Raptive vs Mediavine vs AdSense: Thresholds and Terms (2026)

Updated October 2026. Every threshold, revenue share and contract term below was read from the ad network’s own requirements, help or agreement pages on 22 October 2026.

Short answer: start with Google AdSense, which has no traffic minimum. Raptive now accepts sites from 25,000 pageviews a month, provided half the traffic comes from the US, UK, Canada, New Zealand or Australia. Mediavine no longer counts sessions: its main programme needs $5,000 a year in existing ad revenue, while its entry programme, Journey, opens at 1,000 sessions from Tier 1 countries, the UK included. Ezoic, once the easy option, now asks for 250,000 monthly users. Two of these thresholds changed in the past year, so most comparisons you will find are out of date.

Quick comparison

Raptive vs AdSense

These are the two networks most bloggers compare first, and they are different kinds of product. AdSense is self-service: you add Google’s code, choose or automate ad placements, and Google sells the space. Publishers receive 80% after the platform fee, or about 68% when the advertiser buys through Google Ads, and the rate is the same wherever you live (Google AdSense Help). There is no traffic minimum; Google asks for content that is “high-quality, original, and attract[s] an audience” (AdSense eligibility).

Raptive is a managed service: it designs the ad layout and runs the auctions for you. Its help centre states, “Our minimum pageview requirement is 25,000 pageviews a month” (Raptive, checked 22 October 2026). That figure was 100,000 until Raptive lowered it in October 2025 (Raptive announcement), and it came with extra conditions for smaller sites: half the traffic from the US, UK, Canada, New Zealand or Australia, long-form content on most pages, and a site build Raptive can configure. The service agreement gives publishers at least 75% of ad revenue and makes Raptive the only source of display and video ads while the agreement runs; you can leave with 30 days’ written notice (Raptive service agreement).

When to switch: once you are over 25,000 pageviews and meet the traffic-origin rule, apply to Raptive. A UK blog with mostly UK readers qualifies on origin.

Mediavine vs Raptive

Mediavine dropped its old sessions threshold. Its requirements page now says sites must “Generate a minimum of $5,000 in annual ad revenue” (Mediavine requirements, checked 22 October 2026). In practice that means you need to be earning from another network first, which makes Raptive the more direct step up for a growing blog with no ad history.

For sites launched after 1 January 2026, Mediavine pays 75% at its Official tier, then 80%, 85% and 90% as annual revenue passes $100,000, $250,000 and $500,000 (Mediavine revenue share). The first contract term is 90 days, then month to month with 30 days’ notice (Mediavine contract), and Mediavine requires full control of programmatic advertising on the site (Mediavine exclusivity).

Journey is Mediavine’s entry programme for smaller sites. It asks for “a minimum of 1,000 sessions from Tier 1 countries (including the U.S., Canada, the U.K., and Australia)” within 30 days, with Grow by Mediavine installed for at least 30 days, and starts publishers at a 70% share (Journey by Mediavine). It is the lowest managed-network threshold on this page.

Ezoic and Monumetric

Ezoic used to be the network bloggers joined before they had traffic. That changed in 2026: “Ezoic requires a minimum audience of 250,000 monthly users for websites and apps applying to use the platform” (Ezoic requirements). Sites that were already earning with Ezoic before the February 2026 change keep their access, and smaller sites can apply to its Incubator, which selects a limited number each month.

Monumetric’s Propel programme covers sites with 10,000 to 80,000 monthly pageviews, charges a $99 setup fee and requires at least half the traffic from the US, UK, Canada or Australia (Monumetric Propel). Neither Ezoic nor Monumetric publishes its revenue share on the pages we read, so we do not quote one.

Which network fits your traffic

• Under 1,000 Tier 1 sessions a month: AdSense, or no ads at all. At this size, affiliate links and an email list usually earn more per visitor; see how to monetise a blog without ads.
• 1,000 Tier 1 sessions and up: Journey by Mediavine becomes an option.
• 10,000 to 25,000 pageviews: Journey or Monumetric Propel, if your traffic mix qualifies.
• 25,000 pageviews and up, mostly US, UK, Canada, New Zealand or Australia: Raptive.
• $5,000 a year in ad revenue already: Mediavine Official is open to you; compare its terms with Raptive’s.

What we could not verify

Revenue shares for Ezoic and Monumetric, which neither publishes on the pages we read. Contract terms for Journey, Ezoic and Monumetric. Earnings per thousand visits for any network: the networks do not publish them, so any figure you see is one publisher’s account of one site. Requirements change, and two on this page changed within the last twelve months, so check each network’s page before you apply.

Frequently asked questions

The ad network questions that changed most in 2026.

What is the traffic requirement for Raptive?

25,000 pageviews a month, with at least half the traffic from the US, UK, Canada, New Zealand or Australia for sites under 100,000 pageviews.

Does Mediavine still require 50,000 sessions?

No. Mediavine’s main programme now asks for $5,000 a year in ad revenue, and its Journey programme starts at 1,000 sessions from Tier 1 countries.

Is AdSense or Raptive better for a new blog?

A new blog cannot join Raptive until it reaches 25,000 pageviews a month and a six-month-old domain, so AdSense comes first.

Do UK blogs qualify for Raptive and Journey?

Yes. Both count UK traffic toward their traffic-origin requirements.

Related: the six blog monetisation strategies compared and how to make money blogging.