AdSense is one way to earn from ads on a website. It is not the only one. This guide covers three others: a different display ad network, a network built around one audience, and selling a slot directly to an advertiser.
Way 1: another display ad network
An ad network places ads on your site for you. You add its code, and it fills the space with ads from its advertisers. The upside is that you do not have to find anyone to advertise. The trade-off is that you have less say over which ads appear.
A network usually pays by how many people see or click the ads, so your income follows your traffic. Some set a minimum amount of traffic. Raptive asks for at least 25,000 pageviews a month, and Journey by Mediavine asks for at least 1,000 sessions a month. Google AdSense's eligibility page lists no traffic minimum. Read each network's terms before you sign up, and check the payment rules before you count on any income.
Way 2: a network built around one audience
Some networks focus on one kind of audience, such as developers or designers. Here are two examples, described from their own websites.
Carbon Ads, run by BuySellAds
- Who it is for. Carbon describes its network as tech and design sites. BuySellAds describes it as independent publications, communities, creators and open-source projects.
- How you join. You submit your site on Carbon's publisher page. BuySellAds says it will ask what you publish and who you reach, to see whether there is a fit.
- Two ways to work with it. Carbon Direct is a sponsorship service: a team pitches your site to sponsors, negotiates and handles contracts and billing. Carbon Network is a curated network with native ad placements added to your site through the Carbon Tag or an API.
- Privacy. BuySellAds describes Carbon Network as contextual and cookieless.
EthicalAds
- Who it is for. Developer-focused sites. It describes itself as a developer-focused ad network.
- How you join. It is an invite-only network. You fill in a form, the team evaluates your site, and you get an account with test ads. Once your placement is reviewed and approved, paid ads start. There is no contract. The form says it is looking for developer-focused sites with 50,000 or more pageviews a month.
- Ad rules. Its policy says EthicalAds should be the only ad on the page. Your own promotions are fine.
- How you get paid. The minimum payment is $50. It pays through PayPal, OpenCollective, GitHub Sponsors or a bank transfer via Stripe.
- Earnings. EthicalAds says publishers generally see around $2.50 per 1,000 pageviews, assuming most traffic is from the EU and North America. It says numbers vary with your audience and topics.
- Privacy. It says it does not track visitors and loads no third-party scripts or pixels.
The company details on this page come from each company's own website, read between 30 September and 2 October 2026. They can change, so check the source before you decide.
Way 3: sell a slot directly
You pick the advertiser, negotiate any terms you like (a fixed price, a price tied to traffic, both, or something else) and approve the banner before it goes live. Nobody sits between you and the advertiser. The trade-off is that finding the advertiser is up to you.
Check out a full guide on selling ad space here.
With SponsorZone
SponsorZone is a tool for selling one fixed slot on your own site. It gives you the embed, the storefront, the review step and the payment. It is free to start, with no subscription, and takes 10% of each sale.
At a glance
| Carbon Ads (BuySellAds) | EthicalAds | SponsorZone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Built for | Tech and design sites, creators, communities, open-source projects | Developer-focused sites | Site owners selling one fixed slot |
| How you start | Submit your site; BuySellAds discusses the fit | Apply by form; invite-only | Create a Zone and paste the embed |
| Advertisers | "Carefully curated advertisers", in its words | "Hand-picked advertisers", in its words | You approve or reject each banner |
| How you are paid | Not stated on the pages reviewed; check Carbon's publisher pages | $50 minimum; PayPal, OpenCollective, GitHub Sponsors or Stripe bank transfer | After the banner has run for the duration you set, Stripe pays out to your linked bank account |
How to choose
Ask yourself:
- Does your audience fit a niche network? Networks built around one audience are aimed at that audience.
- Does your site meet the requirements? Some networks set a minimum amount of traffic.
You do not have to pick only one. Check each network's own rules before combining it with anything else on the same page. EthicalAds, for example, asks to be the only ad on the page.
Check out a full comparison of fixed slots and automated ads here. For a wider look at earning from a site, check out how to monetize a website.
Frequently asked questions
What are some good alternatives to AdSense for websites?
There are three ways to earn from ads besides AdSense: a different display ad network, a network built around one audience, or selling a slot directly. Which one fits depends on your audience and on how much control you want over who advertises.
What are the best AdSense alternatives for small websites?
There is no single best option. It depends on your audience, on how much control you want, and on whether you want to do the selling yourself. Some networks have conditions for joining. Journey by Mediavine asks for at least 1,000 sessions a month, Raptive for at least 25,000 pageviews a month, and EthicalAds says it is looking for developer-focused sites with 50,000 or more. Selling a slot directly has no network in between.
Are there free AdSense alternatives?
Selling directly does not cost anything up front. SponsorZone is free to start, with no subscription, and takes 10% of each sale.
What is an alternative to Carbon Ads?
EthicalAds is one network in the same space, built around developer audiences. Selling a slot directly is another option. Carbon Ads is run by BuySellAds.
Are BuySellAds and Carbon Ads the same thing?
BuySellAds' publisher pages present Carbon as its own offering. Its pages describe two ways of working with it: Carbon Direct and Carbon Network.