Adsterra Ad Formats Explained: Popunder, Social Bar, Native, Banner and Smartlink

Adsterra ad formats have a bigger effect on your earnings than almost anything else you control. Pick the wrong one and you annoy visitors for pennies. Pick the right mix and the same traffic can pay noticeably more.

I am Humair Ahmad. I run Adsterra on my own sites and teach it to beginners, and the format question comes up in every batch. Here is a plain-English guide to every main format: what it looks like, where it works best and what to watch out for.

Quick overview of Adsterra ad formats

Adsterra ad formats come in five main options for publishers. Four of them use a code on your website, and one is just a link:

You can see the full list of publisher products on the official Adsterra publishers page.

1. Popunder (also called Onclick)

A Popunder opens a full-page ad in a new browser tab or window after a visitor clicks on your page. Adsterra describes pop ads as one of its highest-paid formats.

• Pros: takes no space on your page, usually the strongest earner.
• Cons: some visitors find new tabs annoying, so frequency matters.
• Best for: websites with steady traffic, such as tools, downloads, entertainment and blogs.

One Popunder code per site is enough. Adding the same code twice does not double your income and can hurt the visitor experience.

2. Social Bar

Social Bar shows ads that look like notifications, chat messages or alerts, styled to feel native on any device. In Adsterra’s 2026 update it covers In-Page Push and Interstitials too.

• Pros: eye-catching, mobile-friendly, one code covers several ad styles.
• Cons: needs a clean placement so it doesn’t cover your content.
• Best for: mobile-heavy audiences and blogs.

3. Native Banners

Native Banners blend in with your content, usually as a grid of recommended articles or offers under a post.

• Pros: very user-friendly, good click-through when placed after content.
• Cons: lower payout per view than pops.
• Best for: blogs and news-style sites where readers scroll to the end.

4. Banners (display ads)

Classic rectangular ads in fixed sizes for headers, sidebars and inside your content.

• Pros: familiar, easy to place, don’t interrupt the visitor.
• Cons: banner blindness, so placement makes or breaks them.
• Best for: pairing with a stronger format as a secondary earner.

5. Smartlink

Smartlink is a single URL instead of a code. Adsterra automatically shows each visitor the best-matching offer. You can share it anywhere a link fits, which makes it popular for social media traffic.

• Pros: no website needed, works with social and messaging traffic.
• Cons: you still need real, interested visitors.
• Best for: Facebook pages, Telegram channels, YouTube descriptions and link-in-bio pages.

Which Adsterra ad formats pay the most?

There is no fixed answer, and I won’t give you made-up CPM rates. Earnings depend on your visitors’ countries, devices, niche, season and traffic quality.

What we do know: Adsterra itself describes pop ads as one of its highest-paid formats. In practice, most publishers treat Popunder as the main earner and use the other Adsterra ad formats to add income without hurting the reader.

The Ad Intelligence Engine and your formats

Since October 20, 2026, Adsterra’s new Ad Intelligence Engine picks the best ad for each impression on Popunder, Social Bar, Native Banners and Banners. Adsterra reports up to 20% higher publisher revenue in its test group, though your own results may differ.

If you joined before that date, you must re-paste your codes. My guide to the Adsterra ad code update for October 2026 shows how in ten minutes.

Which Adsterra ad formats should you combine?

Adsterra’s own experts recommend that website owners pair Popunder with Smartlink for a combined revenue effect. A practical starter mix looks like this:

• Blog or content site: Popunder + Native Banner under posts + one Social Bar.
• Tool or download site: Popunder + a Banner near the download button area (not on it).
• Social media only: Smartlink.

Start with two formats, measure for a week, then add or remove one at a time. Too many ads at once hurts user experience and can lower your earnings per visitor.

How I test Adsterra ad formats

1. Run your starter mix for at least seven days so weekdays and weekends both count.
2. Note your revenue per 1,000 visitors, not just total revenue.
3. Change only one thing, such as adding a Native Banner, and run another week.
4. Keep the change only if revenue per 1,000 visitors goes up and visitors don’t leave faster.

Testing Adsterra ad formats this way feels slow and boring, but it is the only way to know what actually works on your own site.

Choosing Adsterra ad formats by site type

• New blog with little traffic: keep it light. One Popunder and one Native Banner are enough while you grow.
• Mobile-first audience: Social Bar fits small screens well. Make sure it never covers buttons or text.
• No website at all: start with Smartlink on your social pages, then build a site later.

Whichever Adsterra ad formats you pick, real visitors matter more than the format itself. Read my guide on how to get traffic for Adsterra to grow safely.

Adsterra ad formats and user experience

Your visitors are the real asset, not the ads. If people leave your site after one page, every one of your Adsterra ad formats earns less, because there are fewer page views to show ads on.

Here is a simple balance I teach my students:

• Content first: the reader should see your main text before any banner pushes it down.
• One interruption at a time: don’t fire a Popunder and a full-screen Interstitial on the same click.
• Clear buttons: never place a banner so close to a download or menu button that people click it by mistake.
• Test on your phone: most visitors in Pakistan and India browse on mobile, so check every page on a real phone.

Common mistakes with Adsterra ad formats

• Adding every format on day one. You won’t know which one earns and which one drives readers away.
• Pasting codes in two places. A duplicate Popunder or Social Bar annoys visitors and does not double earnings.
• Judging after one day. Traffic changes daily, so give each test a full week.
• Ignoring speed. Heavy pages load ads late, so keep images light and use caching.

If you use WordPress, my guide on how to add Adsterra ads to WordPress shows where each code belongs.

Rules to stay safe

• Never change the ad code Adsterra gives you. Its publisher terms forbid altering the ad tag without written consent.
• Don’t hide ads, stack them in invisible frames or place them outside the visible screen.
• Never click your own ads or ask people to click them.

Key takeaways

• Adsterra ad formats include Popunder, Social Bar, Native Banners, Banners and Smartlink.
• Popunder is usually the main earner; the others add income with less disruption.
• Start with two formats, test for a week, and change one thing at a time.
• Follow Adsterra’s rules: no edited codes, hidden ads or self-clicks.

Learn the full setup

In my Adsterra AI Powered Batch 5 course, I show exactly which formats I run on different kinds of sites, where I place them, and how I test them to find the best-paying mix.

Frequently asked questions

How many Adsterra ad formats are there?

For publishers there are five main ones: Popunder, Social Bar (with In-Page Push and Interstitials), Native Banners, Banners and Smartlink. The first four use a code on your site; Smartlink is a link.

Which Adsterra ad format is best for beginners?

For a website, Popunder plus one Native Banner is a simple start. Without a website, Smartlink lets you earn from social media traffic.

Can I use Adsterra without a website?

Yes. Smartlink is a single URL you can share on Facebook pages, Telegram channels, YouTube descriptions and link-in-bio pages. You still need real, interested visitors.

Can I use several Adsterra ad formats on one page?

Yes, but keep it moderate. Two or three formats on a page is a sensible start. Too many ads can lower your earnings per visitor and drive readers away.

Is it allowed to edit the Adsterra ad code?

No. Adsterra’s publisher terms forbid altering the ad tag without written consent. Always paste the code exactly as the GET CODE button gives it.