Skip to content
The Madison Avenue Field GuideA field guide to marketing & advertising, by Brandon Mina

GlossaryAdtech & ProgrammaticPrebid

Adtech & Programmatic

Prebid

The open-source framework most publishers use to run header bidding.

By Brandon MinaCEO, BrandPilot AIUpdated November 2026

Appears in Lesson 4 of Programmatic 101

Short answer

Prebid is the open-source framework most publishers use to run header bidding. Prebid.js runs auctions in the browser, while Prebid Server handles them server-side, and Prebid Mobile supports apps. Managed by the independent Prebid.org organization, it provides hundreds of adapters that connect publishers to SSPs and exchanges without proprietary lock-in.