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November 11, 2025
Best Self-Serve CTV Advertising Platforms for Small Business (2025)
Comparing minimum budgets, creative requirements, and inventory access across streaming TV advertising options
Table of Contents
Last updated: December 2025
Self-serve CTV advertising has exploded over the past few years. Roku, Hulu, Paramount, and even NBCUniversal have all launched platforms that let businesses buy streaming TV ads without calling an agency. But here's what the marketing materials don't tell you: most of these platforms still have minimum budgets and creative requirements that put them out of reach for true small businesses.
We've tested and compared every major self-serve CTV platform to find the ones that actually work for small business budgets. Our criteria: minimum spend, whether you need existing video, how many channels you can reach, and overall ease of use. Here's how they rank.
Quick Comparison: Self-Serve CTV Platforms at a Glance
The Best Self-Serve CTV Platforms Ranked
#1: Adwave — Best Overall for Small Business
Adwave is purpose-built for small businesses entering TV advertising. It combines the lowest barrier to entry with the broadest reach and eliminates the biggest obstacle most businesses face: not having video creative.
Minimum spend: $50
Video required: No (AI generates professional ads from your website)
Channels: 100+ premium networks including NBC, ESPN, Hulu, Peacock, Tubi
Best for: Small businesses testing TV advertising, local businesses, anyone without existing video
What sets Adwave apart is the combination of factors that matter most to small businesses. You can go from having no video to running a professional TV commercial in under 10 minutes. The AI scrapes your website, gathers your images and business information, and generates a broadcast-ready 30-second spot. No production costs, no creative agency, no waiting. The $50 minimum is 10x lower than the next closest option.
#2: Roku Ads Manager — Best for Roku-Specific Targeting
Roku's self-serve platform makes sense if you specifically want to reach Roku's 80+ million active accounts and you already have video creative ready to upload.
Minimum spend: $500
Video required: Yes
Channels: Roku devices and channels only
Best for: Businesses with existing video targeting Roku audiences specifically
The platform is straightforward and provides solid targeting options. The limitation is reach: you're only accessing one ecosystem, so if you want broader streaming TV presence, you'd need to manage additional platforms separately.
#3: Hulu Ad Manager — Best for Disney/Hulu Audiences
Hulu Ad Manager offers access to one of the most premium streaming environments, with engaged viewers watching full-length content on Hulu and Disney properties.
Minimum spend: $500
Video required: Yes
Channels: Hulu and Disney properties
Best for: Businesses with existing video targeting younger, urban demographics
Like Roku, the $500 minimum and video requirement create barriers for smaller businesses. But if you have the creative assets and budget, Hulu's audience quality is genuinely strong.
#4: Paramount Ads Manager — Best for CBS/Paramount Content
Paramount Ads Manager gives you access to CBS, Paramount+, Pluto TV, MTV, Comedy Central, and other Paramount properties. They've added AI creative tools, making it easier to get started if you don't have video.
Minimum spend: $500
Video required: Yes (but AI tools available)
Channels: Paramount+, CBS, Pluto TV, MTV, Comedy Central, BET, Smithsonian
Best for: Businesses wanting access to CBS sports, news, and entertainment audiences
The platform is relatively new and has invested in making the experience more accessible. The $500 minimum still puts it above Adwave, but it's competitive with Roku and Hulu.
#5: Universal Ads — Best for Multi-Publisher Access
Universal Ads is Comcast's ambitious attempt to create a one-stop shop for premium TV advertising. Launched in early 2025, it aggregates inventory from NBCUniversal, Fox, AMC, Warner Bros. Discovery, Paramount, and others.
Minimum spend: Not publicly disclosed (appears enterprise-focused)
Video required: Yes (AI creative tools planned)
Channels: Multi-publisher: NBCU, Fox, AMC, Warner Bros., Paramount, A+E, Roku
Best for: Larger advertisers wanting simplified multi-publisher buying
Universal Ads is promising but still early. The lack of transparent pricing and self-serve minimums suggests it's currently more suited to mid-market and enterprise advertisers than true small businesses.
#6: Amazon DSP — Best for E-Commerce at Scale
Amazon's platform offers powerful targeting based on shopping behavior, but it's designed for enterprises, not small businesses.
Minimum spend: $35,000+ (managed service)
Video required: Yes
Channels: Amazon Fire TV, Freevee, Amazon properties
Best for: E-commerce brands with substantial ad budgets
Unless you're spending at scale and need Amazon's purchase-intent data, this isn't a realistic option for most small businesses.
Why These Rankings Matter for Small Businesses
If you've explored Roku advertising or Hulu advertising, you've probably noticed the minimum budgets start higher than expected. Roku and Hulu both require $500 to get started. Amazon DSP requires $35,000 or more. For a small business wanting to test streaming TV ads, those numbers can feel like a barrier.
That's why aggregator platforms like Adwave exist. They connect to multiple streaming services through programmatic exchanges, giving advertisers access to inventory across hundreds of channels through a single interface, often with significantly lower minimums.
What "Self-Serve" Actually Means in CTV Advertising
The term "self-serve" gets used loosely in the streaming TV advertising world. At its core, self-serve means you can create, launch, and manage campaigns yourself through a platform interface, without working directly with a sales team or agency. But the devil is in the details.
Some platforms offer self-serve access to their own inventory only. Roku's Ads Manager lets you run ads on Roku devices and channels, but only Roku. Hulu's Ad Manager gives you access to Hulu inventory (and some Disney properties), but that's the extent of the reach. These are what we'll call "platform-direct" options.
Other platforms aggregate inventory from multiple streaming services and devices, giving you access to dozens or even hundreds of channels through a single interface. These aggregator platforms often have lower minimums and additional features like AI-powered creative tools. They're built for businesses that want broad reach without managing multiple platform relationships.
Both approaches have merit, but they serve different needs at different budget levels.
Streaming Platform Self-Serve Options
Let's look at what the major streaming platforms offer for businesses wanting to buy directly.
Roku Ads Manager
Roku launched its self-serve Ads Manager in 2024, making it possible for smaller advertisers to access Roku's massive user base of over 80 million active accounts. The platform offers standard CTV targeting options including demographics, interests, and geographic targeting.
The minimum spend is $500 per campaign. You'll need to bring your own video creative that meets Roku's specifications (typically 15 or 30 seconds, meeting broadcast quality standards). The platform gives you access to Roku's owned and operated channels plus some third-party apps that run on Roku devices.
For businesses with existing video assets and budgets starting at $500, Roku Ads Manager is a legitimate option for reaching the Roku audience specifically. The limitation is obvious: you're only reaching viewers on Roku devices, not the broader streaming TV landscape.
Hulu Ad Manager
Disney launched Hulu Ad Manager as a self-serve option in 2021, opening up access to one of the most premium streaming environments available. Hulu's ad-supported tier has grown significantly, and the platform attracts engaged viewers watching full-length TV content.
Like Roku, Hulu Ad Manager has a $500 minimum spend per campaign. You'll need existing video creative, and the platform provides demographic, geographic, and some interest-based targeting. The reach extends to Hulu's streaming content plus some Disney properties.
Hulu's audience tends to skew slightly younger and more urban than linear TV, making it valuable for businesses targeting those demographics. But again, you're limited to the Disney/Hulu ecosystem.
Amazon DSP
Amazon's Demand Side Platform (DSP) provides access to Amazon's streaming inventory, including Fire TV devices and Amazon's owned properties like Freevee. The real draw is Amazon's shopping data, which enables targeting based on purchase behavior and product searches.
Here's where it gets challenging for small businesses: Amazon DSP is primarily a managed service with minimum commitments starting around $35,000 to $50,000. Some agencies offer Amazon DSP access at lower thresholds (often around $10,000 to $15,000), but this still puts it out of reach for most small business budgets.
If you're an e-commerce brand with substantial ad spend, Amazon DSP's targeting capabilities are genuinely valuable. For a local restaurant or service business testing TV for the first time? The economics don't work.
Aggregator Platforms: A Different Approach
While streaming platforms have built self-serve tools primarily to serve their own inventory, another category of platforms has emerged with a different model. These aggregator platforms connect to multiple streaming services through programmatic exchanges, giving advertisers access to inventory across dozens or hundreds of channels through a single interface.
The business model difference matters for small businesses. Because aggregators work across multiple inventory sources, they're not locked into any single platform's pricing minimums. Many offer significantly lower entry points, with some starting as low as $50 per campaign.
Aggregator platforms often include additional features that streaming platforms don't provide. Many offer creative tools, including AI-powered video generation, that eliminate the need to produce video assets before you can advertise. This removes a major barrier for small businesses that have marketing budgets but not production budgets.
The trade-off is that you're not buying directly from Roku or Hulu. You're accessing inventory programmatically, which means your ads run alongside content on these platforms, but you don't get platform-specific features or first-party data from the streamers themselves. For most small business campaigns focused on reach and awareness, this difference is academic.
What Really Matters: The Four Key Comparison Points
When evaluating CTV platforms, focus on these factors that have the biggest impact on small business campaigns.
Minimum Budget Requirements
This is the most obvious differentiator. Platform-direct options like Roku and Hulu require $500 minimum investments. Amazon requires tens of thousands. Aggregator platforms often start at $50 to $100.
For businesses testing CTV advertising for the first time, lower minimums reduce risk. You can run a real campaign, learn what works, and scale up based on results rather than committing $500 or more to your first experiment.
Creative Requirements
Platform-direct options universally require you to bring finished video creative. That means either producing a commercial yourself (with all the associated costs) or hiring a production company. For a professional 30-second spot, you're typically looking at $2,000 to $10,000 or more.
Some aggregator platforms, including Adwave, include AI-powered creative tools that generate professional TV ads from your existing website content, images, and business information. This eliminates production costs and the chicken-and-egg problem of needing video to run video ads.
For small businesses with marketing budgets but no video assets, this is often the deciding factor.
Inventory Access
Platform-direct means platform-only. Roku Ads Manager reaches Roku. Hulu Ad Manager reaches Hulu and Disney properties. If you want broader reach, you'd need to manage campaigns on multiple platforms separately.
Aggregator platforms typically offer access to 100+ channels and streaming services through a single campaign. Your ads can run on premium networks including NBC, ESPN, Hulu, Peacock, Pluto TV, Tubi, and dozens more. This simplifies management and gives small businesses the kind of multi-platform reach that used to require media buying expertise.
Ease of Use
Platform-direct tools are generally straightforward if you already have video creative and understand basic advertising concepts. The interfaces are designed for marketers familiar with digital advertising.
The best aggregator platforms go further, offering guided setup flows, AI assistance, and features specifically designed for business owners who aren't advertising professionals. If "launch a TV campaign in under 10 minutes" sounds appealing, look for platforms built with true beginners in mind.
A Real Cost Comparison
Let's make this concrete. What does $500 (the minimum for Roku and Hulu) actually get you on different platform types?
On Roku Ads Manager or Hulu Ad Manager, $500 is your entire budget. At typical CTV CPMs of $25 to $35, that translates to roughly 14,000 to 20,000 impressions on a single platform. Your ads reach viewers on Roku (or Hulu), and you've met the minimum threshold.
On an aggregator platform with a $50 minimum, you could run 10 separate $50 campaigns testing different targeting approaches, different creative variations, or different geographic areas. At the same CPM range, each $50 test delivers approximately 1,400 to 2,000 impressions, enough to learn whether the channel is working before scaling up.
The flexibility to test and learn matters more than raw impression volume when you're new to a channel. Committing $500 to a single campaign on a single platform means hoping you got it right the first time. Running smaller tests across different approaches gives you data to optimize future spend.
Common questions answered
What's the difference between platform-direct and aggregator CTV advertising?
Platform-direct options like Roku Ads Manager and Hulu Ad Manager give you access to a single platform's inventory. You're buying ads that run specifically on Roku devices or Hulu's streaming service. Aggregator platforms connect to multiple streaming services through programmatic exchanges, letting you reach viewers across dozens or hundreds of channels through one campaign. For most small businesses, aggregators offer better reach and lower minimums, while platform-direct makes sense if you specifically want to target one ecosystem's audience.
Do I need to have a video already to run CTV ads?
It depends on the platform. Roku, Hulu, and Amazon DSP all require you to upload existing video creative that meets their specifications. This means either producing a commercial yourself or hiring a production company, which typically costs $2,000 to $10,000 or more. Some aggregator platforms, including Adwave, include AI-powered creative tools that generate professional TV ads from your website content and images, eliminating the need for pre-existing video.
How much does self-serve CTV advertising actually cost?
Costs vary significantly by platform. Minimum budgets range from $50 (Adwave) to $500 (Roku, Hulu) to $35,000+ (Amazon DSP). Beyond the minimum, you'll pay CPMs (cost per thousand impressions) typically ranging from $20 to $40. A $500 campaign at a $25 CPM delivers roughly 20,000 impressions. The key difference for small businesses is often the minimum threshold: lower minimums let you test and learn before committing larger budgets.
Can I target specific geographic areas with self-serve CTV platforms?
Yes, geographic targeting is available on all major self-serve CTV platforms. You can typically target by zip code, city, DMA (designated market area), or state. This makes CTV advertising practical for local businesses that only want to reach viewers within their service area. Some platforms also offer radius targeting, letting you set a specific distance around an address.
Ready to Get Started?
You don't need a $500 minimum, existing video, or advertising expertise to run your first streaming TV campaign. With Adwave, you can create your first ad in minutes, see exactly how it looks, and launch when you're ready.
Self-serve CTV advertising is real. The question is just finding the version of "self-serve" that matches your budget and your goals.