What is Take Rate?

Also known as: Ad tech tax, DSP margin, Rev share

Quick definition

Take rate is the percentage of advertiser spend that an ad tech intermediary keeps as its fee; in programmatic chains, several DSP and SSP take rates stack, so only part of the original budget reaches the publisher.

Key points

Public benchmarks
Listed DSPs and SSPs disclose revenue and gross spend in SEC filings, letting analysts estimate take rates. See AdTech Radar Earnings.

Benefits

  • Funds technology, data and fraud protection

Trade-offs

  • Opaque fees reduce working media
  • Stacked resellers multiply fees

FAQ

How do buyers reduce take rates?

Through supply path optimization, direct deals and contract fee caps.

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Official sources

Last reviewed 2026-10-27. Explanations are written by AdTech Radar; consult the official specification for implementation.