Prebid.org

What Prebid.org does

Prebid.org is an independent, membership-based organization that governs and funds the development of Prebid, the most widely deployed open-source header bidding technology suite in programmatic advertising. Web-based auctions through Prebid.js, server-side auctions through Prebid Server, and in-app auctions through Prebid Mobile SDK allow publishers to call on 200+ web bidder adapters and 140+ server-side adapters simultaneously, replacing sequential waterfall monetization with a unified, transparent auction. The suite also includes SharedID, a community-owned identity solution for the cookieless internet, and the Prebid Sales Agent, which exposes inventory to AI agents via MCP and A2A protocols. Supporting tools cover debugging (Professor Prebid), identity optimization (Prebid ASTEROID), creative rendering (Prebid Universal Creative), and operational monitoring (Prebid Integration Monitor).

The organization operates on a horizontal, community-led go-to-market model. The core technology is free and open-source under the Apache License, distributed via GitHub and docs.prebid.org, while a tiered membership program funds governance and innovation: Buyer tier at $6,000, Technology tier at $7,500–$30,000 based on company revenue, Leader tier at $50,000, and a Fellowship tier that waives fees for one year in exchange for resource commitments. Implementation, hosting, and configuration are provided by 20+ managed service provider members including Magnite, PubMatic, Microsoft Monetize, and Freestar. Prebid.org is governed by a board drawn from member companies including The Trade Desk, Magnite, Microsoft, Index Exchange, OpenX, Washington Post, Raptive, PubMatic, Freestar, and Mediavine, with Project Management Committees setting product roadmaps across Prebid.js, Prebid Server, Prebid Mobile, Tools, the Website, and an Agentic PMC.

Customers span digital publishers (BBC, Washington Post, News Corp, Gannett, Dotdash Meredith, Yahoo), ad-tech platforms (The Trade Desk, Magnite, PubMatic, Index Exchange, OpenX), cloud infrastructure (AWS, Microsoft), and emerging channels such as CTV/OTT, DOOH, Audio, and mobile apps. As of July 2024, 87,128 Prebid.js instances were deployed globally and membership has grown to 100+ companies, a 154% year-over-year increase. The organization is headquartered in New York with 1–10 employees and is led by President Mike Racic, with Joel Meyer (OpenX) serving as Interim Chairman.

Name

Prebid.org

Legal name

Prebid.org

Website

https://prebid.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Prebid.org is an independent, membership-based organization that governs the leading open-source header bidding suite (Prebid.js, Prebid Server, Prebid Mobile, SharedID, Prebid Sales Agent) used by thousands of publishers worldwide, funded by tiered annual membership dues from 100+ publishers, ad-tech, and infrastructure companies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Prebid.org is a paid membership organization with annual dues assessed based on business type and annual revenue. Fees range from $6,000 (Buyer tier) to $50,000 (Leader tier). Technology tier companies pay $7,500-$30,000 based on revenue. Fellowship tier waives fees for one year in exchange for resource commitment.
2. Managed Services (via Members): Prebid technology is free and open-source, but member companies offer paid managed services for configuration, hosting, and implementation. These services are provided independently by 20+ member companies listed on Prebid.org.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Prebid.org develops and governs an open-source header bidding technology suite that enables digital publishers to run unified auctions across multiple demand partners simultaneously. The platform spans client-side (Prebid.js), server-side (Prebid Server), and mobile (Prebid Mobile SDK) components, complemented by an identity solution (SharedID) and an agentic advertising server (Prebid Sales Agent). Products are distributed free of charge under the Apache License through GitHub, with revenue generated via paid annual membership dues from publishers, ad-tech companies, brands, and agencies.

Product overview

Prebid.org is a free and open-source product suite designed to enable publishers to implement header bidding across websites and mobile applications. The core portfolio consists of Prebid.js (web-based header bidding), Prebid Server (cloud-based server-side bidding), Prebid Mobile (iOS/Android SDK), SharedID (publisher-controlled identity solution), and Prebid Sales Agent (AI agent integration for agentic advertising). These products work together as a unified auction platform where Prebid.js fetches bids from 200+ demand partners on the web, Prebid Server handles cloud-based auctions for reduced latency, Prebid Mobile enables app publishers to move beyond waterfall monetization, and SharedID provides a cookieless-ready identity solution. Additional offerings include Managed Services (third-party hosting by 22 partner companies), Prebid DOOH (digital out-of-home), debugging tools like Professor Prebid and Prebid Integration Monitor, and Prebid ASTEROID for identity optimization. The suite supports all major ad formats including display, native, video (instream/outstream), AMP, CTV/OTT, and mobile applications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Prebid.js
• Prebid Server
• Prebid Mobile SDK
• SharedID
• Prebid Sales Agent
• Prebid DOOH
• Professor Prebid
• Prebid ASTEROID
• Prebid Universal Creative
• Prebid Insights Dashboard
• Managed Services

Quantifiable outcome

• 87,128 Prebid.js instances deployed globally as of July 2024
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

AI capability2 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• WPP MediaflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 June 2026WPP Media's Agentic Standards Initiative brings together major media owners, technology platforms, and industry standards bodies including Prebid.org to define how buyer and seller AI agents can interact securely and at scale in the premium TV and video ecosystem.
• IAB Tech LabcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 June 2026IAB Tech Lab is a key standards body partner in the Agentic Standards Initiative alongside Prebid.org, helping define technical, workflow, and governance standards for AI-powered media buying.
• AgenticAdvertising.orgcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 January 2026Prebid.org announced stewardship of the Prebid Sales Agent repository in collaboration with AgenticAdvertising.org (AAO) on January 29, 2026. This enables publishers to access agentic advertising capabilities through open-source infrastructure under the Ad Context Protocol. The collaboration aims to address fragmentation from competing agentic protocols launched during 2025, providing publishers a neutral path through trusted open-source development.
• Ad Context Protocol (AdCP)coreTechnology or Integration · 29 January 2026Prebid took ownership of code developed using Ad Context Protocol (AdCP) to create sell-side AI agents for programmatic advertising. This facilitates development and interoperability of autonomous AI-driven ad negotiation tools across the digital publishing industry.
• Managed Service Provider MemberscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner20+ member companies offer managed services for Prebid implementation, hosting, and configuration. These include Adapex, Aditude, AdPushup, Assertive Yield, Freestar, Livewrapped, Magnite, Media.net, Microsoft Monetize, Mile, Opti Digital, Playwire, Postindustria, PubMatic, Relevant Digital, Setupad, Sigma Software, Teqblaze, The Publisher Desk, and Xe.works.
• Board Member OrganizationsflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoard of Directors includes representatives from Freestar, Raptive, Magnite, Index Exchange, Microsoft, OpenX, The Trade Desk, Washington Post, Mediavine, and PubMatic. These organizations provide governance and strategic direction for Prebid.org.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• OpenX: SSP with board representation on Prebid.org. Comparable as a programmatic supply-side platform integrated with Prebid stack and serving similar publisher base.
• Index Exchange: Header bidding SSP with PMC leadership roles within Prebid.org. Closely comparable as a header bidding-native supply platform serving premium publishers.
• The Trade Desk: Largest independent DSP with Prebid.org board representation and active engagement in agentic advertising standards. Comparable as a programmatic buy-side platform integrated with the Prebid ecosystem.
• PubMatic: Independent SSP offering Prebid managed services and represented on Prebid.org's board. Operates in the same programmatic supply chain and serves similar publisher customers.
• Magnite: Leading independent SSP that provides managed Prebid services and holds a board seat on Prebid.org. Directly comparable as a header bidding ecosystem participant and managed services provider for publishers.

Broad incumbents

• Criteo: Large ad-tech platform with supply-side and retargeting capabilities, serving as a bidder adapter within the Prebid ecosystem. Broad incumbent operating across the programmatic stack.
• FreeWheel: Video ad management platform serving premium publishers with header bidding and unified auction capabilities. Comparable in CTV/video header bidding space where Prebid Server also operates.
• Google Ad Manager: Dominant ad server and unified auction platform that Prebid.js integrates with as the auction caller. Broad incumbent with overlapping publisher monetization capabilities.
• Amazon Publisher Services: Amazon's Transparent Ad Marketplace and publisher services offering server-side header bidding competition. Broad incumbent in supply-path optimization competing with Prebid Server.
• Microsoft Monetize (Xandr): Microsoft's programmatic ad platform (formerly Xandr) with board representation on Prebid.org and active Prebid Server PMC leadership. Broad incumbent in supply-side programmatic.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• GitHubgithub.com/prebid
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/prebid-org

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Prebid.org