# The most used ad platforms and pixels

As of October 2026, the most used of the 91 ad platforms and pixels runsonwhat tracks is Google Ads, found at 457,560 companies, ahead of Meta Pixel (382,753) and Microsoft Ads (115,094).

An ad pixel on a website is a strong sign the company buys ads on that platform: it exists to report conversions back. Google Ads and the Meta Pixel are the most common, followed by LinkedIn's Insight Tag for B2B, Microsoft Ads, TikTok, Reddit, X and Pinterest. Newer platforms such as ChatGPT Ads appear here as soon as advertisers install their pixel.

The same section includes ad tech used by publishers that sell ads (Google Ad Manager, Magnite), so a company listed there may be selling ad space rather than buying it.

## Ad platforms and pixels ranked by companies using them

| # | Tool | Companies | Share of category | Last 30 days | Most popular with |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | [Google Ads](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/google-ads) | 457,560 | 28% | +193 −113 | 1,001–5,000 employees (1.5×) |
| 2 | [Meta Pixel](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/meta-pixel) | 382,753 | 23% | +121 −43 | Retail (1.5×) |
| 3 | [Microsoft Ads](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/bing-ads) | 115,094 | 7.0% | +31 −19 | Automotive (2.7×) |
| 4 | [LinkedIn Insight Tag](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/linkedin-insight) | 111,388 | 6.7% | +62 −45 | Software (2.1×) |
| 5 | [TikTok Pixel](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/tiktok-pixel) | 45,076 | 2.7% | +40 −10 | Apparel & Fashion (8.3×) |
| 6 | [Google Ad Manager](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/google-ad-manager) | 42,640 | 2.6% | +12 −3 | Newspapers (32×) |
| 7 | [Microsoft Xandr](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/xandr) | 34,196 | 2.1% | +10 −5 | Newspapers (22×) |
| 8 | [Pinterest](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/pinterest) | 30,748 | 1.9% | +18 −10 | Furniture (7.0×) |
| 9 | [X Ads](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/x-ads) | 23,708 | 1.4% | +19 −10 | 1–10 employees (2.3×) |
| 10 | [Google AdSense](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/google-adsense) | 20,618 | 1.2% | +4 | Newspapers (28×) |
| 11 | [The Trade Desk](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/tradedesk) | 17,366 | 1.0% | +7 −5 | Automotive (5.4×) |
| 12 | [ChatGPT Ads](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/chatgpt-ads) | 16,916 | 1.0% | +17 −11 | Software (2.1×) |
| 13 | [LiveRamp](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/liveramp) | 16,500 | 1.00% | +4 | Newspapers (28×) |
| 14 | [Criteo](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/criteo) | 16,133 | 0.97% | +9 −2 | Newspapers (43×) |
| 15 | [Reddit Ads](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/reddit-ads) | 16,060 | 0.97% | +25 −11 | Automotive (3.8×) |
| 16 | [Adobe Audience Manager](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/adobe-audience-manager) | 14,933 | 0.90% | +4 | Newspapers (29×) |
| 17 | [StackAdapt](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/stackadapt) | 14,346 | 0.87% | +18 −8 | Newspapers (29×) |
| 18 | [Magnite](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/magnite) | 13,974 | 0.84% | +10 −7 | Newspapers (77×) |
| 19 | [PubMatic](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/pubmatic) | 13,088 | 0.79% | +12 −7 | Newspapers (80×) |
| 20 | [OpenX](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/openx) | 12,221 | 0.74% | +8 −7 | Newspapers (80×) |
| 21 | [Amazon Publisher Services](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/amazon-publisher-services) | 11,383 | 0.69% | +8 −7 | Newspapers (78×) |
| 22 | [Amazon Advertising](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/amazon-advertising) | 11,371 | 0.69% | +3 | Newspapers (53×) |
| 23 | [Media.net](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/media-net) | 11,105 | 0.67% | +7 −7 | Newspapers (69×) |
| 24 | [Taboola](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/taboola) | 10,408 | 0.63% | +6 −8 | Newspapers (42×) |
| 25 | [Index Exchange](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/index-exchange) | 9,902 | 0.60% | +9 −7 | Newspapers (70×) |
| 26 | [TripleLift](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/triplelift) | 9,824 | 0.59% | +9 −7 | Newspapers (75×) |
| 27 | [Snap Pixel](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/snap-pixel) | 9,797 | 0.59% | +6 −3 | Apparel & Fashion (7.5×) |
| 28 | [Sovrn](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/sovrn) | 9,478 | 0.57% | +8 −7 | Newspapers (73×) |
| 29 | [Adobe Advertising](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/adobe-advertising) | 9,461 | 0.57% | +1 | Newspapers (52×) |
| 30 | [RTB House](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/rtb-house) | 9,461 | 0.57% | +3 | Newspapers (76×) |
| 31 | [Quantcast](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/quantcast) | 9,439 | 0.57% | +2 | Newspapers (56×) |
| 32 | [Teads](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/teads) | 9,018 | 0.54% | +11 −5 | Newspapers (70×) |
| 33 | [Sharethrough](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/sharethrough) | 8,646 | 0.52% | +7 −7 | Newspapers (73×) |
| 34 | [Simpli.fi](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/simplifi) | 7,742 | 0.47% | +3 | Banking (5.8×) |
| 35 | [LiveIntent](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/liveintent) | 7,711 | 0.47% | +4 | Newspapers (20×) |
| 36 | [AdRoll](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/adroll) | 7,299 | 0.44% | +3 −1 | Veterinary (23×) |
| 37 | [ID5](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/id5) | 7,203 | 0.44% | – | Newspapers (89×) |
| 38 | [MediaMath](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/mediamath) | 6,557 | 0.40% | +1 | Newspapers (84×) |
| 39 | [33Across](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/33across) | 5,697 | 0.34% | +1 | Newspapers (116×) |
| 40 | [Nativo](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/nativo) | 5,376 | 0.32% | +1 | Newspapers (98×) |
| 41 | [Lotame](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/lotame) | 5,291 | 0.32% | – | Newspapers (103×) |
| 42 | [Outbrain](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/outbrain) | 5,117 | 0.31% | +3 −1 | Newspapers (44×) |
| 43 | [ClickCease](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/clickcease) | 4,787 | 0.29% | −2 | Construction (3.5×) |
| 44 | [MGID](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/mgid) | 4,655 | 0.28% | – | Newspapers (123×) |
| 45 | [Awin](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/awin) | 4,556 | 0.28% | +5 −2 | Apparel & Fashion (14×) |
| 46 | [Adform](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/adform) | 4,461 | 0.27% | +10 −1 | Newspapers (19×) |
| 47 | [MNTN](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/mntn) | 4,411 | 0.27% | +4 −2 | Newspapers (38×) |
| 48 | [Smart Ad Server](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/smart-ad-server) | 3,908 | 0.24% | +1 | Newspapers (136×) |
| 49 | [Spotify Ads](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/spotify-ads) | 2,903 | 0.18% | +8 −3 | Higher Education (7.7×) |
| 50 | [Tapad](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/tapad) | 2,456 | 0.15% | – | Newspapers (103×) |
| 51 | [TVSquared](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/tvsquared) | 1,925 | 0.12% | – | Automotive (11×) |
| 52 | [Quora Ads](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/quora-ads) | 1,887 | 0.11% | +1 −2 | E-learning (4.5×) |
| 53 | [Rakuten Advertising](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/rakuten-advertising) | 1,669 | 0.10% | +1 | Cosmetics (21×) |
| 54 | [Integral Ad Science](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/integral-ad-science) | 1,276 | <0.1% | +1 | Newspapers (150×) |
| 55 | [Skai](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/skai) | 1,085 | <0.1% | +2 | Hospitality (5.2×) |
| 56 | [Dstillery](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/dstillery) | 986 | <0.1% | – | Health, Wellness and Fitness (2.7×) |
| 57 | [Magellan AI](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/magellan-ai) | 849 | <0.1% | – | Consumer Services (13×) |
| 58 | [SharpSpring Ads](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/sharpspring-ads) | 708 | <0.1% | – | Hospitality (2.6×) |
| 59 | [Tradedoubler](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/tradedoubler) | 684 | <0.1% | +4 | Apparel & Fashion (12×) |
| 60 | [ADFOX](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/adfox) | 670 | <0.1% | – | 1–10 employees (12×) |
| 61 | [AdThrive](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/adthrive) | 641 | <0.1% | – | Online Media (29×) |
| 62 | [Ad Lightning](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/ad-lightning) | 565 | <0.1% | – | Newspapers (240×) |
| 63 | [FreakOut](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/freakout) | 553 | <0.1% | – | Hospitality (13×) |
| 64 | [Infolinks](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/infolinks) | 535 | <0.1% | – | Newspapers (154×) |
| 65 | [Utiq](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/utiq) | 495 | <0.1% | – | Newspapers (128×) |
| 66 | [AdRiver](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/adriver) | 419 | <0.1% | – | 1–10 employees (7.8×) |
| 67 | [AD EBiS](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/ad-ebis) | 396 | <0.1% | – | Economics of Banking (905×) |
| 68 | [Broadstreet](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/broadstreet) | 386 | <0.1% | – | Newspapers (99×) |
| 69 | [i-mobile](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/i-mobile) | 384 | <0.1% | – | 1–10 employees (12×) |
| 70 | [Amazon Associates](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/amazon-associates) | 356 | <0.1% | – | 1–10 employees (7.6×) |
| 71 | [Influ2](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/influ2) | 351 | <0.1% | +1 −4 | Software (7.4×) |
| 72 | [Smarter Click](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/smarter-click) | 351 | <0.1% | – | Apparel & Fashion (20×) |
| 73 | [Ezoic](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/ezoic) | 340 | <0.1% | +1 | 1–10 employees (9.5×) |
| 74 | [Affiliatly](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/affiliatly) | 326 | <0.1% | – | Health, Wellness and Fitness (4.6×) |
| 75 | [Post Affiliate Pro](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/post-affiliate-pro) | 309 | <0.1% | – | Retail (3.8×) |
| 76 | [Primis](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/primis) | 307 | <0.1% | – | Newspapers (109×) |
| 77 | [AcuityAds](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/acuityads) | 299 | <0.1% | – | 1,001–5,000 employees (5.4×) |
| 78 | [Pepperjam](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/pepperjam) | 297 | <0.1% | – | Apparel & Fashion (39×) |
| 79 | [GumGum](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/gumgum) | 289 | <0.1% | – | 1–10 employees (18×) |
| 80 | [Everflow](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/everflow) | 215 | <0.1% | +1 | 51–200 employees (1.7×) |
| 81 | [Affilae](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/affilae) | 202 | <0.1% | – | Apparel & Fashion (25×) |
| 82 | [WordAds](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/wordads) | 182 | <0.1% | – | – |
| 83 | [AdScale](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/adscale) | 143 | <0.1% | – | Apparel & Fashion (28×) |
| 84 | [Metadata.io](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/metadata-io) | 142 | <0.1% | – | Software (11×) |
| 85 | [Sublime](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/sublime) | 132 | <0.1% | – | – |
| 86 | [Geniee](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/geniee) | 127 | <0.1% | – | – |
| 87 | [MainAd](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/mainad) | 111 | <0.1% | – | 51–200 employees (1.4×) |
| 88 | [DTScout](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/dtscout) | 82 | <0.1% | – | – |
| 89 | [snigel AdEngine](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/snigel-adengine) | 67 | <0.1% | – | – |
| 90 | [CHEQ](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/cheq) | 48 | <0.1% | – | – |
| 91 | [ClickGUARD](https://www.runsonwhat.com/reverse/clickguard) | 12 | <0.1% | – | – |

Share is each tool's part of all 1,655,542 matches in this category; a company using two tools counts for both.

## How to compare ad platforms and pixels

- Where your buyers spend time: LinkedIn for B2B roles, Meta and TikTok for consumers, search for high intent.
- Conversion tracking: browser pixels versus server-side conversion APIs.
- Consent requirements in the markets you advertise in.

## How runsonwhat finds ad platforms and pixels

Pixels load in the browser, usually through a tag manager, so we find them in page scripts, inside Google Tag Manager containers and in the requests a real browser makes. Publishers' ad systems also show up in ads.txt files.

## FAQ

### What are the most popular ad platforms and pixels?

As of October 2026, the most popular ad platforms and pixels by number of companies using them are Google Ads (457,560 companies), Meta Pixel (382,753 companies) and Microsoft Ads (115,094 companies), according to runsonwhat. Google Ads alone accounts for 28% of the 1,655,542 Ads & Pixels matches runsonwhat has, and the top three together for 58%. 91 ad platforms and pixels have at least one confirmed customer.

### Google Ads vs Meta Pixel: which is more popular?

Google Ads is more popular: 457,560 companies show public evidence of Google Ads, against 382,753 for Meta Pixel, according to runsonwhat (October 2026). Microsoft Ads is third with 115,094.

### Which ad platforms and pixels do small businesses use most?

Among companies with up to 50 employees, the most used ad platforms and pixels are Google Ads (193,871 companies), Meta Pixel (179,789 companies) and Microsoft Ads (45,158 companies), according to runsonwhat (October 2026). The counts cover companies with a known headcount; see each tool's page for the full size breakdown.

### Which ad platforms and pixels do large companies use most?

Among companies with more than 1,000 employees, the most used ad platforms and pixels are Google Ads (22,533 companies), Meta Pixel (17,465 companies) and LinkedIn Insight Tag (7,501 companies), according to runsonwhat (October 2026). Large companies often run more than one tool in a category, so the same company can count for several.

### Which ad platforms and pixels are most popular in the United States?

In the United States, the most used ad platforms and pixels are Google Ads (131,381 companies), Meta Pixel (104,242 companies) and LinkedIn Insight Tag (35,692 companies), based on companies runsonwhat has located there (October 2026). Google Ads has 27% of the Ads & Pixels matches among companies based in the United States.

### Which ad platforms and pixels are most popular in the United Kingdom?

In the United Kingdom, the most used ad platforms and pixels are Google Ads (26,074 companies), Meta Pixel (19,758 companies) and Microsoft Ads (9,839 companies), based on companies runsonwhat has located there (October 2026). Google Ads has 30% of the Ads & Pixels matches among companies based in the United Kingdom.

### Which ad platforms and pixels do IT services companies use?

IT services is the industry with the most Ads & Pixels matches, and its companies use Google Ads (26,813 companies), Meta Pixel (17,853 companies) and LinkedIn Insight Tag (10,732 companies) most, according to runsonwhat (October 2026). Each tool's page breaks its customers down by industry, so you can check where a tool over-indexes.

### Which ad platforms and pixels are companies adopting right now?

In the 30 days to October 2026, the most new adoptions runsonwhat recorded were for Google Ads (193 companies), Meta Pixel (121 companies) and LinkedIn Insight Tag (62 companies). A start is counted when a recheck finds a tool that the previous check of the same company, done the same way, did not.

### Which ad platforms and pixels are losing customers?

In the 30 days to October 2026, more companies stopped than started using Influ2 (4 stopped, 1 started), Taboola (8 stopped, 6 started) and ClickCease (2 stopped, 0 started), according to runsonwhat's rechecks. Short-term moves are small next to each tool's total, so read them as signals rather than trends.

### What is Google Ads' market share among ad platforms and pixels?

Google Ads has 28% of the Ads & Pixels matches runsonwhat has found (457,560 companies of 1,655,542), as of October 2026; Meta Pixel has 23%. This is share of companies with public evidence of each tool, not share of revenue or seats, and a company that runs two tools counts for both.

### How does runsonwhat rank ad platforms and pixels?

runsonwhat counts the companies where a public record shows each tool in use and ranks by that count. Pixels load in the browser, usually through a tag manager, so we find them in page scripts, inside Google Tag Manager containers and in the requests a real browser makes. Publishers' ad systems also show up in ads.txt files. A company counts only when a direct record backs it up. The full method is at https://www.runsonwhat.com/methodology.

## Related categories

- [Website & CMS](https://www.runsonwhat.com/tools/cms-website-builders.md)
- [Marketing](https://www.runsonwhat.com/tools/marketing-automation.md)
- [Sales & CRM](https://www.runsonwhat.com/tools/crm-sales.md)
- [Support & Docs](https://www.runsonwhat.com/tools/customer-support.md)

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Source: runsonwhat, https://www.runsonwhat.com/tools/ad-platforms (updated October 2026). Counts are companies with direct public evidence of the tool (DNS records, certificates, website code, a real-browser crawl, subprocessor lists), so they are lower bounds. Methodology: https://www.runsonwhat.com/methodology.