Best RSOC Networks for Publishers in 2025

Not all RSOC networks are created equal. And honestly? Choosing the wrong one can cost you thousands.

I've watched publishers leave money on the table simply because they went with the first network that approved them. Different networks have different advertiser relationships, different revenue shares, and dramatically different performance across content verticals.

In my previous guide on /blog/what-is-rsoc-advertising — what RSOC advertising is, I explained how Related Search On Content works and why it typically pays more than display ads. Now let's get specific about where to access that revenue.

This breakdown covers the nine most relevant RSOC networks for publishers in 2026. I'll give you real approval requirements, actual payment terms, and honest assessments of who each network works best for. No affiliate incentives here—just practical information to help you decide.

Let's get into it.

Before diving into individual reviews, here's what I looked at:

Approval accessibility. Can a mid-size publisher realistically get approved? What's the actual threshold—not the marketing language?

Revenue share and CPCs. What percentage do publishers keep? How do click values compare across similar content?

Payment reliability. Do they pay on time? What's the threshold? What payment methods are available?

Traffic requirements. Minimum traffic, geographic restrictions, content type limitations.

Support quality. When something breaks, can you reach someone who helps?

Reputation. What are real publishers saying in forums and communities? Any red flags?

I also factored in network stability. Some RSOC providers have come and gone over the years. The networks on this list have track records and infrastructure suggesting they'll still be around in 2027 and beyond.

If there's a "premium tier" in RSOC, System1 occupies it.

System1 (previously OpenMail, and owner of brands like MapQuest and HowStuffWorks) operates one of the largest search monetization platforms globally. They process billions of searches monthly and have direct partnerships with major search engines.

What makes them different:

System1's scale gives them leverage with advertisers. More advertisers bidding means higher CPCs for publishers. For finance, insurance, and legal content, System1 consistently delivers the highest per-click revenue in the industry—often $4-8+ per click on premium keywords.

They also offer Ramp—their self-serve platform for publishers—which provides solid analytics and optimization tools. You can see exactly which pages perform, which keywords trigger, and where revenue comes from.

The reality check:

System1 isn't for everyone. Their unofficial minimum hovers around 500,000 monthly pageviews, and they're selective about traffic quality. Purchased traffic, incentivized clicks, or anything that looks like arbitrage without demonstrated sustainability will get rejected.

Approval takes 2-4 weeks typically. They review sites manually, and they're not afraid to say no.

Verdict: If you qualify, System1 should be your primary RSOC partner. The revenue difference is real. But if you're under 500K monthly visits, look elsewhere first and come back when you've grown.

Tonic—operating under the Ads.com umbrella—has become the go-to network for publishers who can't quite reach System1's thresholds.

Don't mistake "accessible" for "inferior." Tonic moves serious volume and their CPCs compete surprisingly well, especially in travel, education, and local services verticals. They've built a reputation for actually approving publishers rather than keeping them in limbo.

What makes them different:

Speed. Tonic approvals often come within 48-72 hours. Their integration is straightforward—JavaScript snippet, WordPress plugin, or API depending on your setup. And their dashboard, while not as sophisticated as System1's, gives you the data you need.

They're also more flexible with traffic sources. While they still prohibit bot traffic and policy violations, they're more comfortable with social traffic and newer sites than premium networks.

The reality check:

Revenue share tends to be slightly lower than System1—usually in the 50-65% range depending on volume. And for ultra-competitive keywords in finance, you might see $1-2 less per click than you'd get elsewhere.

Their support can be slow during peak periods. Not unresponsive, just not instant.

Verdict: Tonic is where most publishers should start. Reasonable requirements, decent payouts, and they'll work with you as you scale. Graduate to System1 later if the numbers make sense.

Sedo built their reputation on domain parking and marketplace services, but their RSOC offerings have matured significantly. If you own domains with type-in traffic or run content sites with direct navigation visitors, Sedo deserves attention.

What makes them different:

Sedo excels at monetizing intent-driven traffic that bypasses search engines entirely. Someone typing "carinsurancequotes.com" directly into their browser has clear intent—Sedo's technology captures that and serves highly relevant search ads.

They also offer hybrid solutions combining RSOC with domain parking, useful for publishers managing portfolios of domains alongside their main content sites.

The reality check:

For pure content sites with mostly organic search traffic, Sedo probably isn't your primary choice. Their technology is optimized for different traffic patterns. You might see lower performance compared to Tonic or System1 on standard blog content.

Their interface feels dated compared to newer platforms. Functional, but not modern.

Verdict: Niche but valuable. If you have domain assets or significant direct traffic, add Sedo to your stack. For content-first publishers, consider it supplementary.

Bodis positioned itself as the entry point for publishers new to RSOC. Their requirements are minimal, their approval process is fast, and they'll work with sites that other networks ignore.

What makes them different:

The $10 payment threshold is the lowest on this list. For new publishers testing RSOC, getting paid faster helps validate the model and fund growth. They also offer daily revenue stats—useful for publishers optimizing aggressively.

Their interface is clean and intuitive. You can set up monetization in under 30 minutes with zero technical experience.

The reality check:

Lower barriers mean lower payouts. Bodis revenue share hovers around 50%, and their advertiser pool is smaller than premium networks. On the same content, expect 20-40% less revenue than you'd see from System1 or Tonic.

They're also stricter about content types than you might expect from an "easy approval" network. Adult-adjacent content, certain health claims, and borderline niches get rejected.

Verdict: Perfect for getting started. Use bodis to learn RSOC mechanics, validate your content's monetization potential, then migrate to higher-paying networks as you grow.

Perion operates at scale most publishers won't reach, but they're worth understanding if you're building toward something bigger.

As a publicly-traded company (NASDAQ: PERI), Perion brings financial stability and transparency that private networks can't match. They own CodeFuel (covered next) and power search monetization for major publishers and app developers.

What makes them different:

Enterprise relationships. Perion works directly with search engines and major advertisers. Their technology stack includes AI-driven optimization that automatically adjusts ad delivery based on real-time performance data.

For publishers with 1M+ monthly visitors, Perion offers custom deals, dedicated account management, and integration support that smaller networks can't provide.

The reality check:

You need serious scale. Perion's publisher team focuses on high-volume partners. Approaching them with 100K monthly visits won't get you far. They're also slower to onboard—expect 4-6 weeks for approval and integration.

Verdict: Aspirational for most publishers. Add Perion to your roadmap for when you hit seven-figure monthly traffic, but focus on accessible networks now.

CodeFuel, a Perion subsidiary, serves publishers who've outgrown entry-level networks but aren't quite at enterprise scale. Think of them as the bridge between Tonic and Perion.

What makes them different:

CodeFuel offers more sophisticated optimization than entry-level networks. Their NewSearch product specifically targets RSOC implementations, with AI-powered keyword matching and layout optimization.

They're also transparent about their search partnerships—primarily Microsoft Advertising (Bing)—which helps publishers understand where revenue actually originates.

The reality check:

Approval isn't automatic. CodeFuel reviews traffic quality carefully and rejects sites with thin content or questionable sources. The 200K monthly minimum isn't published but is roughly accurate based on publisher reports.

Integration is more complex than plug-and-play networks. Expect some back-and-forth with their tech team.

Verdict: Strong option for publishers between 200K and 1M monthly visitors. Better technology than entry-level, more accessible than enterprise tier.

Domain Active carved out a niche serving publishers with direct navigation and type-in traffic. If you've built a portfolio of keyword-rich domains or receive significant traffic from users typing URLs directly, Domain Active offers specialized expertise.

What makes them different:

Their entire technology stack optimizes for intent captured at the domain level. Someone arriving at "cheapflightstoday.com" has different intent than someone clicking through from Google—Domain Active's algorithms account for this.

They also offer domain parking monetization alongside RSOC, useful for managing larger domain portfolios.

The reality check:

Limited utility for content-first publishers. If 90% of your traffic comes from organic search and social, Domain Active won't offer advantages over general RSOC networks.

Their publisher base is smaller, meaning less community knowledge and fewer optimization guides available online.

Verdict: Specialist network for specialist needs. If your traffic profile matches, worth testing. Otherwise, skip.

Media.net is owned by a consortium including several Chinese investors and is one of the largest contextual advertising companies globally. They power Yahoo and Bing's contextual ad products.

While traditionally focused on display-style contextual ads, Media.net has expanded into search feed monetization that functions similarly to RSOC—serving search-style ad units within content.

What makes them different:

Direct search engine relationship. Media.net's integration with Yahoo/Bing means efficient ad delivery without multiple intermediaries taking cuts. For publishers in entertainment, lifestyle, and general interest categories, Media.net often outperforms pure RSOC networks.

Their approval standards are reasonable—typically 10,000+ monthly visits from tier-1 countries—making them accessible to growing publishers.

The reality check:

Media.net is slower to approve than specialized RSOC networks. The review process can take 2-4 weeks, and they require specific content quality standards.

Their dashboard and reporting, while functional, lack the granularity that dedicated RSOC platforms provide. You won't see per-keyword performance data.

Verdict: Solid alternative to Google AdSense with RSOC-like capabilities. Worth testing alongside dedicated RSOC networks to compare performance.

Adsterra isn't a pure RSOC network, but their Search Feed product competes in the same space. For publishers wanting a single-platform solution covering multiple ad formats, Adsterra offers flexibility.

What makes them different:

Format variety. Beyond search feeds, Adsterra offers popunders, native ads, banners, and social bars from one dashboard. Publishers can test multiple formats and optimize based on performance without managing multiple network relationships.

Their approval process is notably fast—often same-day—and their traffic requirements are minimal. They'll work with sites other networks reject.

The reality check:

Adsterra's search feed product specifically is less sophisticated than dedicated RSOC networks. The technology, optimization algorithms, and advertiser relationships don't match System1 or Tonic.

They've also had reputation issues in the past around ad quality. Things have improved, but publishers should monitor user experience carefully.

Verdict: Useful as a supplementary network or for publishers who can't access dedicated RSOC platforms. Not your primary RSOC solution.

Here's something the networks don't advertise: you don't have to choose just one.

Many successful publishers run multiple RSOC relationships simultaneously. Why? Different networks perform differently across content types, geographies, and traffic sources. What works for your finance section might underperform on your lifestyle content—and a different network might fill that gap.

According to MonetizeMore's 2024 publisher survey, sites using multiple ad networks generate 23% more revenue than single-network publishers. The same principle applies to RSOC.

How to do it right:

Start with one primary network. Get approved, integrated, and optimized before adding complexity. Understand your baseline performance.

Test a second network on different content. Run your primary network on 70% of content, test network B on 30%. Compare performance on similar content types.

Optimize based on data. After 30-60 days, you'll see which network performs better for which content. Adjust allocation accordingly.

Watch for conflicts. Some networks prohibit running competitors' code on the same page. Check terms of service carefully. Running Network A on Page 1 and Network B on Page 2 is typically fine. Running both on Page 1 might violate agreements.

Let me make this practical. Based on where you are today, here's where I'd start:

Under 50K monthly visitors:

• Primary: bodis

• Alternative: Adsterra

Focus on growing traffic. RSOC revenue won't be transformational at this scale, but you'll learn the mechanics and validate content performance.

50K-200K monthly visitors:

• Primary: Tonic (Ads.com)

• Alternative: Media.net

This is the sweet spot for building RSOC revenue. Tonic's combination of reasonable requirements and solid payouts works well. Media.net provides diversification.

200K-500K monthly visitors:

• Primary: CodeFuel or Tonic

• Alternative: Test System1 application

You're approaching premium network territory. Apply to System1—if approved, migrate. If not, CodeFuel offers similar optimization at your traffic level.

500K+ monthly visitors:

• Primary: System1

• Secondary: Tonic or CodeFuel (for content System1 doesn't serve well)

At scale, System1's revenue advantage compounds. Even a 20% higher CPC translates to significant money at 500K+ monthly visitors.

I've talked with account managers at several RSOC networks about what gets publishers approved—and what gets them rejected. Patterns emerge.

Content quality signals:

• Original, substantial articles (not thin content or obvious AI generation)

• Clear authorship and editorial standards

• Professional site design and branding

• Regular publishing cadence (not a dead site with old content)

• Proper disclosure and privacy policies

Traffic quality signals:

• Organic search traffic (the gold standard)

• Geographic concentration in tier-1 countries (US, UK, Canada, Australia, Germany)

• Reasonable bounce rates and time-on-site metrics

• No patterns suggesting bot or incentivized traffic

• Clean backlink profile (not spammed domains)

Technical signals:

• Valid SSL certificate

• Mobile-responsive design

• Reasonable page load speeds

• Working navigation and internal links

• No malware or security warnings

Networks use automated tools to check many of these factors before human review. If your site fails automated checks, a human might never see your application.

Based on forum discussions and publisher experiences, these are the common rejection reasons:

Purchased traffic without disclosure. If you're buying traffic—even legitimate native ads driving readers—be prepared to explain your acquisition strategy. Networks that discover undisclosed paid traffic mid-partnership will terminate you.

AI content without editing. In 2026, networks are sophisticated at detecting AI-generated content. The issue isn't using AI—it's publishing unedited AI output that reads robotically. If you use AI assistance, edit heavily and add genuine expertise.

Thin content across the site. A few 500-word posts won't cut it. Networks want to see substantial content that demonstrates expertise and provides real value to readers.

Misleading applications. Inflating traffic numbers, hiding traffic sources, or misrepresenting content focus. Networks verify claims. Dishonesty is a permanent rejection.

Policy-violating content. Even one page with prohibited content can tank an application. Audit your site completely before applying.

Rejection isn't permanent. Most networks allow reapplication after addressing issues.

Ask for specific feedback. Some networks provide rejection reasons. If they don't volunteer, ask. CodeFuel and Tonic are generally responsive to these requests.

Fix the obvious issues. Remove thin content, clean up design problems, add proper policies, improve site speed.

Wait 30-60 days. Don't reapply immediately. Give yourself time to make meaningful improvements and let the network's records show a gap between applications.

Apply to alternative networks. While improving your site, try networks with different requirements. Bodis might approve you today while you work toward Tonic's standards.

For a complete guide on making your site approval-ready, see our /blog-monetization — blog monetization strategies.

Regardless of which network you choose, certain optimization principles apply universally.

Content-keyword alignment. RSOC algorithms analyze your content to determine which search ads to display. Clear, focused content on specific topics triggers higher-value, more relevant keywords. A tightly focused article on "small business accounting software" will trigger better ads than a rambling piece touching accounting, software, and small business tips separately.

Placement testing. Every network lets you test different ad placements. Mid-content, end-of-content, sidebar—performance varies by site. Test systematically, measure for at least 7 days per variation, and let data guide decisions.

Traffic source analysis. Track revenue by traffic source. You might find organic search visitors click RSOC units at 3x the rate of social visitors. This insight should inform content promotion strategy—maybe organic SEO deserves more investment than social for monetization purposes.

Seasonal awareness. RSOC revenue fluctuates with advertiser budgets. Q4 (October-December) typically pays 20-40% more than Q1. Finance peaks during tax season. Travel peaks before summer. Plan content around high-value periods.

A few network-specific optimizations worth noting:

For System1: Take advantage of Ramp's keyword performance data. Identify which topics generate highest CPCs and create more content in those areas. Their reporting granularity exceeds most competitors.

For Tonic: Test their multiple ad unit formats. The search bar widget performs differently than the text link block—and optimal choice varies by site design and audience behavior.

For bodis: Enable auto-optimization in their dashboard. For smaller publishers without time for manual testing, their algorithm makes reasonable decisions automatically.

For Media.net: Their responsive ad units adapt to placement size. Test larger placements than you'd use for traditional display—Media.net's contextual units often perform better with more real estate.

The RSOC ecosystem is evolving. A few trends worth understanding as you choose partners:

AI-powered optimization is becoming standard. Networks that relied on manual optimization are adding machine learning. By 2026, expect automated bid adjustment, dynamic placement optimization, and predictive content analysis across all major networks.

Privacy changes continue reshaping advertising. With third-party cookie deprecation progressing, contextual advertising—which RSOC fundamentally is—gains importance. Networks positioned for a cookieless future will outperform those dependent on tracking.

Consolidation is likely. Smaller networks may be acquired or shut down. The companies on this list have financial stability, but lesser-known options might not survive. Prioritize networks with clear business models and sustainable operations.

Quality requirements will increase. Every network is tightening content and traffic standards. Sites that barely qualified in 2024 might face rejection in 2026. Invest in quality now to maintain access.

Let me bring this together with clear recommendations:

For most publishers: Start with Tonic. Reasonable requirements, solid payouts, fast approval, and good support. You can't go wrong here as a starting point.

For beginners: Start with bodis to learn mechanics, then apply to Tonic once you've validated performance and grown traffic.

For established publishers: Apply to System1 first. If approved, make them primary. If rejected, go with CodeFuel or Tonic while you build toward System1's requirements.

For domain investors: Sedo or Domain Active. Their technology is specifically optimized for your traffic patterns.

For publishers wanting simplicity: Media.net offers RSOC-like functionality with simpler integration if you're already using their display products.

Whatever you choose, remember that RSOC is a tool—not a strategy. The real work is creating content worth reading, building traffic worth monetizing, and continuously optimizing based on data.

For more on building sustainable publisher revenue, explore our /make-money-online — making money online guide and /work-from-home — work from home opportunities.