Key takeaways
- Most brands should add a second network next to Taboola, not replace it.
- Judge each option on fit for e-commerce, policy, tracking, minimums and how easily you can test it against Taboola.
- Outbrain is the closest like-for-like swap. MGID and Revcontent are the next to test. Yahoo and Microsoft come with their own audiences.
- Build the advertorial once on your own domain, then change only the traffic source and the headlines.
- Test one angle on two networks before you spread several angles across many.
If you are searching for Taboola alternatives, you probably already run Meta and want a second source of traffic that doesn't depend on one auction. Native ads are a good fit. But Taboola is not the only network, and it isn't always the right first one. This post lists six options: what each is, who it suits and the catch. It also covers how they were judged and how to pick one. Network details change often, so confirm current minimums, policies and inventory with each platform before you commit budget.
Why this list exists
Brands look for a Taboola alternative for a handful of practical reasons. They want a second source of traffic. A campaign stalls and they want to know if the problem is the network or the ad. An ad gets disapproved. Or they simply want a comparison, because one data point is not a benchmark.
Native ads are paid placements that look like the content around them, usually as a headline and thumbnail in a "you may also like" block or a feed. If that format is new to you, start with the [native advertising complete guide](/native-advertising-complete-guide).
This list is written for DTC brands that know Meta and are new to native. It is not a ranking of which network is best. No network wins for every product. It is a way to decide which one to test next.
How the options were judged
Each option was judged on the same six questions. You can reuse them when you talk to any sales rep.
- Fit for e-commerce: does the network work for brands that sell a physical product, or is it built mainly for publishers and lead generation?
- Audience and placements: where do your ads show, and are those places close to where your buyers read?
- Advertorial friendliness: will it send traffic to an advertorial (an ad laid out as an article) and approve it?
- Policy strictness: how tightly are claims, before-and-after images and health topics reviewed?
- Tracking and optimisation: does it support the pixels and conversion data you need to optimise for purchases?
- Ease of testing: how hard is it to run the same ad next to Taboola and compare fairly?
There are no prices or reach figures in this post. They change, and they depend on your country, product and account. For cost framing, see [how much native advertising costs](/native-advertising-cost) and [Taboola pricing](/taboola-pricing).
1. Outbrain
Outbrain is the closest like-for-like alternative to Taboola. It is a native network that places paid recommendations on publisher sites, and you buy it in much the same way: set up a campaign, add headlines and images, and send traffic to a landing page.
Who it suits
Brands that already run an advertorial on Taboola and want to see if the same page works on a second network. Because the setup is so similar, it is the cleanest test.
The catch
It is similar, not identical. Placements, audience mix, editorial review and minimums differ, so a result on one network does not transfer automatically to the other. Expect to adjust headlines and images. Our deeper comparison is in [Taboola vs Outbrain](/taboola-vs-outbrain), and the basics are in [what is Outbrain](/what-is-outbrain).
2. MGID
MGID is another native ad network that sells recommendation-widget traffic across publisher sites. It is often named alongside Taboola and Outbrain when brands build a multi-network plan.
Who it suits
Brands that want a third source of native traffic and have an advertorial that is already working elsewhere. It suits teams comfortable reading placement-level reports and cutting what doesn't work.
The catch
Traffic quality varies by placement and geography, so you need to watch source-level results closely rather than judge the network as a whole. Check the current review rules for your product category before you build. More in [what is MGID](/what-is-mgid).
3. Revcontent
Revcontent is a native advertising network that runs content recommendation widgets, with a long history in direct-response buying.
Who it suits
Performance-minded DTC brands with a landing page or advertorial ready to go. If you think in terms of cost per purchase and are willing to test several headlines, it is a reasonable next network after Taboola and Outbrain.
The catch
Ask directly about inventory for your country and category, and about the account's optimisation and reporting options. Do not assume that an angle that works on Taboola will behave the same way here.
How dependent is your brand on Meta?Get your Native Ads Readiness Score and Platform Dependency Score in 2 minutes. It is free.
Take the test4. Yahoo native ads
Yahoo sells native placements, typically through its advertising platform and across Yahoo's own properties and partners. The audience comes from Yahoo's sites rather than from a broad network of independent publishers.
Who it suits
Brands whose buyers plausibly read Yahoo content, and teams that like having a single platform for native and other formats.
The catch
Reach is tied to Yahoo's own audience, which may or may not match your customer. Check the current platform setup, available formats and policy on advertorial landing pages before you plan around it.
5. Microsoft Advertising native ads
Microsoft offers native placements across its own properties, bought through Microsoft Advertising. If you already use it for search ads, the account and billing may already exist.
Who it suits
Brands already inside the Microsoft ad ecosystem, and categories where a desktop-heavy or older audience is a good fit. Setup is simpler if you already have an account.
The catch
Like Yahoo, it is a more contained audience than an open publisher network. It can be a good complement, but it is unlikely to be your main volume source. Confirm available placements and targeting in your region.
6. Programmatic native through a DSP
A demand-side platform (DSP) is software that buys ad space across many sites through automated auctions. Many DSPs can buy native inventory, so instead of picking one network you buy native placements from several sources in one tool. See [programmatic native advertising](/programmatic-native-advertising) for the background.
Who it suits
Larger teams with in-house media buyers who want control over bidding, placements and audiences, and who can read log-level data.
The catch
It is not a beginner route. You take on more setup, more decisions about inventory quality, and more responsibility for brand safety. If you have never run a native campaign, learn on a classic network first. Our walkthrough of the market is in [best native ad networks and platforms](/native-ad-networks).
Comparison table
A quick side-by-side. It summarises the type of option and the main thing to check, not performance.
| Option | What it is | Best for | Check before you start |
|---|---|---|---|
| Outbrain | Native recommendation network | Cleanest like-for-like test against Taboola | Editorial rules and minimums for your category |
| MGID | Native recommendation network | A third network once an advertorial is working | Placement-level quality in your country |
| Revcontent | Native recommendation network | Direct-response brands testing headlines | Inventory and reporting for your region |
| Yahoo native | Native ads on Yahoo properties and partners | Brands whose buyers read Yahoo content | Audience fit and landing-page policy |
| Microsoft Advertising native | Native ads on Microsoft properties | Brands already using Microsoft Advertising | Available placements in your region |
| Programmatic native (DSP) | Native inventory bought through a buying platform | Teams with in-house media buyers | Brand safety and inventory quality |
How Nativize builds the page that runs on any of them
Whichever network you choose, the ad is only the click. The advertorial it points to does most of the persuading. Nativize builds and runs native campaigns on Taboola and Outbrain for e-commerce brands, and the page-building method looks like this.
- Start from the product page URL. The builder reads the product page itself, not a summary of it.
- Collect customer reviews from the product page and from review sites. Competitor pages and free-text instructions can be added, for example "mention the 30-day guarantee".
- Pull out the customer's pain points and the benefits people actually mention, in their own words.
- Propose several marketing angles, normally five or more. An angle is a distinct reason to care: a different problem, audience or story. Each angle becomes its own advertorial, so they can be tested against each other.
- For one chosen angle, write the advertorial as short sections: a headline, a one-line preview, the body and a closing call to action. The writing style and target reader are set before writing, not guessed.
- Generate headlines in sets, grade them and keep only the strongest. Each is checked against the character limit of the platform it will run on.
- Audit Meta ad copy for wording likely to cause policy problems before it is used.
- Upload the product photo and brand logo once per product, so every angle shows the same product. Make or choose images per section so the picture supports the paragraph.
- Choose the layout separately from the copy. A sidebar layout and a centred layout with a sticky call to action are used most, with brand colours taken from the product page.
- Add the "ADVERTORIAL" label bar at the top. Health products also carry a health disclaimer, attached only where it applies.
- Export a self-contained page and publish it on the advertiser's own domain. Tracking tags (Google Tag Manager, Meta Pixel, GA4 or your own script) are added at export only, so reviewing drafts never fires real tracking.
- Before publishing, a person can edit single paragraphs, so a small copy fix doesn't mean regenerating everything.
Several angles can be built in one batch for the same product, and the finished advertorials are then connected to Taboola campaigns. Because the page sits on your own domain, trying a new network mostly means a new traffic source and headlines that fit that network's limits, not a new page. For the format itself, read [advertorial: definition and how to build one](/advertorial).
How to choose
For most DTC brands, the question is not Taboola or an alternative. It is what to add next. A simple order:
- Get one advertorial running on one network, so you have a baseline. If you have not done that yet, start with [Taboola ads: how to run your first campaign](/taboola-ads).
- Pick the second network for the cleanest comparison. For most brands that is Outbrain.
- Run the same angle and the same page on both. Change only the network and the headline length limits.
- Compare on the metric you care about, usually cost per purchase, and give each network enough traffic to say something before judging it.
- Only after that, test a third network or a second angle. Do not change both at once, or you won't know which change did what.
Here is a made-up example, not a client case. A cast-iron skillet brand has one advertorial built around "pans that last decades". It runs that page on Taboola and Outbrain with the same angle. If one network sends clearly cheaper purchases, the brand moves budget there and tries a new angle on it. If they are close, it keeps both for volume.
If you would rather not run this yourself, see [what a native advertising agency does](/native-advertising-agency).
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Taboola alternative?
There is no single best one. Outbrain is the closest like-for-like option, so it is the easiest first test. MGID and Revcontent are common next steps, and Yahoo and Microsoft suit brands whose buyers use those properties. Pick based on your product and test one at a time.
Should I replace Taboola or run alongside it?
Most brands are better off running alongside it. A second network gives you a comparison and a backup if one campaign stalls. Replace Taboola only if a test shows another network clearly works better for your product.
Can I reuse the same advertorial on another network?
Usually yes, because the page lives on your own domain. What changes is the traffic source, the headlines and images, which must fit each network's limits, and a check against each network's policies before you launch.
Are native ads a good fit if I only know Meta?
They can be. Native traffic tends to be people reading content, not scrolling a social feed, so the ad has to earn the click with a clear headline and the page has to explain the product. Read the [benefits of native advertising for DTC brands](/benefits-of-native-advertising) for more.
The bottom line
Taboola alternatives are mostly a testing question. Get one advertorial working, then run the same page on a second network and compare cleanly. Outbrain is the usual first step, with MGID, Revcontent, Yahoo, Microsoft and programmatic buying as later options. Check each network's current rules and minimums before you spend, and change one variable at a time.
Keep reading
- native advertising complete guide
- how much native advertising costs
- Taboola vs Outbrain
- what is Outbrain
- what is MGID
- programmatic native advertising
- advertorial: definition and how to build one
- Taboola ads: how to run your first campaign
- what a native advertising agency does
- benefits of native advertising for DTC brands