Handbook · Technology & selection
How do you choose a network and tracking platform?
This choice determines publisher access, data quality and running cost — and it is expensive to reverse. Decide it against seven transparent criteria, not on price alone.
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Network or your own tracking platform?
A network provides an existing publisher base, contracting and settlement, and market access — paid for with an override on every commission. A SaaS tracking platform costs a fixed licence and gives you data ownership and lower variable cost, but requires you to recruit, vet and pay partners yourself. The decision depends less on price than on whether you can and want to run publisher relationships in-house.
The seven selection criteria
- 1. Publisher access – Which relevant partners in your markets are already connected? The dominant criterion for international programs.
- 2. Tracking technology – Server-side integration, consent handling, deduplication rules, app and cross-device journeys.
- 3. Data and APIs – API access, raw data export, BI and CRM integration — the basis for your own analysis.
- 4. Cost model – Override versus licence, minimum fees, setup and per-market cost. Model both against expected volume.
- 5. Service – Named contact, response times, language coverage and industry experience.
- 6. Contract – Term, notice periods, exclusivity and explicit data portability.
- 7. Compliance – GDPR conformity, data processing agreements, fraud detection and partner vetting.
Who this page is for
- Advertisers before launch – You are making a decision that will stay with you for years.
- Programs considering a switch – You need to know whether the gain justifies the migration effort.
- International programs – You need coverage across markets with different publisher landscapes.
A four-step selection process
Realistically four to eight weeks to a decision.
- 1. Document requirements – Markets, publisher types, volume, technical constraints and internal resources.
- 2. Build a shortlist – Three to four providers that can evidence publisher access in your markets.
- 3. Score and model – Weight all seven criteria and project both cost models onto expected volume.
- 4. Negotiate – Override, minimum fee, term and data portability are all negotiable — portability is the most often forgotten.
The decision follows the management question
In practice the choice is decided less by technology than by who runs publisher relationships. If that work is covered in-house or by a specialist, a lean platform can pay off. If it isn't, the override buys access, settlement and market knowledge — and is worth it.
Frequently asked questions about platform selection
- Network or SaaS tracking — which is better?
- It depends on publisher access and internal resources. Without in-house partner management a network is usually more economical; with it and at high volume, SaaS can be cheaper.
- How long does a network migration take?
- Usually six to twelve weeks from decision to stable operation, including tracking integration, partner migration and parallel running.
- What matters most in the contract?
- Data portability: the right to export partner lists and historical transaction data. Without it, a later switch becomes far more expensive.