Glossary/Adtech & Programmatic/Ad Mediation
Adtech & Programmatic
Ad Mediation
Software in mobile apps that manages multiple ad networks to fill each ad request, historically by waterfall and increasingly through bidding.
By Brandon Mina·CEO, BrandPilot AI·Updated November 2026
Short answer
Ad mediation is software inside a mobile app that manages multiple ad networks to fill each ad request. Historically it called networks one after another in a ranked waterfall, but it increasingly runs bidding, where networks compete simultaneously. The goal is to maximize fill rate and revenue without the developer integrating each network manually.