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Creating an SSP platform on your own or choosing a white-label: opt for the best solution
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Creating an SSP platform on your own or choosing a white-label: opt for the best solution

Creating an SSP platform on your own or choosing a white-label: opt for the best solution
January 23, 2025
9 min read

Recently, a thought-provoking question from a Marketecture Media and AdTechGod newsletter caught our CEO Anastasia-Nikita Bansal’s attention: "What do you think it takes to build a new SSP in 2025?". While some argue that starting with a minimal viable product using tools like BidSwitch can be quick, others emphasize the importance of having complete control over your data, pricing, and inventory management. The debate often boils down to a critical decision: should you build an SSP platform from scratch or invest in a ready one customizing it for your brand? Both options perfectly align with businesses that strive to grow and strengthen their programmatic presence.

To continue this topic, TeqBlaze shares our perspective and insights from practice. Below, we break down the pros, cons, and key considerations of creating an SSP on your own and white-labeling for you to navigate the decision.

When turning to an outsourced company for SSP platform development is an option?

If you have already defined your platform’s specific needs but can’t find similar solutions on the market, outsourcing provides an effective solution. Instead of assembling an in-house development team, you can just leave the technical aspects to the experts. This helps avoid the costs of hiring, training, and investing in new tools and enables you to move forward with the development process without the need for significant upfront investments.

Another reason to consider outsourcing is when you want your platform to be in complete control. In this case, the project is led by a specific person, your manager, who is aware of all the work. In return, you receive analytical summaries and detailed reports on budget allocation and the effectiveness of different advertising channels.

Outsourcing is also beneficial if you aren’t ready to develop a platform from scratch but have assembled a team to serve your product. This is where outsourcing helps you get started without the burden of long-term technical management. Let’s take a look at two main options. 

When to choose development from scratch?

Building an SSP platform on your own is no small feat, requiring a team of technical specialists, including developers, designers, and engineers. Instead of hiring a full team, businesses often turn to tech vendors specializing in custom software development. In this case, employees do the work for the customer but the contractor pays their salaries - the outsourcing organization. Outsourcing the SSP platform also allows you to reduce company costs and improve efficiency in cases where internal specialists are unable to cope with the tasks. It is especially relevant when a young online enterprise simply does not have the time and ability to set up a full-fledged department within its staff.

However, while the vendors bring expertise, infrastructure, and experience to create tailored solutions, this option comes with its own set of risks.

What else to take into account? 

The biggest risk here is that not all software development companies are created equal, especially in the AdTech niche. The number of vendors specializing in SSP development is limited, and as your platform’s requirements grow more specific, your options narrow further. The consequences can be ominous — from failure to achieve the desired results to even a project failure.

This option can also be complicated regarding communication and working with external development teams that may not fully understand your business or goals. Such a miscommunication can lead to delays, a lack of control, and poor quality work.

Tech vendors also typically deliver a functional platform but don’t train your team on how to use it. Your team may struggle to maximize the platform’s potential without proper onboarding.

Another important point you need to remember is that the development process may take longer than you expected (sometimes a year or more). This may happen due to unclear or incomplete technical and business requirements. Without a shared vision of the final product, the planning phase may become inefficient, dragging out the timeline and increasing costs.

Once your platform is delivered, maintaining it becomes your responsibility. This includes code updates, bug fixes, new features, and scalability improvements.

However, building a platform is only half the battle. You also need a business team in your arsenal, as well as marketing, sales, customer support, and separate supply partners—to make the platform functional and profitable. 

When to choose a white-label solution?

From the above, it becomes clear that developing a solution from scratch may be long and expensive. Creating a programmatic platform through the white-label approach is another option to outsource an SSP platform development. The solution is based on proven technology, meeting the industry's high standards and requirements.

This is ideal if you’re working under tight deadlines and need a high-quality solution delivered quickly. This is where you turn to an existing solution on the market that aligns with your business needs, saving time and effort. Another scenario where a ready-made product works well is if you lack an in-house development team and prefer not to invest in hiring or training new professionals. Such a cost-effective option reduces expenses without compromising on quality.  

Among other competitive advantages are:

Fast market entry

Time is a precious resource, especially in the advertising landscape. Building and launching your platform from scratch takes months, or even years, accompanied by significant costs. 

White-label SSP platforms significantly reduce time - sometimes to a week. This initial speed enables your business to respond faster to market needs and launch advertising services that meet the expectations of your clients.

Market-tested technology 

The likelihood of bugs is minimal since the SSP platform has already been developed and tested. All that’s left is customizing it according to your specific requirements, making it a practical and efficient solution for businesses.

Resource savings

Using a ready-made SSP platform helps to save on its development and support. There is no need to pay for the team that develops the platform. Instead, you only pay for the technology and get the full tech team, alongside platform updates and bug fixing for free. By team, we don't mean juniors, but a fully skilled team that includes senior-level engineers, CTO, CPO, etc. For example, at TeqBlaze, we provide you with at least five years-experienced AdTech professionals whose price would be much higher on outsourcing.

Platform navigation and aid

In addition to white-label SSP products, you can get onboarding and regular support from the white-label solution provider. If you have additional questions—you can always ask account managers or the AdOps team to navigate the platform.

For example, our account managers delve into your specific business details and assist in scaling your productivity and improving your profits. Not only do they cover all your daily tasks, but also provide you with regular performance checks and ideas on how to improve the platform’s functionality.

Customization option  

One of the main advantages of white-label solutions is customization. Usually, you can customize the solution for an additional fee, adapting it to your needs. You can also make the necessary changes, from design to functional features.

This not only simplifies the launch process but also gives you full control over the appearance and functionality of the product while maintaining the uniqueness of the brand.

Bonus solutions 

Finally, white-label platforms can come with additional services designed to facilitate your work with the platform. For instance, to accelerate your growth and unlock faster revenue generation, TeqBlaze proposes Business Intelligence, a Lunch Program, a Training Program, a Dedicated Full-time AdOps / Account Manager, and other expert support tailored to your business needs.

What else to take into account?

Firstly, it’s important to note that there are different options for white-labeling — rebranding only, white-label solutions with connected demand, and a fully customized platform. In the first option, you only change the design, and the platform remains the same. But if you consider a full customization, you need to remember that you are not the owner of the platform and source code. This means you can’t sell or white-label the platform to other people.

Secondly, if you choose to adopt a white-label approach, take the time to understand the solution you’re considering fully. Evaluate its features carefully, particularly its customization options and data collection capabilities, keeping in mind the decline of cookies. This preparation ensures that your platform meets the needs of your customers and stays competitive.

Thirdly, not all vendors offer the same number of updates and some of them will be available to other customers. So, if you want a unique solution, you need to check how often the platform is updated and whether it offers custom solutions.

Finally, you still have to develop your product. The success of your SSP platform will depend on how well it will be deployed, work, etc. And this is not possible if you have no understanding of the SSPs core.

TeqBlaze — your reliable white-label SSP provider 

White-label SSP is built to do just that—and more. As the ultimate solution for publishers, it’s designed to optimize monetization strategies, enhance efficiency, and unlock new revenue opportunities.

With cutting-edge tools like ML-driven adaptive margin, traffic shaping and curation, and powerful analytics, TeqBlaze transforms challenges into opportunities. Backed by a commitment to innovation and a proven track record, we’re the partner you can trust to fuel your programmatic success.

Final thoughts

The decision to go with outsourcing or a white-label solution should be driven by your unique needs and available resources. Begin by clearly defining your requirements: What features are essential for your platform? How quickly do you need it to launch? What budget do you have to work with? Once you have answers, evaluate the available white-label options. If your desired platform is highly specialized and you can’t find a suitable pre-built solution, then outsourcing might be better suited to your needs.

Do you need assistance in finalizing your idea for SSP platform development? Feel free to reach out to our team, which has diverse experiences and various solutions for any of your business goals. In case you have already decided on the development model, book a demo to launch swiftly and effectively.

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