by Look, I’m going to be straight with you: popunder networks are still alive and kicking in 2026, and if you’re running a publisher operation, understanding which ones are actually worth your time is crucial. The landscape has shifted pretty dramatically over the last couple of years. Some networks have gotten way more selective about traffic quality, which sounds bad but honestly? It’s been good for publishers who were legitimately fed up with low CPMs and sketchy advertiser bases.
I’ve been reviewing ad networks for years now, and popunders specifically are this weird beast in the ecosystem. Everyone’s heard they’re “low quality,” but that’s such a blanket statement. The reality is more nuanced. A popunder on a gaming site with engaged users can actually outperform traditional display ads. Meanwhile, a popunder on a scraped-content news aggregator is basically printing fake money that never actually converts to real revenue.
In this post, I’m walking through the 10 popunder networks I actually recommend to publishers in 2026. I’m not getting paid by any of them—I’m just telling you what works, what doesn’t, and why.
Quick Comparison Table
| Network | Best For | Min Payout | CPM Range (Tier 1/Tier 3) | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PopAds | High-volume sites, niche traffic | $5 | $0.50–$2.50 / $0.10–$0.50 | 8.5/10 |
| Propeller Ads | Established publishers, diversified income | $25 | $1.20–$4.00 / $0.30–$1.00 | 8/10 |
| AdCash | Mid-tier sites, multiple ad formats | $20 | $0.80–$3.50 / $0.25–$0.80 | 7.5/10 |
| TrafficFactory | Gaming, software, tech sites | $10 | $1.50–$5.00 / $0.40–$1.50 | 8/10 |
| EasyHits4U (PopShops) | Small sites, beginners | Free/$5 | $0.30–$1.20 / $0.05–$0.30 | 6/10 |
| Undertone | Premium publishers, brand-safe campaigns | $50 | $2.00–$8.00 / $0.80–$2.50 | 8.5/10 |
| BidVertiser | Diversified monetization, flexible sites | $10 | $0.70–$2.80 / $0.20–$0.70 | 7/10 |
| RevenueHits | Responsive publishers, high-engagement sites | $20 | $1.00–$3.80 / $0.30–$0.90 | 7.5/10 |
| Clicksor | Legacy publishers, context targeting | $50 | $0.60–$2.50 / $0.15–$0.50 | 6.5/10 |
| PopMyAds | New publishers, testing monetization | $10 | $0.40–$1.80 / $0.10–$0.40 | 6.5/10 |
1. PopAds
PopAds is probably the most well-known popunder network for a reason. They’ve been around since 2010, which in internet years is basically forever, and they actually know what they’re doing. The core appeal is simple: you get popunders, you get paid reasonably quickly, and they’re honestly pretty transparent about what’s happening on your site.
PopAds works really well if you’ve got high-volume traffic, especially if it’s niche or geographic. They have this solid advertiser base that ranges from legit software companies to, yeah, some shadier stuff—but the filtering has gotten way better. They use browser fingerprinting and fraud detection that’s actually somewhat sophisticated, which means your CPMs don’t tank as badly when there’s bot traffic detected.
For Tier 1 traffic (US, Canada, UK, Australia), you’re looking at CPMs between $0.50 and $2.50, depending on day of week, season, and exactly what niche you’re in. Tech and gaming sites do better. I’ve seen gaming sites hitting $2.00+ consistently. Tier 3 traffic (most of Southeast Asia, Latin America, Eastern Europe) hovers around $0.10–$0.50. The payout minimum is $5, which is genuinely helpful for newer publishers.
Real pros: They actually respond to support tickets. Payouts happen on time. The dashboard is serviceable. They have a referral program that, while not amazing, gives you a little extra. Fraud detection is decent, so you’re not getting screwed by bot traffic as much.
Real cons: The ads themselves can be pretty sketchy—I’ve seen everything from predatory lending to weight loss pills to actual malware-adjacent stuff. If you care about brand safety, you’ll need to use their blacklist feature and actually maintain it. The CPMs for Tier 2 and Tier 3 traffic can get pretty low. There’s also the reality that popunders are inherently annoying, so if you care about user experience beyond just revenue, this is a tension you’ll have to live with.
Who should skip it: If your site is brand-safe premium content and you’re worried about advertiser reputation, the mix of campaigns on PopAds might make you uncomfortable—there are better networks for that.
2. Propeller Ads
Propeller Ads feels like PopAds’ more professional cousin. They launched later, learned from early mistakes in the space, and built a network that actually tries to balance publisher revenue with advertiser quality. They’ve got a pretty big team in multiple countries and you can actually tell because things tend to work.
They specialize in popunders, push notifications, and a few other formats. Their advertiser screening is noticeably stricter than PopAds, which means fewer absolute scams and more legitimate campaigns. The trade-off is that CPMs aren’t always as high, but the money you make is cleaner and more defensible.
With Tier 1 traffic, Propeller sits at roughly $1.20–$4.00 per thousand impressions. Good gaming sites and tech sites can hit the upper end of that. With Tier 3 traffic, you’re at $0.30–$1.00, which is actually respectable. The $25 minimum payout means you need a little more volume to get paid, but honestly that’s fine.
Real pros: Support is genuinely good. The platform feels modern. You get access to their own advertiser dashboard, which means you can see what campaigns are running and blacklist specific ones if needed. Payments are reliable. They have a relatively hands-on approach to fraud prevention, so your numbers actually mean something.
Real cons: The $25 minimum payout means small sites need to accumulate more earnings before getting paid. The stricter advertiser base means lower overall volume sometimes, which can impact daily earnings variance. For really niche low-traffic sites, you might not hit the minimum payout regularly.
Who should skip it: Small sites with very low monthly traffic (under 50k uniques) probably won’t hit the $25 threshold regularly enough to make the relationship worthwhile.
3. AdCash
AdCash is one of those networks that’s been around long enough to understand the ecosystem but stays just below the hype radar. They operate popunders, but they also do display, interstitials, and push notifications, which is actually valuable if you’re trying to diversify your revenue streams from one partner.
The thing I like about AdCash is that they’re honest about what you’re getting. They have different tier levels for publishers depending on traffic quality and volume, and the higher tiers actually get better rates and support. It’s refreshing compared to networks that just throw everyone in one bucket.
CPM-wise, you’re looking at $0.80–$3.50 for Tier 1 traffic depending on your site category and the volume of campaigns running. Tier 3 traffic gets you $0.25–$0.80. The variation depends a lot on what type of traffic you have—they’re pretty good at category-specific pricing, so a gambling site makes more than a generic tech blog, for instance.
Real pros: Multiple ad format options on one platform means you’re not managing five different vendor relationships. The $20 payout minimum is reasonable. They have a mobile app for checking stats (which sounds silly but actually matters when you’re checking earnings from your phone). Their account managers will work with you if you’re doing decent volume.
Real cons: The advertiser base is wider, which means more variability in campaign quality. Some days are great, some days you’re serving ads that feel scammy. Integration could be cleaner—their code is a bit clunky to implement compared to newer networks. They’re not as aggressive about fraud detection as some competitors, so you need to actively monitor your numbers.
Who should skip it: If you’re running a brand-safe publisher with premium positioning, the variety of campaigns might make you uncomfortable, and you’d be better served by a more selective network.
4. TrafficFactory
TrafficFactory is the network I recommend most often to gaming and software sites specifically. They’ve positioned themselves in a niche and they own it. The advertiser base skews toward software, apps, games, and tech products, which means the campaigns actually fit the audience better than on general-purpose networks.
Because the advertiser targeting is tighter, CPMs are actually higher and more consistent. Gaming sites especially see strong performance because the campaigns are often other games, which the audience actually wants to click. This is the opposite of PopAds, where you might be serving predatory lending ads to gamers.
Tier 1 CPMs range from $1.50–$5.00, and I’ve actually seen good gaming sites push past that in peak seasons. Tier 3 is $0.40–$1.50, which is notably higher than you’d get on general networks. The minimum payout is $10, which is pretty friendly.
Real pros: Relevant campaigns mean better user experience and less blacklisting. You actually want some of these ads on your site because they convert. The CPMs are legitimately higher for niche-appropriate traffic. Their advertiser base is stable and repeating. Customer service is responsive and understands the gaming/tech space.
Real cons: If your site isn’t gaming or software-related, the network might not have many campaigns for you, and you’ll see lower fill rates. The selectivity that makes them good for gaming sites means they might not be right for generic content. The platform UI is functional but not beautiful.
Who should skip it: If you’re running a news site, blog, or general interest content, you’ll get better results elsewhere because TrafficFactory’s advertiser base is too niche.
5. EasyHits4U (PopShops)
Let me be honest: EasyHits4U is kind of the training wheels network. It’s the one I recommend to people just starting out who want to understand how popunders work and if they even want to do this. The network is free to join (though there are paid tiers), and the barrier to entry is basically nonexistent.
The CPMs are not great—I’m going to be real with you. Tier 1 traffic gets you $0.30–$1.20, and Tier 3 is $0.05–$0.30. The advertiser base is on the sketchier side. But here’s why it exists: they actually serve as a traffic exchange and community platform, so some people use it just to get initial volume. It’s also useful for testing whether popunders will work on your specific site.
The minimum payout is free to register, though actual payouts require $5 minimum. They pay out via multiple methods including Payoneer, which is valuable in certain regions.
Real pros: Zero barrier to entry. Multiple payout methods. Built-in traffic exchange community means you can actually learn something about how the space works. Good for testing. No contract or commitment.
Real cons: CPMs are genuinely low. The ads are often outright spam. The platform feels a bit dated. Fill rates can be inconsistent. This is not a long-term solution for any publisher serious about monetization.
Who should skip it: If you’ve got established traffic above 10k uniques per month, you’re leaving serious money on the table using only EasyHits4U.
6. Undertone
Undertone is the premium play in this space. If PopAds is the wild west, Undertone is the country club. They’re built primarily for publishers with significant traffic and sophisticated advertisers who want brand-safe placements. They do rich media units that work as popunders but with higher production value.
This network is selective about who they work with. You need meaningful traffic, and they’ll actually review your site before accepting you. This is annoying on the surface but actually great once you’re in because it means all the other publishers on the network are legit too.
CPMs with Undertone are genuinely high. Tier 1 traffic gets you $2.00–$8.00, and I’ve seen premium publishers in major markets hitting even higher. Tier 3 is still respectable at $0.80–$2.50. The $50 minimum payout is higher, but honestly if you’re qualified for Undertone, hitting $50 isn’t the issue.
Real pros: CPMs are substantially higher than competitors. Brand safety is prioritized, so you’re not worried about sketchy ads. Advertisers are sophisticated and campaigns are well-produced. Support is actually good because they have resources. The data they provide is detailed and useful.
Real cons: The approval process can be gatekeeping-y. You need solid traffic to even be considered. The minimum payout is higher. They’re more selective about site content, so certain niches are harder to get approved. They’re not as aggressive with volume as some other networks, which can mean lower daily earnings for some sites.
Who should skip it: New sites and sites with under 50k monthly uniques will likely get rejected, so don’t bother applying if you’re not in their target range.
7. BidVertiser
BidVertiser is kind of the Swiss Army knife of ad networks—they do display ads, contextual ads, popunders, and some push stuff. The popunder component is solid but honestly not their main focus. That said, for publishers who want to monetize everything with one platform, BidVertiser deserves consideration.
The advertiser base is diverse, which is both pro and con. It means more available campaigns, but also more variability in quality. CPMs with Tier 1 traffic range from $0.70–$2.80, which is reasonable but not spectacular. Tier 3 is $0.20–$0.70. The $10 minimum payout is friendly.
What makes BidVertiser interesting is that they’ve invested in contextual targeting technology, which means some of their ads are actually relevant to your content, not just your user. That can mean better user experience and actually better CPMs because advertisers pay more for contextual placement.
Real pros: All-in-one platform means fewer integrations. Contextual targeting is legitimately decent. Easy to use. Multiple ad format options. Low minimum payout. Account managers available for decent traffic volumes.
Real cons: The focus on multiple formats means popunders aren’t optimized the way they are on dedicated networks. CPMs are solid but not the highest. The advertiser base is wide, which means you’ll see some low-quality campaigns. The interface feels a bit dated.
Who should skip it: If popunders are your sole focus, dedicated networks like PopAds or TrafficFactory will serve you better. Also skip if you’re brand-safety focused.
8. RevenueHits
RevenueHits is a European-born network that’s gotten better over the years. They focus on responsive publishers and high-engagement content, which sounds like marketing speak but actually means something—they’ve built tools to detect when a publisher’s audience is actually engaged versus bot traffic, and they adjust rates accordingly.
The network does popunders, push notifications, and some interstitials. The advertiser base is reasonably curated, not as strict as Undertone but better than PopAds. CPMs for Tier 1 traffic run $1.00–$3.80, and Tier 3 is $0.30–$0.90, which is respectable.
What I appreciate about RevenueHits is that they’ve built actual fraud detection. This matters more than you’d think. A lot of publishers don’t realize they’re getting hit with bot traffic, and networks don’t tell them because it would lower the CPM. RevenueHits is more transparent about this.
Real pros: Fraud detection is solid, so your numbers are more honest. Support is responsive. The UI is clean and modern. Multiple format options. $20 payout minimum is reasonable. They have a referral program that actually works.
Real cons: Because they’re stricter on fraud, CPMs can dip if your traffic quality drops even slightly. The European focus means some US advertisers aren’t as prevalent. You need decent traffic to see consistent daily earnings. Integration takes a bit of work.
Who should skip it: If your site is flooded with bot traffic and you’re trying to monetize it before cleaning it up, RevenueHits will actually catch that and pay you less, so you might prefer a network with looser fraud detection.
9. Clicksor
Clicksor has been around forever—like, they were early in contextual advertising. They’re still around in 2026, which says something. They do context-based targeting for popunders, contextual ads, and some other formats. The approach is old school but actually still works for certain types of sites.
The network is pretty selective about traffic. You need meaningful volume and the site needs to have actual content (not just an ad landing page). CPMs are moderate: $0.60–$2.50 for Tier 1, $0.15–$0.50 for Tier 3. The $50 minimum payout means you need solid earnings before getting paid.
Real pros: Contextual matching means less jarring ads. Legacy advertiser base means some large companies. Long track record means reliability. No sudden shutdowns or policy changes.
Real cons: The platform feels old because it is. CPMs aren’t competitive compared to newer networks. The minimum payout is high. They’re not aggressive about updating technology or features. Fill rates can be inconsistent. Support is okay but not great.
Who should skip it: If you’re starting out or running a small site, there are better options. If you want modern features and competitive rates, skip this.
10. PopMyAds
PopMyAds is a relatively newer network that’s trying to build a community around popunder monetization. They’re smaller than most networks I’ve mentioned, which is both pro and con. The smaller size means less bureaucracy and faster evolution, but also less advertiser volume sometimes.
CPMs are on the lower side: $0.40–$1.80 for Tier 1 and $0.10–$0.40 for Tier 3. But the $10 minimum payout is friendly, and they actually focus on working with newer publishers. The advertiser base is decent but smaller than established networks.
Real pros: No gatekeeping. New sites are welcome. Low minimum payout. Support is responsive because they’re smaller and actually care about relationships. You might get access to exclusive campaigns. The dashboard is clean.
Real cons: Because they’re smaller, advertiser volume varies more day to day. CPMs are generally lower than established networks. There’s a risk they could pivot or shut down (though they seem stable). You’re more likely to experience inconsistent earnings.
Who should skip it: If you’ve got established traffic and need consistent high CPMs, bigger networks will serve you better. This is better for testing or smaller sites.
How to Actually Pick the Right Network for Your Situation
Okay, so you’ve read through ten networks. Now what? Here’s how to actually decide.
First, assess your traffic. How much monthly unique visitors do you have? What’s your geographic split? This is the fundamental constraint. If you’ve got 5k monthly uniques, you’re not getting into Undertone. If you’ve got mostly Tier 3 traffic, Undertone won’t pay well anyway. Write down your traffic profile: monthly uniques, primary countries, growth trajectory.
Second, understand your brand positioning. What’s your brand? If you’re a premium publication or a personal brand you’re trying to build, popunders might not even be the right choice—they’re inherently interruptive. But if you’re a niche site where aggressive monetization is normal (gaming, tech downloads, etc.), you can go harder. If you’re brand-safe premium content, you need Undertone or TrafficFactory (if you’re tech/gaming). If you’re willing to serve anything, PopAds and AdCash work fine.
Third, pick your tier carefully. Don’t try to start with three networks. Pick one that fits your actual profile. If you’re brand-safe premium, pick Undertone and see if you qualify. If you’re established mid-tier content, pick Propeller Ads or TrafficFactory depending on your niche. If you’re starting out, pick PopAds or RevenueHits.
Fourth, run a real pilot.** If you pick PopAds, let them run for 30 days and track your actual CPMs and user response. Make sure the ads aren’t breaking your site or driving away users. Some publishers find popunders work great. Others discover they tank engagement and decide the revenue isn’t worth it. Only you can figure that out.
Fifth, once you’re established, diversify carefully. If PopAds is working, add Propeller Ads (different advertiser base, better rates usually). Then maybe add TrafficFactory if you’re tech-focused. Don’t add five networks on day one—that’s chaos. Build slowly and manage actively.
Sixth, actively manage your relationships. Even if you pick the best network, you need to use their blacklist features to exclude sketchy advertisers. You need to monitor fraud. You need to check that payouts are accurate. Networks aren’t partners who care about you—they’re middlemen. The responsibility for your numbers is yours.
Seventh, watch the numbers obsessively for at least 90 days. CPMs vary by day of week, season, and what campaigns are running. You won’t know what you’re actually making until you’ve seen a full quarter. Track it in a spreadsheet. Understand the patterns. This data is gold.
Five Questions People Actually Ask About This
Q: Are popunders actually worse than regular display ads for user experience?
A: Depends on the context. A popunder that opens below the browser window is actually less intrusive than a sticky header ad that covers your content while you’re reading. The issue is that popunders are easy to abuse. If you’re responsible about it—say, one popunder per session, not every page load—users don’t actually hate them as much as the industry assumes. That said, they’re inherently more intrusive than standard display ads. Gaming sites and free software sites can get away with them. News sites and blogs usually shouldn’t.
Q: Do networks actually pay what they say they’ll pay?
A: Generally yes, but with caveats. Advertiser payouts are real. The networks pay you what they contractually owe you. However—and this is important—networks reserve the right to identify and reject fraud. If they determine that 30% of your traffic is bot traffic, they might discount your earnings by that amount or hold payment pending review. Some networks are transparent about this. Others aren’t. This is why fraud detection matters. The networks aren’t stealing from you; they’re protecting themselves and other advertisers from fraud.
Q: How do I know if my traffic is actually being recognized by these networks?
A: Check the numbers. If you have 100k page views a month and the network is only counting 50k impressions, you either have a technical issue or fraud. Most networks show you their daily counts. If it’s dramatically lower than your actual traffic, investigate. Could be ad blockers (which is real and growing), could be ad stack issues (ads not loading), could be bots. Contact support and ask. Good networks will help you figure it out. Bad ones will ghost you.
Q: Should I use multiple networks at once?
A: Yes, but carefully. If you run PopAds and Propeller Ads simultaneously, you might get two popunders to the same user, which is annoying but actually happens in the real world. Some publishers frequency cap their own code so users get max one popunder per day across all networks. That’s smart. What you don’t want is to run five networks, discover one is serving malware, and have your site infected before you notice. Start with one or two, prove the model, then expand if you want.
Q: What’s the realistic monthly earnings for a new site?
A: Depends entirely on traffic. A site with 10k monthly uniques getting $0.50 CPM on Tier 2 traffic would make roughly: (10,000 * 0.50) / 1,000 = $5 per month. Which is basically nothing. At 100k monthly uniques with similar metrics, you’re at $50/month. At 1 million uniques, you’re at $500. These numbers assume consistent traffic and no fraud. Most publishers need 100k+ uniques before monetization becomes meaningful. Below that, it’s experimental. If you’re trying to earn meaningful income, you need serious traffic.
My Overall Recommendation
Here’s what I actually recommend for different situations:
If you’re just starting out and want to test: Use PopAds. Low minimum payout, easy setup, you’ll learn a lot. Run it for 30 days and see if the model even works for your site. Don’t stress about the advertiser quality yet. If it works and you like the revenue, great. If it doesn’t work, you’ve learned something valuable and can stop.
If you’ve got established traffic (50k+ monthly uniques) and want solid monetization: Start with Propeller Ads. Their CPMs are good, support is helpful, and they’re selective enough that you won’t feel sketchy about your site. If Propeller is working, add TrafficFactory if you’re in tech/gaming, or AdCash if you’re general content. Don’t go crazy—two networks is plenty to start.
If you’ve got premium brand-safe content: Apply to Undertone if you meet their traffic requirements (honestly try even if you’re borderline—worst they say is no). If you don’t qualify, use Propeller Ads. Avoid PopAds and the broader networks. Your brand matters more than squeezing every dollar.
If you’re running a gaming or software site: TrafficFactory should be your primary network. Their CPMs are actually higher because their advertisers are relevant. Once that’s established, add Propeller Ads for additional revenue. This combo is genuinely good for gaming sites.
If you’re a publisher that’s monetized for years: You probably already have a mix of networks. Maintain that mix, but every year review whether each network is actually worth the implementation weight. I see publishers still running ads through networks they’ve outgrown. Clean house annually.
The honest truth is that popunder networks exist because there’s demand. Some users ignore them, some click. Some advertisers are scams, some are legitimate. Your job is to navigate that middle ground responsibly—get paid without ruining your site or users’ experience.
Don’t overthink this. Pick one network, run it for a month, see what happens. The data will tell you if it’s working. Then iterate from there. That’s it.
