"Running your own header bidding beats any managed network"

"Running your own header bidding beats any managed network"

Granted: at scale, a self-managed Prebid stack lets you add demand partners a network won't, and you keep the rev-share.

But the comparison usually ignores what the network's wrapper is actually doing — timeout tuning, lazy-bid refresh, identity resolution, and a fraud filter you'd otherwise build yourself.

🚩 Hidden variable: the cost of demand, not just the cut. Networks pool thousands of sites, so SSPs bid harder for that aggregated inventory than for your standalone domain. Your 100% of a thinner auction can lose to their 70% of a thicker one.

The real question is auction depth per impression, not rev-share percentage.

Not saying DIY header bidding is bad — saying "keep 100%" compares the cut while ignoring the auction.