrid setup, or fully managed when you want the AdLib team to handle execution. On G2, AdLib scores 97% on Quality of Support versus Basis at 95%.
AdLib activates across YouTube, Netflix, Prime Video, Peacock, YouTube TV, Amazon Twitch, plus data-rich sources like Walmart, Amazon Shopper, Yahoo, and Google device graphs. Basis has no YouTube partnership and no Netflix or Prime Video access. Disney+ and Hulu are available on both.
Basis typically requires $25K–$50K+/month with annual or multi-quarter contracts. AdLib has no minimums and no contracts, so you can start with a single test campaign this week, then scale month-to-month only when it works.
Ready to run what Basis can't?
15 minutes to see the platform. No minimums. No contracts. No sales pressure.