30+ Best Paid Traffic Sources for 2026

You’ve built something. Maybe a landing page, maybe an offer, maybe a service you want to sell.

Now you need people to see it.

This is where most AI-business builders get stuck. They know how to use Claude to write copy or build a site. They don’t know which traffic source won’t burn their budget in 48 hours.

I’ve spent over a decade buying traffic across every platform in this guide. Here’s what I’ve learned: the “best” traffic source doesn’t exist. What works depends on your offer, your audience, and how much you can afford to lose while learning.

This guide covers 30+ paid traffic sources with honest takes on each one. I’ll tell you which platforms match which business models, so you can skip the expensive trial-and-error phase.

How To Use This Guide

If you’re building an AI-powered business, here’s where to start based on your model:

Quick Navigation:

The Real Question: Where Should YOU Start?

Each platform has a different audience in a different mindset. YouTube users want video. LinkedIn users are in work mode. Pop traffic users weren’t expecting to see your offer at all.

Your job is to match your offer to the right audience mindset.

If you’re just starting and have limited budget, I recommend testing on cheaper traffic first (pop, push, redirect) to validate your offer works. Then scale to premium sources once you have winning metrics.

If you already have a proven funnel, go straight to the platforms with the most volume for your audience.

What is Paid Search?

Paid search puts your ad in front of someone actively searching for what you sell. They type “best CRM for small business” and your ad appears. That intent is gold.

Best for: Service businesses, B2B, local businesses, anything where people search for solutions.

AI business application: If you’re building a productized service or SaaS, paid search captures people at the moment they’re looking for exactly what you offer. Use Claude to research keywords your competitors bid on, then write ad copy variations to test.

Google Ads

The Reality:

90%+ of search happens on Google. If you want scale, this is where you get it. But Google will happily take your money whether you know what you’re doing or not.

Who Should Use It:

• Service businesses with lifetime customer values over $500
• B2B companies where one client pays for months of ad spend
• Local businesses targeting specific geographic areas
• Anyone who’s already validated their offer elsewhere

Who Should Wait:

If you’re still figuring out your offer, Google Ads will burn through your learning budget fast. CPCs hit $100+ in competitive industries. Test on cheaper sources first.

Getting Started:

1. Use SpyFu to see what keywords your competitors bid on
2. Start with exact match keywords only (prevents budget bleed)
3. Set daily budgets at 10x your target CPC minimum
4. Use Claude to write 10 headline variations, let Google test them

Google’s Performance Max campaigns can automate optimization once you have conversion data. But you need conversions first, which means your landing page and offer need to work.

Links: Signup To Google Ads | Google Ads Editor | Remarketing Guide

YouTube

The Reality:

2.5 billion monthly users. Second largest search engine. And I’ve gotten CPCs as low as $0.02. That’s search traffic at display prices.

The Catch:

You need video. If you don’t have video content, YouTube won’t work for you.

Why This Matters For AI Businesses:

Here’s the opportunity: most of your competitors aren’t making video because it’s “too hard.” AI tools have collapsed the production barrier. You can now create decent video content with:

• AI-generated scripts (Claude)
• AI voice-over (ElevenLabs, PlayHT)
• Screen recordings with AI editing (Descript)
• AI-generated B-roll (Runway, Pika)

This means you can test YouTube while others ignore it.

What Works:

• Hook viewers in the first 5 seconds or they skip
• Put CTAs throughout, not just at the end
• 75%+ of viewers drop off before 30 seconds - front-load your message
• YouTube Shorts ads are getting massive reach right now

Getting Started:

1. Create one 60-second video explaining your core value prop
2. Run it as a skippable in-stream ad to your target keywords
3. Target competitor channel names and related videos
4. Start with $20/day and measure cost per landing page visit

Advertise On YouTube

Microsoft Advertising

The Reality:

Bing + Yahoo search traffic, often at 30-50% lower CPCs than Google. The audience skews older and more affluent - people who haven’t changed their default browser settings, which correlates with higher incomes.

Why Most People Ignore It (And Why You Shouldn’t):

Lower volume means less competition. I’ve seen campaigns profitable on Microsoft that lost money on Google because fewer advertisers are bidding up the same keywords.

Best For:

• B2B services (older decision-makers use Bing)
• Financial products
• Healthcare and insurance
• Anything targeting 45+ demographics

Limitation:

You’ll max out at $100-200/day in most niches. This isn’t a scale play - it’s a “print money quietly” play.

Getting Started:

1. Import your Google Ads campaigns directly (Microsoft has an import tool)
2. Reduce bids by 30% since competition is lower
3. Run for 2 weeks and compare performance
4. If profitable, let it run while you focus on bigger platforms

Signup To Microsoft Advertising

Yandex

Skip unless: You’re targeting Russia or Russian-speaking markets.

Yandex has 60%+ market share in Russia. Quality traffic, clean interface, reasonable prices. If you’re selling to Russian-speaking audiences, test it. Otherwise, focus elsewhere.

Signup To Yandex

Baidu

Skip unless: You have a Chinese business license and local partner.

500+ million monthly users, but the barrier to entry is high. Requires Mandarin fluency and local business registration. Big opportunity if you can navigate the setup. Not practical for most Western businesses starting out.

Signup To Baidu

Paid Search Toolkit

Before You Spend Money:

1. SpyFu ($39/mo) - See exactly what keywords competitors bid on and their estimated budgets. Start here before writing a single ad.

2. SEMrush ($139/mo) - More comprehensive competitor analysis. Worth it once you’re spending $1K+/month on ads.

Free Tools You Need:

• Google Analytics - Track what happens after the click. Set up conversion tracking before running ads.

• Google Trends - Find rising keywords to target before they get expensive.

AI Workflow for Paid Search:

Use Claude to speed up your keyword research and ad copy:

"I'm running Google Ads for [your business].
My competitors are [list 3 competitors].
Analyze their likely keyword strategy and suggest
20 keywords I should test, grouped by intent level."

Then:

"Write 10 headline variations for this keyword: [keyword].
Keep each under 30 characters.
Focus on [your unique value prop]."

What is Social Media Traffic?

Social platforms know everything about their users: age, interests, job title, what they click on, what they buy. You can use that data to reach exactly the people most likely to become customers.

Best for: Consumer products, e-commerce, info products, brand building, lead generation.

AI business application: Social ads reward creative volume. The more ad variations you test, the faster you find winners. Use AI to generate dozens of hooks, images, and copy angles, then let the algorithms find what works.

Facebook Ads

The Reality:

3 billion monthly users. If you find something that works, you can scale it to serious volume. But Facebook is competitive, expensive, and your ads go stale fast.

The Hard Truth About Facebook:

I have a love-hate relationship with this platform. When it works, it prints money. But getting it to work requires:

• Constant creative testing (new ads every 1-2 weeks)
• Proper tracking setup (Conversions API is mandatory now)
• Enough budget to let the algorithm learn ($50-100/day minimum)
• Patience through the learning phase

Who Should Use Facebook:

• E-commerce (especially with product catalogs)
• Lead generation with high lifetime values
• Info products and courses
• Anything targeting specific interests or demographics

Who Should Wait:

If your daily budget is under $30 or you don’t have multiple creative variations ready, start elsewhere. Facebook’s algorithm needs data to optimize, and small budgets don’t generate enough.

Getting Started:

1. Install the Meta Pixel AND set up Conversions API (CAPI)
2. Create 5 different ad creatives minimum
3. Start with Advantage+ campaigns - let Meta’s AI do the heavy lifting
4. Target broad initially, then narrow based on what works
5. Expect to spend $500-1000 before you have meaningful data

AI Workflow:

Use Claude to generate creative angles:

"I sell [product/service]. Generate 10 different
emotional angles I could use in Facebook ads.
For each angle, give me a headline and first line of body copy."

Advertise on Facebook

Instagram Ads

The Short Version:

Instagram runs through Meta’s ad platform. If you’re running Facebook ads, you’re probably already running on Instagram too (Meta combines placements by default).

Key differences from Facebook:

• Younger audience (60%+ under 35)
• More visual - ugly ads get scrolled past instantly
• Reels are getting the most reach right now

My recommendation: Don’t separate Instagram from your Facebook campaigns. Let Meta’s algorithm decide where to show your ads. Only break them out if you need platform-specific creative.

Advertise on Instagram

Threads

The Opportunity:

400+ million users and growing. Ads just rolled out globally in January 2026. CPMs are lower than Facebook/Instagram because advertisers haven’t flooded in yet.

Why This Matters:

Early adopters on new platforms get cheaper traffic. This was true for Facebook in 2012, Instagram in 2016, TikTok in 2020. The window doesn’t last long.

What To Do:

If you’re already running Meta ads, add Threads as a placement. It’s one checkbox in Ads Manager. Test for 2 weeks and see how performance compares. Zero extra work to try it.

Limitation: Ad formats are still limited. Expect it to mature throughout 2026.

Advertise on Threads (through Meta Business Manager)

Snapchat Ads

The Reality:

850 million monthly users, less saturated than Facebook or TikTok. I see the same advertisers over and over when browsing Snapchat - there’s room for new entrants.

Who Should Use It:

• Products targeting 18-34 year olds
• Mobile apps
• E-commerce with impulse-buy products
• Entertainment and gaming

Warning:

Snapchat’s approval system is strict. If you get 3-4 disapprovals before an approval, your account gets soft-banned and future ads auto-disapprove. Make sure your first ads follow guidelines exactly.

International traffic is cheap but quality varies. I’ve had terrible results in several GEOs. Stick to US/UK/CA/AU until you know what works.

Getting Started:

Mobile only - all traffic comes from smartphones. Design for vertical video. Fast-moving, authentic content outperforms polished corporate ads.

Full Snapchat Guide | Advertise on Snapchat

TikTok Ads

The Reality:

1.9 billion monthly users. No longer just Gen Z. CPMs are reasonable and the algorithm is powerful once it learns your audience.

The Key Insight:

TikTok rewards authenticity over production value. Polished corporate ads get scrolled past. Native-looking content that feels like organic TikToks performs best.

This is where AI gives you leverage: you can produce high volumes of “authentic-looking” content variations to test.

Who Should Use It:

• E-commerce (TikTok Shop is growing fast)
• Info products and courses
• Apps and software
• Anything with visual appeal or demonstrable results

What Works:

• User-generated content style (even if you make it yourself)
• Hook in the first second
• Fast cuts, text overlays, trending sounds
• Before/after transformations
• “I tested this and here’s what happened” format

Getting Started:

1. Spend a week watching TikTok to understand the format
2. Start with Spark Ads (boosting organic posts) - lower barrier to entry
3. Create 10+ creative variations before launching
4. Let the algorithm run for 3-4 days before optimizing

Regulatory note: TikTok faces uncertainty in some markets. Diversify your traffic sources.

Advertise on TikTok

X (Twitter) Ads

The Reality:

600 million monthly users. Works for specific niches: finance, tech, news, crypto, politics. Hit or miss for everything else.

When It Works:

• B2B targeting professionals in specific industries
• Real-time marketing around trending topics
• Building authority in thought-leadership niches
• Anything where your audience actively tweets about topics in your space

Honest Take:

The platform has been volatile since the acquisition. Some advertisers have pulled back, which means less competition in some niches. Test with small budgets and see how it performs for your specific offer.

Advertise on X

LinkedIn Ads

The Reality:

1.2 billion members, 310 million monthly active users. The best B2B targeting available anywhere. Also the most expensive social platform.

The Math That Matters:

LinkedIn CPCs average $5-10 and can go much higher. You need high lifetime values to make it work.

Quick calculation: If your CPC is $8 and your conversion rate is 2%, your cost per lead is $400. Your customer lifetime value needs to be $4,000+ for that to make sense.

Who Should Use LinkedIn:

• B2B SaaS with $500+/month price points
• High-ticket services ($5,000+ deals)
• Recruiting and HR services
• Anything selling to executives or specific job titles

Who Should Skip LinkedIn:

If your product costs under $100 or you’re selling to consumers, LinkedIn won’t work. The economics don’t scale.

What Makes LinkedIn Powerful:

You can target by:

• Exact job titles
• Company size
• Industry
• Seniority level
• Skills listed on profiles

This precision doesn’t exist on any other platform.

Getting Started:

1. Start with Sponsored Content (in-feed ads)
2. Target specific job titles, not broad interests
3. Offer something valuable (guide, tool, audit) not a sales pitch
4. Expect to spend $1K-2K to get meaningful data

Advertise on LinkedIn

Reddit Ads

The Reality:

1.3 billion monthly users organized into thousands of niche communities. High-quality traffic if your product genuinely helps people in specific niches.

The Reddit Difference:

Reddit users hate advertising. If your ad feels like a sales pitch, you’ll get roasted in the comments. This isn’t a threat - it’s useful feedback. Reddit forces you to create genuinely valuable offers.

What Works:

• Products that solve real problems for specific communities
• Tools and resources that help people do things better
• Authentic, non-corporate messaging
• Being upfront about what you’re selling

What Gets Destroyed:

• Generic marketing speak
• Overpromising
• Anything that looks like a get-rich-quick pitch
• Targeting subreddits that aren’t genuinely relevant

Getting Started:

1. Join subreddits your audience frequents
2. Understand what they actually talk about and care about
3. Create ads that speak their language
4. Target specific subreddits, not broad interests
5. Start with a small budget and read every comment

Advertise on Reddit

Pinterest Ads

The Reality:

550 million monthly users with high purchase intent. Users actively search for ideas and inspiration - they’re already planning to buy something.

The Niche:

Pinterest is 70%+ female. Works for:

• Home decor and furniture
• Fashion and accessories
• Food and recipes
• DIY and crafts
• Wedding planning
• Fitness and wellness (especially for women)

If you’re selling to men or in B2B, skip Pinterest.

Why It’s Underrated:

Pinterest users are in planning mode. They’re actively searching for products and ideas. This intent translates to higher conversion rates than platforms where people are just scrolling.

Advertise on Pinterest

Social Media Toolkit

For Creative Research:

• Foreplay ($49/mo) - Save winning ads from TikTok, Facebook, etc. Build swipe files for inspiration. Essential for understanding what’s working.

• TikTok Creative Center (Free) - See trending ads, hashtags, and creative patterns. Check this before creating TikTok content.

• Meta Ad Library (Free) - See what any brand is running on Facebook/Instagram.

For Content Ideas:

• BuzzSumo ($199/mo) - Find what content performs best in your niche. Worth it once you’re creating significant content volume.

AI Workflow for Social Ads:

Use Claude to generate creative angles at scale:

"I'm creating Facebook ads for [product].
My target audience is [description].
Generate 15 different hooks I could use for the first line
of ad copy. Make them stop mid-scroll."

Then for each winning hook:

"Expand this hook into 3 variations of full ad copy.
Keep each under 125 words. Include a clear CTA."

What is Mobile Traffic?

Mobile traffic comes from in-app ads and mobile websites. Banners, video, interstitials - ads that appear while people use apps or browse on their phones.

Best for: App installs, click-to-call offers, mobile-optimized lead gen.

AI business application: If you’re building a mobile app or have a phone-based service (like pay-per-call lead gen), mobile traffic lets you reach people on the device they’ll use to convert.

72% of mobile ad campaigns are now programmatic - meaning you can use automated bidding and targeting to optimize in real-time.

Recommended Reading: Real Time Bidding Guide

inMobi

Who It’s For: App developers targeting emerging markets (especially India/Asia-Pacific).

The Reality: Large mobile network with exclusive app publisher deals. Quality varies. You need volume spend to access premium inventory.

Skip if: You’re just starting out or don’t have $1K+/day budgets.

Advertise on inMobi

TapJoy

Who It’s For: App developers who need install volume for app store ranking.

The Reality: Rewarded/incentivized traffic. Users get in-app rewards for installing your app. High volume, low quality. Many users uninstall immediately.

When It Makes Sense: Boosting install numbers to improve organic app store rankings. Not for building an engaged user base.

Warning: Many affiliate networks prohibit incentivized traffic. Check before sending.

Advertise on TapJoy

Programmatic DSPs (For Bigger Budgets)

Once you’re spending $1K+/day and need better control, consider DSPs (Demand-Side Platforms):

Skip these if: You’re still validating your offer or spending under $500/day. The complexity isn’t worth it at smaller scales.

What is Push Traffic?

Push ads appear as notifications on users’ devices - just like app notifications, but they’re ads. The key difference from other traffic: users opted in to receive them.

Best for: Affiliates, lead gen, utilities, sweepstakes, e-commerce flash sales.

AI business application: Push traffic is excellent for testing offers before scaling to more expensive sources. Cheap CPCs, real users, fast data. Use AI to generate dozens of notification variations and find what hooks work.

Admaven

The Reality: Push + pop traffic, desktop and mobile. Good quality for the price in most GEOs I’ve tested. Responsive support (rare in this industry).

Watch Out For: Traffic comes in spurts. Even at recommended bids, volume fluctuates randomly. Support is Israel-based (overnight for US marketers).

Good Starting Point for testing push traffic.

Advertise on Admaven

PropellerAds

The Reality: Largest push/pop network. 14 billion daily impressions, 600 million push subscribers, 195+ countries. If you need volume, it’s here.

Multiple formats: Push, In-Page Push, Popunder, Interstitial, Telegram Ads.

Key Feature: Target CPA automatically adjusts bids to maintain profitability. Set your target cost per action and let the algorithm optimize.

Best For: Sweepstakes, utilities, app installs, e-commerce. Start here if you’re new to push traffic.

The Work Required: High volume means optimization matters. Test placements, blacklist poor performers, let the data guide you.

Advertise on PropellerAds

RichAds

The Reality: 5+ billion daily impressions with better quality controls than most networks. AdScore verification. Traffic tiers (Premium, Standard, Remnant, New) let you choose quality vs. price.

Trade-off: Higher prices than budget networks, but less fraud and better conversions.

Best For: Affiliates who’ve been burned by low-quality traffic and want cleaner data.

Advertise on RichAds

Adsterra

The Reality: 35 billion monthly impressions from 35K+ direct publishers. Direct relationships (not just exchange traffic) mean better quality than pure aggregators.

Formats: Push, pop, native, display, social bar.

Quality Controls: Three-level security filtering for bot traffic. Industry awards for quality and support.

Worth testing for mainstream and niche verticals.

Advertise on Adsterra

What is Discovery/Native Traffic?

Native ads look like content recommendations on major publisher sites. “Around the web,” “Recommended for you,” “You may also like” - those are native ads. They appear on CNN, MSN, Yahoo, and thousands of other premium sites.

Best for: Content marketing, advertorials, lead gen with educational funnels, info products.

AI business application: Native advertising rewards storytelling. You’re not interrupting - you’re offering something interesting. Use AI to generate article angles, headlines, and advertorial content that educates while it sells.

Taboola

The Reality: Largest native network. 600 million daily users, 9,000+ publishers including Microsoft, Yahoo, Apple News. If you want premium inventory at scale, this is it.

The Catch: Premium prices. You need strong creatives and landing pages to compete. Don’t test here until your funnel is proven elsewhere.

Best For: Scaling content marketing and advertorial funnels that already work.

Advertise on Taboola

Outbrain

The Reality: Second-largest native network. Premium publisher inventory, easy setup.

Same Story: Premium pricing, algorithm-based targeting. Test on cheaper sources first, scale here once you have winners.

Advertise on Outbrain

MGID

The Reality: 900 million monthly readers, 200 billion impressions, 32,000+ publishers. More affordable than Taboola/Outbrain.

Trade-off: Quality varies more. Requires more optimization.

Best For: Testing native traffic at lower budgets. Affiliates and performance marketers who want native without premium pricing.

Advertise on MGID

What is Redirect/Domain Traffic?

Domain redirect traffic comes from expired or parked domains that still get visitors. Someone types in a dead URL or clicks an old link, and instead of a 404, they see your landing page.

Best for: Cheap testing, impulse offers, sweepstakes, quick validation.

AI business application: This is some of the cheapest traffic available. Use it to test landing pages and offers before investing in premium sources. If it doesn’t convert on $0.002 clicks, it won’t convert on $2 clicks.

Tonic (DNTX)

The Reality: 1 billion clicks/month at fractions of a penny per click. I’ve hit 1000%+ ROI on campaigns here.

What Works: Keyword/category targeting, GEO targeting, dayparting. Instant approvals. Solid quality for the price.

Limitation: Volume drops outside the US. Limited targeting compared to premium sources.

Perfect For: Testing offers before spending real money.

Traffic Macro: [sourceid] - Track which publishers convert

Advertise on Tonic

ZeroPark

The Reality: Redirect + push + pop in one platform. Good interface, solid targeting, competitive prices.

Bonus: They own Voluum (tracker), so integration is seamless.

Trade-off: Prices climb in competitive verticals. Slower review times.

Advertise on ZeroPark

What is Pop Traffic?

Pop traffic opens your landing page in a new window/tab when someone visits certain websites. The visitor didn’t ask to see your offer - it just appeared.

Best for: Beginners testing offers, high-volume testing, impulse conversions.

AI business application: Pop traffic is where you validate before you scale. It’s cheap, fast, and merciless. If your offer can’t convert people who weren’t looking for it, you have work to do on your funnel. Use AI to test dozens of landing page variations quickly.

Why Start Here: Low bid prices + massive volume = fast learning. You’ll know within $50-100 if your offer has potential.

Recommended Reading: Pop Traffic Guide

PopAds

The Reality: Massive traffic, dirt cheap. $1 per 1000 impressions. Desktop and mobile across multiple GEOs.

Best For: Impulse offers - sweepstakes, email submits, app installs. Anything simple to complete.

Trade-off: Mixed quality. Blind network (you see website IDs, not actual URLs). Popular with beginners = more competition.

Tracking Tokens:

PopAds Guide | Advertise on PopAds

PopCash

The Reality: Cheap inventory, high volume. 80% publisher rev share = lots of supply.

Quality Note: Lower quality overall. Expect file-sharing and torrent traffic.

Tracking Tokens: %siteid% (Site ID), %cc% (Country Code)

Advertise on PopCash

Adcash

The Reality: One of the largest sources globally. Clean self-serve platform. Pop, push, native, interstitials.

Warning: High volume + blind network = easy to burn budget. Limit variables, test systematically, blacklist aggressively.

Tracking Tokens:

Advertise on Adcash

Pop/Push/Native Toolkit

Essential Tools:

1. Voluum - Industry-standard tracker. Track campaigns across all sources. AI optimization. Required for serious media buying.

2. RedTrack - Alternative tracker with strong server-side tracking. Good for iOS privacy compliance.

3. Adplexity ($199/mo) - Spy tool for pop, push, and native. See competitor offers, landing pages, and traffic sources. Download landing pages with one click. Code: MARKETUNLOCK for 25% off.

Why Tracking Matters:

Without a tracker, you’re flying blind. You won’t know which placements make money and which burn budget. Every serious media buyer uses one.

Your Next Steps

You’ve got the map. Here’s how to use it.

If You’re Just Starting Out:

Week 1-2: Validate Before You Spend

1. Pick ONE traffic source based on your business model (see the table at the top)
2. Start with the cheapest option in that category (pop, push, or redirect)
3. Test your landing page with a $50-100 budget
4. Track everything from day one

What You’re Looking For:

• Does anyone convert at all? (If not, fix your offer/landing page first)
• Which placements/keywords perform best?
• What’s your cost per conversion?

Only Then: Scale to premium sources once you have winning metrics.

If You Already Have a Working Funnel:

1. Diversify - Don’t rely on one platform. They change rules, ban accounts, raise prices.
2. Test emerging platforms early - Threads, TikTok Shop, whatever’s next. Early adopters get cheaper traffic.
3. Build owned audiences - Every visitor who becomes an email subscriber or push notification subscriber is traffic you don’t have to pay for twice.
4. Use AI to outproduce competitors - Generate more creative variations, test more angles, iterate faster.

The Real Game:

Paid traffic isn’t about finding the “right” platform. It’s about:

1. Having an offer that converts
2. Testing systematically to find what works
3. Scaling winners while killing losers
4. Never stopping the creative testing

AI gives you leverage on #2 and #4. Use Claude to generate ad copy variations, landing page angles, and creative concepts at scale. Then let the traffic data tell you what works.

Start Here Based on Your Business Model

Questions? Contact me.

Want help building profitable campaigns? Book a consulting call - I’ll look at your specific situation and tell you exactly where to focus.