*This post may contain affiliate links. Please read the full disclosure here. 

If you are a blog or website owner, you know that most of your revenue is probably from ad and affiliate income.

With any new website, the first option to make money from ads is, Google Adsense. You can join their program even if your blog is just a few weeks old and the approval process is not too tedious. Having said that, there are certain websites that don’t get a straightforward approval.

So what do you do if you are not happy with the income you make with Adsense?

I did some research and experimented with 2 such ad companies myself and found them to be an alternative to Adsense. My Google earnings seemed SO small as compared to the rest of these companies.

I am not a big fan of having a big number of Ad or affiliate banners floating on my website. That’s one big reason why I wasn’t making a huge profit from Adsense. The ad companies I mention below are not very intrusive and give your readers a good reading experience while increasing your ad income.

Here are 3 of my favorite Adsense alternatives for bloggers and publishers looking to make MORE money.

*This post contains affiliate links. Please read disclosure here.

I started monetizing this blog with Adsense for almost 4 months. Adsense works by Pay-per-click and by impression. What this means is, you earn if someone clicks on your ads and also by the number of times your ads are viewed by your reader.

1. Mediavine: 

Mediavine is one of the most popular premium ad management companies for bloggers and content publishers. It is best suited for websites that have been around for atleast 6 months and with consistent, high-quality traffic.

Entry Requirements

  • A website with approximately 50,000 qualifying sessions over the previous 30 days.
  • Original, high-quality content that complies with Google’s content policies.
  • Most traffic should come from organic and legitimate sources.
  • A clean website with a positive user experience and no prohibited content.
  • Compliance with Mediavine’s publisher guidelines and advertising standards.

Income Potential

Mediavine is known for offering some of the highest RPMs (Revenue Per Mille) in the display advertising industry. Depending on the niche, audience location, season, and user engagement, many publishers report RPMs ranging from $15 to over $50, while premium niches can earn even higher during peak advertising seasons. Websites with 50,000 monthly sessions often generate anywhere from $1,500 to over $5,000 per month, although actual earnings vary considerably.

I joined Mediavine mid of November 2018, and for the first 17 days with Mediavine I made over $430.

If you don’t have those sessions yet, don’t get discouraged, the third option on this list may suit you better. I use Pinterest to bring me those big pageviews. I highly recommend you read this guide if you are new to Blogging and Pinterest and if you would like to start making money in your early days.

I went from 15,000 sessions to over 30,000 sessions in just one month, and you can read exactly how I did it here.

Sign up for Mediavine here if you’ve hit 50,000>>

2. Raptive:

Raptive (formerly AdThrive) is another premium advertising network that specializes in helping established publishers maximize display ad revenue through premium advertiser partnerships.

Entry Requirements

  • A website with approximately 100,000 monthly pageviews (requirements may vary).
  • Original, high-quality, brand-safe content.
  • A significant portion of traffic should come from countries with strong advertising demand, particularly the United States.
  • Compliance with Google’s policies and Raptive’s publisher quality standards.
  • Consistent traffic and a positive user experience.

Income Potential

Raptive is widely recognized for its competitive ad rates and advanced revenue optimization. Publishers commonly report RPMs between $20 and $60+, depending on niche, audience demographics, and seasonality. Well-established websites with strong U.S. traffic can generate several thousand dollars per month, while larger publishers with hundreds of thousands of monthly pageviews may earn five-figure monthly advertising revenue.

3. Journey Ads: 

If you are not at the level of getting 50,000+ sessions, this is your answer. Journey Ads is designed for growing publishers who have not yet reached the traffic thresholds required by premium ad networks like Mediavine or Raptive. Created by the same company, Mediavine which is listed above, Journey offers a straightforward way to start monetizing display ads while building an audience.

Entry Requirements

  • A website with approximately 10,000 monthly sessions.
  • Original, helpful, and policy-compliant content.
  • A technically sound website with good user experience.
  • Compliance with Google’s advertising policies and Journey’s publisher requirements.

Income Potential

Journey Ads generally offers lower RPMs than premium networks because it serves smaller publishers. However, many websites still achieve RPMs between $8 and $25, depending on niche, visitor location, and engagement. As traffic increases and content quality improves, publishers can steadily grow their advertising income while working toward qualifying for Mediavine or Raptive, making Journey Ads an excellent stepping stone for newer blogs.