Freestar
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersPhoenix, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
Freestar firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Freestar
- Legal name
- Publisher First, Inc.
- Website
- https://freestar.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Freestar industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Ad Tech / Programmatic Advertising
- NAICS
- Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services (5418), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (516210)
- SIC
- Services-Advertising (7310)
- akta.pro primary industry
- App Monetization & Subscription Management Platforms (BPAMADAI)
Keywords
Where Freestar is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Phoenix
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Freestar business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Publisher Monetization Services: Freestar generates revenue by providing monetization services to digital publishers. They act as an extension of publisher teams, managing header bidding, demand partnerships, and yield optimization. Revenue comes from the spread or share of advertising revenue generated for publishers.
- Fully Managed Header Bidding: All-inclusive white-glove service where Freestar handles every aspect of optimizing monetization for publishers. Revenue generated through revenue share arrangements with publishers.
- Flex Technology Licensing: Flexible plug-and-play solution for publishers with in-house ad ops teams who want access to Freestar's enterprise-level technology while maintaining control of their ad stack.
- Intelligence Suite and Advertising Technology: Providing intelligence suite and integration into broader advertising ecosystems for partners like The Associated Press, generating revenue through service agreements.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Fully Managed Monetization - All-inclusive white-glove service for publishers |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Flex Technology - Flexible plug-and-play solution for publishers with in-house teams |
| Other | One time/ perpetual license | Referral Program - Publishers can refer new partners |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Freestar product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Freestar provides programmatic ad monetization services and technology for digital publishers through its unified pubOS platform. The company combines header bidding, yield management, and unified analytics with white-glove service, offering both fully managed monetization and a plug-and-play Flex technology tier for in-house ad ops teams.
Product overview
Freestar is a programmatic ad monetization platform that operates as a unified Publisher Operating System (pubOS) combining multiple integrated solutions. The core product portfolio includes two service tiers: Fully Managed Monetization (white-glove service with end-to-end ad ops) and Flex Header Bidding Technology (plug-and-play technology for in-house teams). These are powered by pubOS, which consolidates header bidding, yield management, and analytics with integrated partner solutions. Additional offerings include AMP Monetization, App Monetization with lightweight SDK, Audience Development services, Identity Solutions (LiveRamp, ID5, UnifiedID 2.0), and Ad Block Recovery. The platform supports over 30 ad format types including Video Adhesion, Native, Interstitial, Sticky Footer, and Rewarded Video. The Freestar Intelligence Suite provides AI-powered optimization using dynamic flooring algorithms across billions of monthly impressions. Recent acquisitions of Sortable (2021) and Triple13 (2021) expanded the publisher network and AMP capabilities.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- pubOS: A unified Publisher Operating System that consolidates header bidding, yield management, and unified analytics into one platform for digital publishers.
- Freestar Flex
- Freestar Intelligence
Products and services
- pubOS A unified Publisher Operating System that consolidates header bidding, yield management, and unified analytics into a single platform. Includes a marketplace of vetted partners for identity, AI tools, compliance, and analytics, combined with white-glove service support for digital publishers.
- Fully Managed Monetization
- Flex Header Bidding Technology A flexible, plug-and-play solution providing enterprise-level monetization technology for publishers with in-house ad ops teams. Offers AI-powered micro-wrapper, real-time auction controls, and built-in A/B testing tools.
- AMP Monetization Specialized optimization service for Google Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP), featuring dynamic floor pricing powered by AI/machine learning and real-time bidding to deliver high yields from AMP inventory.
- App Monetization Mobile app mediation platform with lightweight SDK for iOS and Android apps, providing access to 25+ demand partners and universal auction technology to maximize in-app ad revenue.
- Audience Development Traffic and audience growth service covering SEO optimization, engagement strategies, content strategy, newsletter development, and first-party data collection to build audiences that monetize well.
- Adhesion Player Freestar's flagship video ad experience delivering high-yielding, high viewability video ads with 3-4x display CPM rates paired with high fill rates. Minimal impact on page speed and user experience.
- Freestar Intelligence Suite Custom-built optimization technology featuring dynamic AI that analyzes billions of data points to optimize ad stack performance in real-time, including custom Prebid wrapper and dynamic flooring models.
Quantifiable outcome
- SignUp achieved 45% YoY revenue lift
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Freestar
Customer profileNamed customers15 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Freestar technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration61 records
AI capability8 records
Feature6 records
Freestar partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
37 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- The Media TrustcoreFreestar participates in The Media Trust's inaugural Product Advisory Council alongside Microsoft, Amazon, BBC, Criteo, Disney, The Trade Desk, and other major industry players. Council focuses on coordinated action against digital threats including malvertising, cloaked creatives, and ad fraud. 84% of members identified digital threat management as top priority for 2026.
- The Associated Press (AP)coreStrategic collaboration to enhance AP's programmatic advertising performance and access to premium global advertisers. Partnership includes providing Freestar's Intelligence Suite and integrating AP into broader advertising ecosystems like The Trade Desk's News Navigator program. Collaboration aims to generate new revenue streams for AP and support quality journalism.
- The Trade DeskcoreAP integrated into The Trade Desk's News Navigator program through Freestar's collaboration. Trade Desk is a key SSP/demand partner in Freestar's pubOS ecosystem.
- SourcepointcorePartnership with Sourcepoint to provide Freestar publishers access to portfolio of leading privacy solutions, including consent management and compliance tools.
- Amazon ( SSP)coreAmazon SSP integrated into pubOS as a supply-side platform partner, enabling publishers to access Amazon's demand through Freestar's unified platform.
- Google AdXcoreGoogle AdX integrated as SSP partner in pubOS ecosystem, providing access to Google's exchange demand.
- MagnitecoreMagnite (formerly Rubicon Project) integrated as SSP partner in pubOS, providing programmatic demand for publishers.
- PubMaticcorePubMatic integrated as SSP partner in pubOS ecosystem.
- Index ExchangecoreIndex Exchange integrated as SSP partner in pubOS.
- OpenXcoreOpenX integrated as SSP partner in pubOS ecosystem.
- CriteocoreCriteo integrated as SSP partner in pubOS ecosystem, providing retargeting and display demand.
- TripleLiftcoreTripleLift integrated as SSP partner in pubOS ecosystem.
- Microsoft AdvertisingcoreMicrosoft Advertising integrated as SSP partner in pubOS.
- YahoocoreYahoo integrated as SSP partner in pubOS ecosystem.
- LiveRampcoreLiveRamp integrated as identity partner within pubOS, providing authenticated traffic solutions and people-based advertising identity solutions.
- ID5coreID5 integrated as identity partner providing user sync and identity services for advertising within pubOS.
- CadentminorCadent integrated as SSP partner in pubOS ecosystem.
- ConcertminorConcert integrated as SSP partner in pubOS.
- GumGumminorGumGum integrated as SSP partner in pubOS ecosystem.
- InmobiminorInmobi integrated as SSP partner in pubOS.
- NativominorNativo integrated as SSP partner in pubOS ecosystem.
- OguryminorOgury integrated as SSP partner in pubOS.
- SeedtagminorSeedtag integrated as SSP partner in pubOS ecosystem.
- SharethroughminorSharethrough integrated as SSP partner in pubOS.
- TeadsminorTeads integrated as SSP partner in pubOS ecosystem.
- YieldmominorYieldmo integrated as SSP partner in pubOS.
- PrimisminorPrimis integrated as video partner in pubOS ecosystem.
- ConnatixminorConnatix integrated as video partner in pubOS.
- SpringServeminorSpringServe integrated as video partner in pubOS ecosystem.
- AppLovincoreAppLovin integrated as app partner providing mobile app demand within pubOS.
- Google AdMobcoreGoogle AdMob integrated as app partner within pubOS for mobile app monetization.
- MetacoreMeta integrated as app partner providing Facebook/Instagram audience demand for app monetization.
- Unity AdscoreUnity Ads integrated as app partner in pubOS for mobile gaming app monetization.
- VunglecoreVungle integrated as app partner providing mobile video ad demand.
- PanglecorePangle integrated as app partner for international mobile app demand.
- Digital TurbinecoreDigital Turbine integrated as app partner providing mobile carrier and device-level ad delivery.
- PubNative/VervecorePubNative/Verve integrated as app partner for in-app programmatic advertising.
Scale indicators12 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Freestar competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Ezoic: Ezoic competes directly with Freestar by providing AI-driven ad optimization and header bidding for digital publishers, with a similar revenue-share model and self-serve/managed hybrid GTM targeting mid-market and enterprise publishers.
- Sovrn: Sovrn operates a publisher monetization platform spanning header bidding, an SSP, and demand services, overlapping with Freestar's pubOS across web publisher yield management and header bidding wrapper capabilities.
- Raptive (formerly CafeMedia): Raptive is the closest direct competitor to Freestar's managed publisher monetization service, offering ad management, header bidding, and yield optimization to premium digital publishers with a similar white-glove service model and ad revenue share pricing.
- Mediavine: Mediavine provides managed ad optimization, header bidding, and yield services to premium independent publishers, with a similar white-glove service approach and content-quality focus as Freestar's managed tier.
- Playwire: Playwire offers publisher monetization services including header bidding, demand management, and ad ops support, sharing Freestar's core focus on revenue-share managed services for digital publishers.
Broad incumbents
- Magnite: Magnite (formerly Rubicon Project) is a leading independent SSP providing header bidding, CTV, and programmatic demand, directly comparable as a supply-side partner integrated into Freestar's pubOS ecosystem.
- Index Exchange: Index Exchange is a global exchange and header bidding SSP that competes at the supply-path layer with Freestar's pubOS, providing demand and auction infrastructure to many of the same publishers.
- AppLovin: AppLovin is a public ad-tech incumbent offering app monetization and programmatic demand, competing with Freestar's app monetization product and integrated as a demand partner within pubOS.
- OpenX: OpenX is a programmatic SSP and header bidding provider serving publishers and demand partners globally, directly comparable at the auction infrastructure and SSP layer that pubOS orchestrates.
- PubMatic: PubMatic is a public SSP that monetizes publisher inventory through header bidding and supply-path optimization, overlapping with pubOS on the SSP/header bidding layer though operating at a much larger scale as a public incumbent.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Freestar social profiles
Digital presenceFreestar financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Freestar leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles19 records
Freestar subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
Freestar funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Freestar M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A2 records
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Freestar
What does Freestar do?
Freestar provides programmatic ad monetization services and technology for digital publishers through its unified pubOS platform. The company combines header bidding, yield management, and unified analytics with white-glove service, offering both fully managed monetization and a plug-and-play Flex technology tier for in-house ad ops teams.
Is Freestar a public or private company?
Freestar is a private company. It is classified as private equity controlled and is currently operating.
When was Freestar founded?
Freestar was founded in 2015. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Freestar based?
Freestar is headquartered in Phoenix, United States, in the North America region.
How does Freestar make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Publisher Monetization Services are the primary driver. The others are fully Managed Header Bidding, flex Technology Licensing and intelligence Suite and Advertising Technology.
Who are Freestar's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Ezoic, Sovrn, Raptive (formerly CafeMedia), Mediavine and Playwire. Broad incumbents are Magnite, Index Exchange, AppLovin, OpenX and PubMatic.
Does Freestar have an API?
No public API is recorded for Freestar.
What industry is Freestar in?
Freestar's product category is Ad Tech / Programmatic Advertising. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAMADAI, App Monetization & Subscription Management Platforms. Its NAICS code is 5418 and its SIC code is 7310.