Glossary/Adtech & Programmatic/Take Rate
Adtech & Programmatic
Take Rate
The share of ad spend kept by an intermediary, such as a DSP, SSP, or exchange, as its fee.
By Brandon Mina·CEO, BrandPilot AI·Updated November 2026
Appears in Lesson 2 of Programmatic 101
Short answer
Take rate is the share of advertising spend kept by an intermediary, such as a DSP, SSP, or exchange, as its fee. It is usually expressed as a percentage of media cost. Take rates contribute to the overall ad tax and are a key factor buyers weigh when evaluating supply paths and technology partners.