Details
Looking for the best native advertising tools in 2025? Most native ad tools lists don’t reflect how the industry actually works today. That’s why we created something different, backed by real-world insight and expert input.
The Global Guide to the Branded Content Tech Stack 2025 is not just another native ad tool roundup—it’s grounded in expert insight from 15 leading native studios and agencies around the world, combined with deep research into 120+ tools that power real-world results across the full branded content lifecycle.
From content creation to distribution, from lead gen to analytics—this guide shows what top publishers and marketers are actually using right now to drive results.
In this article, we’re giving you a deep dive into some of the most useful free and paid tools featured in the report—so you can upgrade your native advertising tech stack, stay ahead of the current trends, and make smarter marketing decisions in 2025.
📥 The Tech Stack Used by Native Ad Pros
Download the Branded Content Tech Stack 2025—120+ native ad tools, expert commentary, and exclusive case studies.
Grab Your Free 2025 Native Ad Tools Infographic
You work smart—so here’s your shortcut to working even smarter. Our infographic maps out 120+ native ad tools trusted by top studios. Feel free to download it below and stay ahead before diving into our list of native ad tools below.
Top Free Native Advertising Tools [2025]
You don’t need a big budget to run great native campaigns. Many of the best native advertising tools in 2025 are free or come with generous freemium plans.
In the Branded Content Tech Stack 2025, we’ve organized the native ad tools across four key pillars:
- Research & Analysis – understanding audiences and market dynamics
- Content Creation – producing branded articles, visuals, videos, and more
- Distribution – getting your content seen across the right channels
- Optimisation & Measurement – tracking performance and improving impact
Below, we'll spotlight one top free tool from each category—all trusted by leading studios like Seznam Brand Studio and Berlingske Media—to help you build smarter campaigns without overspending.
New to Native Advertising? Learn More in NAI's Ultimate Guide to Native Ads
1. Google Data Studio (Looker Studio)
Category: Optimisation & Measurement – Data and Performance Tracking
❓Why this native ad tool made the list:
Google Data Studio is used by several native teams featured in the report to communicate results transparently with clients—a must in a data-driven ad ecosystem.
In particular, Berlingske Media uses tools like Power BI (paid) and other analytics dashboards to measure how content drives subscriptions, engagement, and campaign value. While Power BI is advanced, Google Data Studio offers a free entry point with excellent customizability.
💡 “Without these insights, digital native advertising would be like running a print ad—you’d know it was published, but not much else.”
— Nikoline Marie Kjær Jensen, Berlingske Media
✅ Tool Highlights:
- Professional-grade dashboards without enterprise costs
- Popular among both media teams and freelancers
- Ideal for showing campaign performance to clients in real-time
2. Canva
Category: Content Creation – Content Creation Tools
❓Why this native ad tool made the list:
Visual storytelling is at the heart of native advertising—and Canva enables teams to produce polished, on-brand creatives without needing a design team.
In the Global Guide to the Branded Content Tech Stack 2025, both Seznam Brand Studio and Berlingske Media emphasize the importance of content creation tools that empower commercial teams to move faster without relying on developers or designers.
“VEV allows us to be much more flexible—we can create layouts, make edits, and publish content ourselves.”
— Mia Winther-Queen, Berlingske Media
While VEV is a paid enterprise native ad tool, Canva represents a highly accessible alternative for teams starting out.
✅ Tool Highlights:
- Used by thousands of marketers to build ad creatives, headers, and social content
- Freemium plan includes team collaboration and templates
- Supports brand kits, animations, and campaign visuals—all crucial for native storytelling
3. Mailchimp (Free Plan)
Category: Distribution – Email Marketing & CRM
❓Why this native ad tool made the list:
Email is still one of the most direct and high-ROI channels for distributing native content. Mailchimp’s free plan is often used as a bridge between content and CRM, letting marketers automate newsletter sends, track opens, and build segmented audiences.
This ties into the report’s emphasis on content distribution platforms that are flexible, trackable, and cost-effective.
While tools like HubSpot and ActiveCampaign dominate the paid space, Mailchimp gives small teams and startups a strong starting point.
✅ Tool Highlights:
- Built-in audience segmentation and templates for content newsletters
- A/B testing tools and analytics in the free tier
- Integrated with CMS platforms like WordPress for seamless publishing
Learn more: 5 Best Native Ads Platforms in 2025
4. Hotjar
Category: Optimisation & Measurement – Behavior Analytics
❓Why this native ad tool made the list
Understanding how users actually interact with native content is critical—but often overlooked. Tools like Hotjar allow marketers to visualize real behavior beyond just page views: Where did they scroll? Where did they bounce?
Both Seznam and Berlingske emphasize the importance of performance insights like scroll depth and engagement time. While they use enterprise tools like Brand Lift and Power BI, Hotjar offers similar insights for free through heatmaps and recordings.
“We analyze user interactions—scroll depth, time spent on page, click-through rates. That’s information valuable for both editorial and advertisers.”
— Mia Winther-Queen, Berlingske Media
✅ Tool Highlights:
- One of the most widely used free tools for UX and content testing
- Allows marketers to refine native articles, CTAs, and layout structure
- Insightful for both commercial and editorial collaboration
📥 The Tech Stack Used by Native Ad Pros
Download the Branded Content Tech Stack 2025—120+ native ad tools, expert commentary, and exclusive case studies.
Top Paid & Premium Native Ad Tools [2025]
Once you're scaling native advertising campaigns or managing multiple clients, free tools can only take you so far. Investing in the right paid platforms can unlock greater efficiency, deeper insights, and far better campaign performance.
In the Branded Content Tech Stack 2025, we identified over 120 tools—but only a handful stood out for their impact, innovation, and relevance to today’s branded content workflows. These aren’t just big names—they’re platforms selected by top native advertising studios because they deliver measurable results across creation, distribution, and optimization.
Below are five standout paid native advertising tools, covering different stages of the native ad lifecycle—from campaign delivery to content creation and performance tracking. We’ve included both well-known platforms and lesser-known tools worth your attention.
Learn more: What Is an Advertorial? How to Write One That Sells
1. Outbrain
Category: Distribution – Native Advertising Platform
❓Why this native ad tool made the list:
Outbrain remains a dominant force for large-scale native distribution, especially among publishers looking to drive traffic and time-on-site.
With advanced A/B testing, AI-powered recommendations, and premium publisher placements, it’s trusted by agencies and brand studios managing performance-driven campaigns.
Use case: Drive branded article views at scale through premium placements.
✅ Tool Highlights: Sophisticated targeting, conversion optimization, and deep analytics.
"The distribution channels themselves have multiplied and require better platforms to deliver the ever-important views/plays that marketers expect."
— Tom Jenen, ClarityAds
2. AdYouLike
Category: Distribution – Native Advertising Platform
❓Why this native ad tool made the list:
Often overlooked compared to Outbrain or Taboola, AdYouLike is quietly leading the way in AI-enhanced native ad delivery, offering seamless integration with publishers while maintaining editorial relevance.
Use case: Deliver in-feed branded content with contextual AI placement.
✅ Tool Highlights: Blend of automation + brand safety; ideal for mid-sized publishers.
“As AI and automation continue to evolve, native studios that integrate them smartly will stay ahead of the curve.”
— Jan Čapek, Seznam Brand Studio
3. Bynder
Category: Content Creation – Creative Asset Management
❓Why this native ad tool made the list:
Visual consistency across distributed content is essential—and Bynder’s DAM system makes managing and sharing branded assets seamless across teams and markets.
Studios like Berlingske Media stress how operational efficiency is key to scaling native campaigns. While their commercial teams rely on tools like VEV for layouts, Bynder solves the backend pain of asset management.
Use case: Store, tag, version, and distribute visual assets across teams and brands.
✅ Tool Highlights: Brand portals, workflow automation, and user permissions.
4. Foleon
Category: Content Creation – Interactive Content Design
❓Why this native ad tool made the list:
Foleon enables native content teams to build interactive, mobile-first publications—think reports, guides, and magazines—that feel immersive but don’t require dev teams.
This mirrors what Berlingske Media is doing with tools like VEV: empowering commercial teams to create dynamic layouts without relying on developers.
Use case: Create immersive, responsive content experiences for native campaigns.
✅ Tool Highlights: Easy WYSIWYG builder, analytics integrations, strong mobile UX.
Learn more: Best Native Ads Spy Tools to Use in 2025 [Free & Premium]
5. StackAdapt
Category: Distribution – Programmatic Native Advertising
❓Why this native ad tool made the list:
StackAdapt has become a go-to platform for programmatic native, offering real-time bidding, interest-based targeting, and post-click optimization. It’s especially strong for campaigns that span native, video, and CTV—a must-have for omnichannel distribution.
Use case: Multi-channel content distribution with intent-based targeting.
✅ Tool Highlights: Transparency, custom reporting, and flexible audience building.
Ready to Build a Smarter Native Advertising Tech-Stack?
If you’re serious about doing native advertising well in 2025, our Branded Content Tech Stack isn’t just nice to have—it’s a shortcut to clarity.
Instead of spending weeks researching native ad tools, comparing platforms, or guessing what others in the native advertising industry are using, this guide gives you:
✅ A clear, categorized list of 120+ vetted native ad tools
✅ Direct insights from top native advertising studios around the world
✅ Real-world examples of how tools are used in practice—not just what they promise
✅ A future-ready view of how AI, automation, and branded content tech are evolving
Whether you're refining your current ad tech stack or building it from scratch, our guide will help you cut through the noise and make confident decisions faster.
📥 Download the full Branded Content Tech Stack 2025
Your roadmap to smarter native advertising—backed by data, built by industry experts.
