When a blog outgrows AdSense, three names come up again and again: Mediavine, Raptive and Ezoic. All three manage your ads for you and promise higher earnings. However, their entry requirements changed a lot in 2025 and 2026, and old comparison articles are now wrong.
In this Mediavine vs Raptive vs Ezoic comparison we look at the current requirements, revenue shares and payment terms, and help you decide which network fits your site. Requirements change often, so always check each network’s own page before you apply.
Requirements at a glance (2026)
| Network | Minimum to apply | Publisher’s share | Payment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mediavine | $5,000 in annual ad revenue | 75%, rising to 90% for large sites | Net 65 |
| Journey by Mediavine | 1,000 tier-1 sessions in 30 days | 70% | Net 65 |
| Raptive | 25,000 monthly pageviews, mostly tier-1 | 75% | Net 45 |
| Ezoic | About 250,000 monthly active users (new publishers) | 82%+ of net revenue | Net 30 |
| Google AdSense | No traffic minimum | About 68% overall | Monthly, $100 minimum |
Sources: PubSignal’s threshold table and Outrank’s Mediavine guide, both from October 2026. The thresholds use different units, so they cannot be compared one to one. “Tier-1” means visitors from countries such as the US, Canada, the UK and Australia.
Mediavine
Mediavine is one of the best-known networks for lifestyle, food, travel and home blogs. In the past it asked for 50,000 sessions a month. Now its requirement is based on money: at least $5,000 in annual ad revenue. In addition, it looks for original content, clean traffic and good standing with Google.
- Revenue share: 75% for sites earning under $100,000 a year, then 80%, 85% and up to 90% for the largest sites.
- Contract: Mediavine manages all programmatic ads on the site. Reports mention a 90-day first term, then month to month.
- Good for: established content sites with mostly US traffic.
Journey by Mediavine
Journey is Mediavine’s program for small sites. You need only 1,000 sessions from tier-1 countries in 30 days. You must also run Mediavine’s Grow plugin for 30 days before ads start. The publisher’s share is 70%, and you get fewer controls than in the full program. However, it is a clear path: when your revenue grows, you can move up to Mediavine.
Raptive
Raptive, formerly AdThrive, used to accept only sites with 100,000 pageviews a month. In October 2025 it lowered the bar to 25,000 monthly pageviews, with most traffic from the US, Canada, UK, Australia or New Zealand. It pays a flat 75% and has the fastest payment terms of the premium networks at Net 45.
- Good for: sites with a strong English-speaking audience that want a hands-off setup.
- Keep in mind: it needs Google Analytics access to verify your traffic.
Ezoic
For years Ezoic was the usual first step after AdSense, because it had no traffic minimum. That has changed. According to PubSignal, Ezoic raised its bar in February 2026 to around 250,000 monthly active users for new publishers, while existing publishers could stay. Ezoic states its share as 82% or more of net revenue, pays at Net 30 and asks for exclusive control of your ad placements.
What if you are too small for all of them?
- Stay with AdSense and improve your layout. Read how to place AdSense ads.
- Apply to Journey as soon as you reach 1,000 tier-1 sessions.
- Look at other partners. Our list of Google AdSense alternatives covers more options.
- Consider a header bidding partner. Compare the approaches in AdSense vs header bidding.
How to choose
- Check where your visitors come from. All three favor tier-1 traffic. With mostly European or Asian visitors, a different partner may pay better.
- Compare net income, not share. A 70% share of a high RPM beats 82% of a low one.
- Read the contract. Look at the minimum term, notice period and exclusivity.
- Think about speed. More ads can slow a site. Read Core Web Vitals and ads.
- Measure page RPM before and after. Our RPM vs CPM vs eCPM guide explains the metric, and the ad revenue calculator helps you estimate.
Frequently asked questions
What are Mediavine’s requirements in 2026?
Mediavine now asks for at least $5,000 in annual ad revenue instead of a session minimum. Smaller sites can apply to Journey by Mediavine with 1,000 sessions from tier-1 countries in 30 days.
How many pageviews do I need for Raptive?
Raptive asks for 25,000 monthly pageviews, with most traffic from the US, Canada, UK, Australia or New Zealand. It lowered the minimum from 100,000 in October 2025.
Does Ezoic still accept small sites?
According to reports from 2026, Ezoic raised its entry bar in February 2026 to around 250,000 monthly active users for new publishers. Check Ezoic’s own page before you apply, because requirements change.
Which network pays the most?
It depends on your niche and audience. Mediavine and Raptive are known for high RPMs with US traffic in lifestyle niches. The only reliable way to know is to compare your own page RPM over a few months.
Can I use these networks together with AdSense?
Generally no. Managed networks take over all programmatic ads on your site and ask you to remove other ad code. They include Google’s demand in their own setup.
Conclusion
In 2026 the ladder looks like this: AdSense for new sites, Journey from 1,000 tier-1 sessions, Raptive from 25,000 pageviews and Mediavine from $5,000 in yearly ad revenue. Ezoic is now aimed at larger sites. Pick the highest step you qualify for, compare real earnings for a few months and keep working on your content and traffic.
