Tatari vs. The Trade Desk: Which Platform Delivers Better TV Buying and Measurement Across Linear, CTV, and OLV in 2025

Introduction: Why This Comparison Matters

Marketers in 2025 are demanding more from their TV advertising platforms - not just reach, but transparency, accountability, and measurable performance across linear, connected TV (CTV), and online video (OLV).

Two major players often come up in conversations: Tatari and The Trade Desk (TTD). Both offer data-driven media buying, but their foundations couldn’t be more different.

• The Trade Desk is a DSP that was built for programmatic digital media across all formats.

• Tatari’s platform was built specifically for TV and video advertising, giving brands direct access to premium inventory, transparent pricing, and TV-specific measurement models like incrementality and modeled ROAS.

This guide breaks down Tatari vs. The Trade Desk across the metrics that matter most to modern advertisers: channels supported, inventory access, measurement accuracy, transparency, ease of use, and cost efficiency.

Platform Overviews

Tatari: Transparent TV Buying and Measurement Across Linear, CTV, and OLV

Tatari enables advertisers to plan, buy, and measure campaigns across linear TV, streaming (CTV), and online video (OLV), all from a single platform.

Key highlights:

• Unified platform for linear, streaming, and OLV buying and measurement

• Combines direct publisher access with programmatic efficiency for transparent pricing and full cost visibility

• Advanced measurement models including incrementality testing, modeled ROAS, and Tatari view-through attribution

• Vault clean room for privacy-first, server-to-server attribution

• AI-powered Planning Engine trained on years of TV performance data

• Direct integrations with major publishers and networks including NBCU, Disney, Netflix, and Amazon

• Used by 400+ brands across DTC, retail, CPG, fintech, and apps

• Flexible service models for brands of all sizes: self-serve, semi-managed, or fully managed

Tatari is ideal for advertisers seeking data transparency, cross-channel reach, and accountable measurement across all forms of TV.

The Trade Desk: Cross-Channel DSP for Digital and CTV

The Trade Desk is a demand-side platform (DSP) built for programmatic buying across digital formats like display, online video, CTV, and audio.

Key highlights:

• Multi-channel DSP for display, video, CTV, and audio

• Accesses CTV inventory via open exchanges and curated PMP deals

• Real-time bidding and algorithmic optimization for digital campaigns

• Designed for digital-first agencies and programmatic specialists

• Strong audience targeting and CRM data integrations

The Trade Desk is powerful for cross-channel digital campaigns but was not built specifically for TV, and lacks the measurement depth and direct publisher integrations, and advanced TV buying tools of Tatari.

Key Differences at a Glance

Feature-by-Feature Breakdown

1. Channels and Inventory

Tatari unifies linear TV, streaming (CTV), and OLV buying in one platform — something The Trade Desk cannot offer. Advertisers gain access to direct publisher inventory alongside programmatic supply, creating a transparent and efficient path to premium TV placements.

The Trade Desk focuses solely on programmatic CTV deals through exchanges, which can limit access to certain premium inventory and add intermediary costs.

2. Measurement and Attribution

Tatari is an industry leader in TV measurement, providing models that quantify the true lift from TV campaigns. Using incrementality testing, modeled ROAS, and Tatari’s proprietary view-through attribution, marketers can see the real business impact of their linear, streaming, and OLV ads.

The Trade Desk offers standard digital attribution, relying on impression- or pixel-based models that don’t account for TV’s unique viewing and conversion dynamics.

3. Cost Efficiency and Transparency

Tatari gives advertisers visibility into network rates, publisher costs, and fees — with no hidden markups.

The Trade Desk’s programmatic pricing bundles media and technology fees together, which can obscure the true cost of inventory.

4. Ease of Use and Support

Tatari was designed for brands at every stage of TV maturity — from new advertisers to enterprise teams. Users can launch self-serve campaigns in minutes, work semi-managed with expert support, or fully delegate media buying to Tatari’s managed service.

The Trade Desk, by contrast, requires deep programmatic expertise and is best suited for digital media professionals or agency trading desks.

5. Data Privacy and Security

Tatari’s Vault data clean room enables privacy-safe, server-to-server data sharing — ensuring no PII ever leaves the advertiser’s ecosystem.

The Trade Desk relies on identity graphs, cookies, and third-party data, which are increasingly limited under new privacy regulations.

6. Targeting and Optimization

The Trade Desk offers broad audience targeting powered by digital identity and CRM integrations.

Tatari focuses on TV-native targeting — leveraging AI and machine learning, first-party and contextual signals, household-level data, and advanced lookalike modeling to reach audiences that drive outcomes across linear, CTV, and OLV.

Use Cases by Advertiser Type

For New TV Advertisers

Tatari’s platform offers simplicity and transparency for advertisers entering TV for the first time, with easy onboarding, guided buying, and measurable outcomes from day one.

The Trade Desk’s complexity and setup requirements make it better suited for experienced digital buyers.

For Experienced TV Advertisers

Tatari’s attribution stack (incrementality, modeled ROAS, and multi-channel measurement) helps established brands optimize spend and quantify ROI across all forms of TV.

The Trade Desk offers CTV reach, but its measurement remains more aligned with digital display metrics.

For Agencies

Agencies use the Tatari dashboard to manage multiple clients and campaigns across linear, streaming, and OLV, gaining full transparency into costs, inventory, and results.

The Trade Desk serves agencies running broader digital media buys.

Cost and ROI Comparison

Result: Tatari drives measurable outcomes and transparency — turning TV into a true performance channel.

Final Verdict

Both Tatari and The Trade Desk help advertisers reach audiences through streaming TV, but only Tatari was purpose-built for TV buying and measurement.

Tatari delivers:

• Unified buying across linear, CTV, and OLV

• Powerful targeting tools that drive results,  built on AI, machine learning, and data

• Transparent pricing and reporting

• Best-in-class measurement through incrementality and modeled ROAS

• Privacy-first data infrastructure (Vault)

• Flexible models for brands and agencies

The Trade Desk remains an excellent DSP for digital-first marketers managing display and CTV campaigns, but for advertisers focused on TV performance, accountability, and control, Tatari is the clear choice in 2025.

FAQs

What’s the main difference between Tatari and The Trade Desk?
Tatari is purpose-built for TV (linear, CTV, and OLV) with advanced attribution; The Trade Desk is a general DSP spanning all digital media.

Which platform offers stronger TV measurement?
Tatari, its incrementality and modeled ROAS approach reveal the true lift from TV, not just impressions.

Does Tatari include direct publisher access?
Yes, Tatari integrates directly with major TV networks and streaming publishers like NBCU, Disney, and Netflix.

Can agencies use Tatari?
Yes, agencies use Tatari’s dashboard to manage multiple client accounts and campaigns across all TV formats.

Which offers better transparency and cost control?
Tatari, it provides full visibility into inventory, spend, and performance, with no hidden fees.

Ready to make TV measurable?

Request a Tatari demo and see how leading brands and agencies use transparent data and cross-channel measurement to turn TV into a performance channel across linear, CTV, and OLV.