Persona.ly
Persona.ly is an Israel-based ad-tech company operating an ML-driven programmatic DSP for mobile app user acquisition, re-engagement, and Connected TV advertising, serving 100+ app developers, gaming studios, and agencies across six global offices.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersRehovot, Israel
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Persona.ly does
Persona.ly is a global ad-tech company operating a machine learning-driven programmatic Demand-Side Platform (DSP) for mobile app user acquisition, re-engagement, and — most recently — Connected TV advertising. Headquartered in Rehovot, Israel with a U.S. base in San Francisco and additional offices in Tokyo, Seoul, Beijing, Mumbai, and Jakarta, the company was founded in 2013 and serves 100+ mobile app developers, gaming studios, e-commerce platforms, and digital marketing agencies. Its core technology is a proprietary ML bidder that processes more than 4 million ad auctions per second, analyzing 60+ structured data points per impression (placement, geo, installed apps, usage hours, click tendencies, persona signals) to predict click, install, and revenue probability. Differentiated components include ELMo-based contextual word-vector targeting with TF-IDF weighting, Dynamic Audiences real-time segmentation, Multi-Armed Bandit/Contextual Bandit creative optimization, bid shading for first-price auctions, SKAdNetwork NLP for post-iOS 14.5 contextual targeting, and a household-level graph powering its CTV product.
The product surface spans a flagship Programmatic Mobile DSP plus four modules — User Acquisition, Re-Engagement, Programmatic CTV for Mobile Apps, and Programmatic for Agencies — alongside the proprietary 'Really' rewarded UA platform and supporting tools (Context Distance Calculator, UA Glossary, The Weekly Retention blog). Revenue is generated transactionally on a performance basis (CPA, ROAS-tied pricing with full transparency), complemented by agency-channel reseller revenue and bespoke gaming/e-commerce case-study engagements. Persona.ly holds direct integrations with all major SSPs, OEMs, attribution platforms (Adjust, AppsFlyer, Kochava, Branch, Singular, Firebase, Airbridge, Tenjin, myTracker), and Japanese exchanges (Supership, Fluct), and has earned external validation including #2 in AppsFlyer's 2025 Gaming iOS Retargeting ranking for North America and Top ROI Ad Partner in the Singular ROI Index for three consecutive years.
Persona.ly firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Persona.ly
- Legal name
- Persona.ly
- Website
- https://persona.ly
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Persona.ly is an Israel-based ad-tech company operating an ML-driven programmatic DSP for mobile app user acquisition, re-engagement, and Connected TV advertising, serving 100+ app developers, gaming studios, and agencies across six global offices.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Persona.ly industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Programmatic Mobile Advertising Technology
- NAICS
- Media Buying Agencies (54183), Advertising Agencies (541810)
- SIC
- Services-Advertising (7310), Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Demand-Side Platforms (DSP) (BPAMALAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Programmatic Display & Retargeting (DSP) (MPAAACAE), Marketing Technology, AdTech & MarTech Services (BPAFAAAN), Personalization, Recommendations & Search (MPAHAJAF)
Keywords
Where Persona.ly is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Rehovot
- HQ country
- Israel
- HQ region
- Middle East
Offices6 records
Markets served
Persona.ly business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Operations
Revenue model
- Programmatic Mobile DSP Services: Performance-driven mobile user acquisition and re-engagement services using proprietary ML algorithms. Charges based on advertising spend (cost per install, cost per engagement, ROAS-based pricing) with full transparency on campaign performance.
- Rewarded User Acquisition (Really Platform): Gamified reward-based user acquisition platform driving loyal, high-value users through proprietary Really app. Revenue generated from UA campaigns leveraging gamified user engagement.
- Programmatic CTV Advertising: Connected TV DSP services exclusively for mobile apps, enabling user acquisition and retargeting across programmatic CTV channels at scale.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Outcome Based/ Performance | Pay-as-you-go | Full-service programmatic DSP with expert campaign management |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels8 records
Persona.ly product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Persona.ly operates a machine learning-driven programmatic Demand-Side Platform (DSP) for mobile app user acquisition and re-engagement, processing over 4 million ad auctions per second and analyzing 60+ data points per impression. The company also offers Programmatic Connected TV (CTV) advertising built exclusively for mobile apps, a rewarded user acquisition platform branded as "Really" that combines gamified rewards with DSP insights, and a dedicated programmatic solution for digital marketing agencies.
Product overview
Persona.ly is a global AdTech product company operating a machine learning-driven programmatic ecosystem for mobile app growth. The core offering is the Programmatic Mobile DSP, which processes 4M+ ad auctions per second using proprietary ML algorithms. The platform encompasses distinct modules for User Acquisition, Re-Engagement, Programmatic CTV, and Agency solutions. Complementary to the DSP is the 'Really' rewarded UA platform, which combines gamified user experiences with DSP insights to acquire high-LTV users. Supporting tools include the Context Distance Calculator (ELMo-based contextual targeting) and UA Glossary (educational resource). The company serves mobile app developers and gaming companies with 10 years of operations, 6 global offices, and partnerships with 100+ clients including major industry players.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Really: Proprietary app discovery and loyalty platform that combines gamified rewards with programmatic DSP insights to acquire high-value users. Provides fully gamified experience while serving users recommendations on apps they will truly enjoy.
Products and services
- Programmatic Mobile DSP Machine learning-driven mobile Demand-Side Platform enabling programmatic user acquisition and re-engagement at scale. Processes 4M+ ad auctions per second, analyzes 60+ data points per impression, and uses proprietary ML algorithms for predictive targeting and bid optimization. Aimed at mobile app developers, gaming companies, e-commerce, and services apps seeking advertising outside traditional walled-garden channels.
- Programmatic User Acquisition Mobile user acquisition solution leveraging the Programmatic DSP platform with ML algorithms for precise targeting at scale. Enables advertisers to reach qualified users outside traditional platforms and diversify their media mix. Aimed at mobile app developers seeking high-quality installs.
- Programmatic Re-Engagement Retargeting solution using a Dynamic Audiences segmentation engine to define user segments based on in-app behavior and drive high ROAS. Includes dynamic creatives and deep links support. Built for mobile apps seeking to re-engage existing or lapsed users.
- Programmatic CTV for Mobile Apps Connected TV advertising DSP built exclusively for mobile apps, enabling household-level user acquisition and retargeting at scale across programmatic CTV channels. Supports In-Stream, Companion, and Non-Linear ad units and integrates with CTV providers including BET, TNT Sports, Plex, Samsung TV Plus, Tubi, CBS, and Fubo.
- Programmatic for Agencies Agency-focused DSP solution providing ML-driven campaign capabilities, traffic quality assurance, brand safety guarantees, and a full transparency dashboard. Built for digital marketing agencies managing mobile advertising campaigns for multiple clients.
- Really (Rewarded UA Platform) Proprietary gamified app discovery and loyalty platform combining reward-based mechanics (milestones, daily challenges, quests, loot boxes) with ML-driven DSP insights to acquire high-LTV, loyal users. Available on Google Play Store and aimed at apps seeking engaged, high-value user bases.
Quantifiable outcome
- 5.4x ROAS D1 KPI outperforming for Home & Shopping e-commerce retargeting campaign
- +7 more outcomes
Companies that use Persona.ly
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Persona.ly technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration13 records
AI capability9 records
Feature9 records
Persona.ly partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, regional and strategic.
- AdjustcoreAttribution measurement and analytics partner integrated with Persona.ly's DSP for campaign performance tracking and optimization
- AppsFlyercoreAttribution measurement partner providing mobile analytics and performance indexing; Persona.ly ranked in AppsFlyer Performance Index 2025
- KochavacoreAttribution analytics and mobile measurement partner integrated for campaign tracking
- BranchcoreCross-platform measurement and deep linking platform integrated for user acquisition tracking and attribution
- SingularcoreROI analytics partner; Persona.ly consistently ranked in Singular ROI Index as top ROI ad partner
- Firebase (Google)coreGoogle Firebase integration for mobile app analytics and performance measurement
- SupershipregionalJapanese ad exchange integration for reaching users in Japanese market outside walled gardens
- FluctregionalJapanese ad exchange integration for localized Japanese market targeting
- Insight AgencystrategicDigital marketing agency partnership for NHN PlayArt #Compass campaign; agency manages multiple DSPs under identical attribution conditions and made bold budget allocations to Persona.ly based on predictive accuracy
Scale indicators15 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Persona.ly competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- AppLovin: AppLovin operates AXON, one of the largest mobile DSPs, providing programmatic UA and monetization for app developers. Direct competitor in programmatic mobile advertising, though at materially greater scale with broader mediation stack.
- Moloco: Moloco runs an ML-driven programmatic DSP for mobile user acquisition and CTV, serving app developers globally. Closest technology analog to Persona.ly given shared emphasis on proprietary machine-learning bidding and CTV expansion.
- Unity LevelPlay (ironSource): Unity's LevelPlay mediation and ironSource UA platform provide mobile DSP and ad monetization for app developers, particularly gaming. Directly competes for the same mobile-app advertiser budgets as Persona.ly.
- Liftoff: Liftoff is a mobile performance DSP focused on user acquisition and re-engagement for apps, with Vungle as its creative network. Direct competitor in mobile-app programmatic DSP, particularly for retargeting.
- Digital Turbine: Digital Turbine provides mobile ad-tech solutions including programmatic UA, app delivery via OEM integrations, and CTV. Comparable in mobile DSP and direct OEM/SSP distribution strategy.
- Tapjoy: Tapjoy operates a rewarded UA and ad-monetization platform with opt-in value-exchange advertising for apps. Direct competitor to Persona.ly's Really rewarded UA product.
- InMobi: InMobi is a mobile ad-tech platform offering programmatic DSP, mediation, and consumer surveys, with global reach across APAC, Americas, and EMEA. Comparable in mobile programmatic DSP and rewarded ad formats.
- Chartboost: Chartboost (a Bitstamp-owned entity after Singular acquisition) provides programmatic mobile UA, mediation, and direct-deal ad serving for gaming apps. Direct competitor in mobile gaming programmatic.
Broad incumbents
- Meta Advantage+ (Meta Ads): Meta's Advantage+ and broad Facebook/Instagram Ads products are the dominant walled-garden mobile ad platforms that Persona.ly positions itself against. Persona.ly's pitch of "outside the walled gardens" makes Meta the primary alternative incumbent.
- Google AdMob: Google AdMob and Google Ad Manager provide mobile-app ad serving and programmatic buying at massive scale. Broad incumbent whose ecosystem Persona.ly competes against for mobile-app ad budgets.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Persona.ly social profiles
Digital presencePersona.ly financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Persona.ly leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Persona.ly funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Persona.ly M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Persona.ly
What does Persona.ly do?
Persona.ly operates a machine learning-driven programmatic Demand-Side Platform (DSP) for mobile app user acquisition and re-engagement, processing over 4 million ad auctions per second and analyzing 60+ data points per impression. The company also offers Programmatic Connected TV (CTV) advertising built exclusively for mobile apps, a rewarded user acquisition platform branded as "Really" that combines gamified rewards with DSP insights, and a dedicated programmatic solution for digital marketing agencies.
Is Persona.ly a public or private company?
Persona.ly is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Persona.ly founded?
Persona.ly was founded in 2015. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Persona.ly based?
Persona.ly is headquartered in Rehovot, Israel, in the Middle East region.
How does Persona.ly make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Programmatic Mobile DSP Services are the primary driver. The others are rewarded User Acquisition (Really Platform) and programmatic CTV Advertising.
Who are Persona.ly's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are AppLovin, Moloco, Unity LevelPlay (ironSource), Liftoff, Digital Turbine, Tapjoy, InMobi and Chartboost. Broad incumbents are Meta Advantage+ (Meta Ads) and Google AdMob.
Does Persona.ly have an API?
No public API is recorded for Persona.ly.
What industry is Persona.ly in?
Persona.ly's product category is Programmatic Mobile Advertising Technology. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAMALAB, Demand-Side Platforms (DSP), with a secondary code of MPAAACAE, Programmatic Display & Retargeting (DSP). Its NAICS code is 54183 and its SIC code is 7310.