Freestar
Publisher monetisation platform combining SSP software and managed services.
Available information varies by company and source.
Profile record updated:
Company facts
- Official name
- Publisher First, Inc.
- Entity type
- COMPANY
- Founded
- 2015
- Headquarters
- 20715 N. Pima Rd., Suite 108, Scottsdale, AZ 85255
- Company size
- 201–500
- Market role
- AdTech Vendor
- Official website
- freestar.com
What Freestar does
Freestar operates a hybrid AdTech and services model for publishers. It provides monetisation infrastructure that helps publishers manage demand, optimise yield, deliver ad formats and improve reporting, while also offering outsourced ad operations and strategy support for customers lacking in-house expertise. Value is created by increasing publisher revenue, reducing operational complexity and consolidating fragmented monetisation tooling into a more unified operating layer.
Category differentiation
Freestar is a publisher monetisation and ad stack management company, not a consumer media brand or a demand-side buying platform for advertisers. It is closer to publisher revenue optimisation vendors such as Ezoic, Raptive and MonetizeMore than to media agencies or ad networks focused on arbitrage.
Strategic context
AI-supported assessment from the existing company research; distinguish interpretation from sourced facts.
Freestar is the trading name of Publisher First, Inc., a US-based publisher monetisation company serving digital publishers with a combination of software and managed services. Its core offering centres on pubOS, a publisher operating system that consolidates header bidding, yield management, analytics, identity tools and ad stack management across web, app and AMP environments. Freestar also provides fully managed monetisation services, flexible integrations for publishers with internal ad operations teams, AMP-specific monetisation, ad block recovery, identity solutions and audience development support. The company generates revenue primarily by taking a share of publisher advertising revenue and by charging service fees for managed ad operations and consulting-led services. Its customers are publishers and publisher ad operations teams rather than advertisers or consumers. Freestar’s acquisitions of Sortable, Triple13 and Vdopia’s Chocolate app mediation technology indicate a strategy of broadening monetisation capabilities, strengthening analytics and infrastructure, and extending geographic reach.
Business model & monetisation
Freestar primarily monetises through publisher revenue-share agreements tied to advertising revenue generated through its monetisation stack. It also earns service fees and retainers for fully managed header bidding, ad operations support and consulting-led offerings such as audience development. Its platform products appear to be commercialised as bundled software-plus-service contracts rather than purely standalone seat-based SaaS licences.
- Publisher revenue share on monetised inventory
- Percentage of advertising revenue generated through Freestar-managed monetisation
- Managed header bidding and ad operations services
- Service fee / retainer
- Platform access bundled into monetisation contracts
- SaaS / software subscription
- Audience development and consulting services
- Service fee / retainer
Products & capabilities
No products with linked sources are available in this view.
Programmatic stack & registry data
Registry entries and observed technical data do not establish certification, legal compliance or actual usage.
Publisher First, Inc.
IAB vendor record: 850
- Cookies declared
- Yes
- Non-cookie access declared
- Yes
- Declared purpose IDs
- 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10
- Declared feature IDs
- 1, 2, 3
- Declared special purpose IDs
- 1, 2, 3
- Declared special feature IDs
- 2
Triple13 Ltd
IAB vendor record: 861
- Cookies declared
- Yes
- Non-cookie access declared
- Yes
- Declared purpose IDs
- 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
- Declared feature IDs
- 1, 2, 3
- Declared special purpose IDs
- 1
- Declared special feature IDs
- 2
- Indexed sellers.json entries
- 858 · freestar.com
Products & market categories
Recent recorded signals
Dates refer to the source publication. Older entries are historical context, not evidence of a new event.
Roku OS 15.3 Causes Random Nighttime Autoplay
Connected TV (CTV) & OTT · Recorded impact score: 2/5
Following a limited public rollout of Roku OS 15.3 in early August 2026 (after a July developer beta), households using Roku TVs and streaming players have reported devices waking in the middle of the night and automatically starting playback. The behavior affects some but not all devices that installed 15.3. Roku's official release notes emphasize developer tools and do not mention power management or autoplay changes, and the root trigger remains unknown. Owners have tried workarounds such as disabling Fast TV Start, turning off HDMI-CEC one-touch play, unplugging devices, powering sticks from wall adapters, or restarting systems, but no universal fix exists. Cord Cutters News has contacted Roku for comment.
- Roku OS 15.3 began a limited public rollout in early August 2026 after a July developer beta.
- Users reported Roku TVs and streaming players turning themselves on at night and launching content without remote input.
Hulu September 2026 Content Lineup
Connected TV (CTV) & OTT · Recorded impact score: 1/5
Cord Cutters News published a schedule of titles coming to Hulu in September 2026 (published August 30, 2026). Highlights include Chad Powers Season 2 starring Glen Powell arriving September 3; Dancing With the Stars Season 35 and RJ Decker Season 2 on September 16; and a three-episode premiere of American Horror Story on September 24. The article lists daily additions across the month, spanning movies, completed seasons of series, and dubbed/subbed anime. The page also discloses the publisher’s use of affiliate links (including Amazon) to support the site.
- Article published by Cord Cutters News on 2026-08-30.
- Chad Powers: Complete Season 2 (starring Glen Powell) scheduled for Hulu on 2026-09-03.
Simpsons 'Yellow Mirror' Episode Now on Disney+
CTV · Recorded impact score: 1/5
Disney+ began streaming an exclusive Simpsons special titled "Yellow Mirror," published August 27, 2026. The episode contains two segments that explore artificial intelligence — one about a defective lamp and Homer’s perception of reality, the other about an AI-powered tablet that befriends and controls Maggie. Cord Cutters News notes this installment is the final of three Disney+ exclusives released ahead of The Simpsons Season 38 premiere on September 27, 2026. The article links to the episode trailer and points readers to The Simpsons collection on Disney+, which includes past seasons, the movie, shorts, and other exclusive episodes.
- An exclusive Simpsons episode titled "Yellow Mirror" is now streaming on Disney+ (article published August 27, 2026).
- The special contains two segments both themed around artificial intelligence.
Universal's 1931 Frankenstein and Dracula Enter Public Domain
Original Content Studio · Recorded impact score: 2/5
Three original Universal Pictures horror films from 1931 — Dracula (English), the Spanish-language Drácula, and Frankenstein — will enter the U.S. public domain on January 1, 2027. The change results from the 95-year copyright term for works published in 1931 that were properly renewed, allowing unrestricted use of the films' specific creative elements. The article outlines historical context (directors, leading actors, production details) and notes that trademarks, later restorations, or actors' publicity rights may still limit certain commercial uses even after public-domain entry. The transition is presented as enabling new adaptations, educational uses, and remixes while preserving the films' cultural legacy.
- The 1931 films Dracula (Tod Browning), the Spanish-language Drácula (George Melford), and Frankenstein (James Whale) will enter the U.S. public domain on 2027-01-01.
- The public-domain entry follows the standard 95-year copyright term for works published in 1931 that were properly renewed.
Fire TV Sticks Discounted Up to 60%
Connected TV (CTV) & OTT · Recorded impact score: 1/5
Amazon is offering significant discounts on multiple Fire TV streaming devices, with some models listed as up to 60% off. The Cord Cutters News article (Aug 26, 2026) highlights sale prices for several models — including the Fire TV Stick HD, Fire TV Stick 4K Select, 4K Plus, 4K Max, and the Fire TV Cube — and notes shoppers can save an additional 20% via trade-in of an eligible device. The piece frames the deals as timely following Amazon having recently raised some hardware prices, making the discounts an opportunity for buyers to purchase CTV hardware before prices rise again.
- Article published on August 26, 2026 by Cord Cutters News (author: Raymond McCain).
- Amazon has multiple Fire TV streaming players on sale, advertised as up to 60% off.
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Questions about Freestar
What is Freestar?
Freestar is a publisher monetisation company that provides software and managed services for header bidding, yield management, analytics, identity and ad operations.
Who uses Freestar?
Its direct customers are digital publishers, media owners and publisher ad operations teams across web, app and AMP environments.
How does Freestar make money?
It primarily earns a share of publisher advertising revenue and also charges service fees for managed monetisation and consulting services.
Sources & coverage
This profile uses public, official and technically observable information. Missing information does not prove that a product or relationship does not exist. The list below does not imply that every profile statement has been verified.
15 publicly documented primary sources and citations linked across the market graph.
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