Google’s AdX charges take rates of around 20%, higher than most of its SSP competitors, according to previous testimonies in the DOJ case. One publishing source, who also requested anonymity to discuss sensitive industry relations, said they switched private deals to non-AdX SSPs that charged a lower percentage revenue share for publishers.

Buyers confined to AdX might miss out on some of the inventory publishers only make available to rival SSPs that cut a lower-percentage rev share. However, two publisher sources said it would be unlikely for any publisher to completely cut AdX out of large swaths of inventory because of the large amount of demand it brings.

The 2024 context

It’s worth noting that much of the DOJ’s evidence against Google, including the emails cited here, is from more than a decade ago when the programmatic ecosystem was less mature. Today, in a more commoditized market, most major publishers work with most of the major SSPs.

A DSP source, speaking anonymously to discuss sensitive industry relations, said that non-Google SSPs have advantages in mobile app, CTV and general video inventory compared to AdX.

“If you were building a DSP and, for some reason, could only integrate with one exchange, AdX would be the best choice,” the DSP source said.

Still, many buyers have a preferred SSP they like to work with, and it’s not always AdX, a second publishing source said.

“If you’re a buyer, you rather have more information [that comes with working with more partners] than less,” the first publisher said.