Deciding between Adsterra and Monetag (formerly PropellerAds for publishers) depends almost entirely on your traffic source and your tolerance for aggressive ads.
Here is the quick verdict:
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Choose Monetag if: You have social traffic (TikTok, Telegram, Facebook), mobile apps, or a mainstream website (blog, tools) where you want to protect your user experience and SEO.
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Choose Adsterra if: You operate in “grey” verticals (downloads, streaming, adult) where you have massive volume, users are tolerant of aggressive ads (pop-unders), and you want to maximize short-term revenue.
At a Glance: Comparison Table
| Feature | Monetag | Adsterra |
| Best For | Social traffic, Blogs, Utilities, Mobile Apps | Streaming, Downloads, Adult, Grey Niches |
| Ad Aggressiveness | Moderate (cleaner ads, Google-safe options) | High (often aggressive redirects/popunders) |
| Minimum Payout | $5 (WebMoney, Skrill), $20 (Payoneer) | $5 (Paxum, WebMoney), $100 (PayPal/Wire) |
| Payment Frequency | Weekly (after $5 threshold) | Net-15 (every 2 weeks) usually |
| Approval | Instant / Very Fast | Instant / Fast |
| Key Formats | Vignette, MultiTag, SmartLink, Interstitial | Social Bar, Popunder, Direct Link |
| CPM Rates | Stable, reliable for Tier 1 & 3 traffic | High peaks but volatile; drops quickly |
Deep Dive for Publishers
1. Earning Potential & CPM
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Adsterra is known for high raw CPMs in specific verticals (like VPNs, Gambling, Sweepstakes). If you have desktop traffic from Tier 1 countries (US, UK, DE) looking for software/downloads, Adsterra can pay incredibly well. However, users often report “shaving” (earnings dropping after a strong start).
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Monetag utilizes better optimization technology. Their “MultiTag” feature automatically rotates the highest-paying ad format for that specific user. While their raw CPM spikes might be lower than Adsterra’s, their overall fill rate (how many of your visitors actually see an ad) is often better, leading to more consistent daily earnings.
2. Ad Quality & Safety (The “Malware” Factor)
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The Risk with Adsterra: User reports and recent feedback (late 2024) highlight a significant issue with “malvertising” (ads that auto-download files or aggressively redirect users). This can hurt your SEO, causing Google to flag your site as dangerous or de-index your pages.
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The Safety of Monetag: Monetag is generally stricter about ad quality. They offer “Google-friendly” ad settings. If you care about your site’s long-term search engine ranking, Monetag is the safer bet.
3. Payment Terms
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Monetag Wins: They offer weekly payouts once you hit the $5 threshold.1 This is excellent for cash flow, especially for smaller publishers or those running paid traffic arbitrage.
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Adsterra: While they also have a $5 minimum for some methods (Paxum), their PayPal threshold is $100.2 If you rely on PayPal, you will need significantly more traffic to see your first paycheck compared to Monetag.
4. Traffic Suitability
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Social Traffic (TikTok/Telegram/FB): Monetag is the king here. Their “SmartLink” and Direct Link formats are highly optimized for mobile users coming from social apps.3 They even have specific integration tools for Telegram Mini Apps.
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Download/Streaming Sites: Adsterra often performs better here. Users on these sites are “blind” to aggressive ads, and Adsterra’s advertisers pay a premium to reach them.
For Advertisers
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Adsterra: Good for volume and cheap clicks. If you are promoting CPA offers (sweepstakes, utilities, VPNs) and need massive reach without strict compliance filters, go here. Be prepared to blacklist many low-quality placements.
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Monetag (PropellerAds): Higher quality traffic. Their fraud detection is superior, meaning you pay less for bot traffic. It is slightly more expensive but yields better conversion rates for legitimate products.
Final Recommendation
Scenario A: You have a Blog, Tool, or Social Following
Go with Monetag.
It is safer for your brand, the ads are less likely to annoy your users into leaving, and the weekly payouts help you scale faster.
Scenario B: You have a Movie Site, URL Shortener, or File Host
Go with Adsterra.
Your users are likely used to pop-ups. Adsterra’s aggressive formats (Social Bar + Popunder) will squeeze the maximum revenue out of every visit.
