AdTech Vendor · vs · AdTech Vendor

SMFR

Smaato vs FreeWheel

Structured technology and market comparison · 2026

Direct Feature Comparison

Smaato · vs · FreeWheel
Primary Market / Role
SmaatoAdTech Vendor
FreeWheelAdTech Vendor
Platform Focus
Smaato

Omnichannel SSP and ad server for publisher monetisation.

FreeWheel

Premium video ad tech for publishers, buyers and agencies.

Company Size
Smaato50–200 employees
FreeWheel1,001–5,000 employees
Headquarters
SmaatoUS
FreeWheelUS
Year Founded
Smaato2005
FreeWheel2007

Analyze all overlapping signals and tech stacks for Smaato and FreeWheel

Compare mutual enterprise clients, monetization models, live market signals, and partner networks directly in the interactive Knowledge Graph.

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Comparison Analysis

What is the main difference between Smaato and FreeWheel?

When comparing Smaato and FreeWheel, both platforms operate within the Supply-Side Platform (SSP), Connected TV (CTV) & OTT, and AdTech Vendor ecosystem. Smaato is positioned as Omnichannel SSP and ad server for publisher monetisation, whereas FreeWheel focuses on Premium video ad tech for publishers, buyers and agencies. Decision-makers evaluate both solutions when orchestrating their commercial monetization and technology stack.

What are the top alternatives to Smaato and FreeWheel?

When evaluating Smaato and FreeWheel, enterprise buyers also consider other platforms in Supply-Side Platform (SSP), Connected TV (CTV) & OTT, and AdTech Vendor. You can discover the full competitive landscape and evaluate other alternatives by viewing their respective footprint profiles on Polaris7.

Market Signals

Recent Market Signals & Activity: Smaato vs FreeWheel

Documented market movements, strategic partnerships, product releases, and regulatory developments mapped across Polaris7.

SM

Smaato

Recent Signals

No recent market signals documented for Smaato in the current tracking window.

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FreeWheel

Recent Signals

  • ·ExchangeWireCTV

    CTV Ad Consumption Grows Across Europe

    FreeWheel, a Comcast company, released its Video Monetisation Report for the first half of 2026, revealing that Connected TV (CTV) now accounts for 53% of premium video ad views in Europe, up from previous periods. Premium video ad views overall increased 20% year-over-year, and programmatic CTV ad views grew 44%. Live programming's share of ad views rose to 32% from 25% in the second half of 2025. The report, based on aggregated data from the FreeWheel platform, highlights the shift toward streaming and programmatic buying, with broadcasters integrating linear and digital inventory. It also notes improvements in data availability and transparency, with enriched data increasingly incorporated into bid requests. Emmanuel Josserand, Senior Director at Comcast Advertising, emphasized the growing opportunity for advertisers and the need for broadcasters to evolve their streaming and programmatic strategies.

    • CTV accounted for 53% of premium video ad views in Europe in H1 2026.
    • Premium video ad views in Europe increased 20% year-over-year in H1 2026.
    • Programmatic CTV ad views grew 44% year-over-year in H1 2026.
  • ·FreeWheel

    FreeWheel Video Monetization Report: 1H 2026

    This VMR explores how streaming growth is delivering value for publishers, outcomes for advertisers, and relevant ad experiences for viewers.

  • ·FreeWheel

    FreeWheel Launches New Knowledge Hub and Publishes New Report: Why Brands Need TV

    FreeWheel has added a new Knowledge Hub to its website and published a new report titled 'Why Brands Need TV: How Streaming Captures Viewer Attention That Drives Performance'. The report is featured prominently on the insights page, replacing the previous AI in TV Advertising report as the top item.

Compare their exact ecosystem overlaps.

Explore all deep relationships in Polaris7. Discover exactly which mutual clients, integrated technologies, and overlapping partners Smaato and FreeWheel share across the market ecosystem.