Last Updated 16 March 2010

A banner exchange is a system whereby webmasters create and submit a banner which advertises their own site, and place code on their pages that displays banners from other exchange members.

Banner exchange members earn credits by displaying banners, and those credits are then used to qualify for reciprocal displays of their own banner on other sites. Some exchanges may require two impressions (ad views) to earn one credit, since the exchange may support itself by including banners for which they are paid. Thus, a webmaster might have to show one banner from another exchange member, plus one from the exchange itself, to earn one credit (i.e. one impression on another member's site.) That would be expressed as a "2:1 Ratio."

Some of these services will offer a bonus of a certain number of impressions (e.g. 500) just for signing up.

Most banner exchanges focus on standard 468x60 banners, although some offer other sizes, with various limits upon the maximum size of the graphic files (usually, but not always, limited to GIFs.)

Many banner exchanges are also interested in buying ad impressions from publishers.

A variation on this is exit exchanges. In an exit exchange, when a visitor leaves your site, they will then have a new browser window opened to another exchange member's site. You would then earn credits to have your own site opened for visitors exiting other exchange members' sites.

PopInAds - Specializes in pops. Offers up to $2 CPM. Minimum 500 page views per day required. Also offers a 1:1 ratio traffic exchange. Category-targeted ads, only paying for traffic from U.S., Canada, UK, and Australia. Pays Net 15, with a $50 minimum, by PayPal or US or Canadian dollar check. International publishers OK. We use this network, and have received payments.

Adendum - 3:2 Ratio. Allows targeting by category and time of day, along with geo-targeting.

Ad Gridwork - The impression ratio seems to be based on the CTR obtained by the ads placed on your site, to give incentive to place them prominently.

Ad Leaf - 2:1 Ratio. They allow you to enter keywords for your site's topic, but it isn't clear if they system is actually working for targeted exchanges yet.

Banner Rage - Claims 1:1 Ratio.

Banner Town - 2:1 ratio, but claiming a 1:1 ratio for established sites. Owned by the same parent as the Direct Associate network.

Banners X Change - 2:1 Ratio. Note that their copyright notice says "2005," and the link to their parent company goes to a parking page. They require their banners to be visible without scrolling down the page, along with other restrictions.

Blog Explosion - Seems to be a traffic exchange for blogs.

Box Adverts - 1:1 Impression based ratio, using boxes of text links.

Bpath - 2:1 ratio, with a selection of categories. Offers a free online banner maker. They also have an affiliate program that apparently relates to advertising on their share of the banner exchange impressions, along with a search engine submission service. Net 60, minimum $100. International publishers OK.

Category Clicks - Based on exchanging credits for clicks, rather than impressions, with a 2:1 ratio. Two tier (for more credits.)

Dating Exchange - A banner and pop-under exchange for dating/personals/matchmaking sites. Requires top-of-page positioning. Ratio and other details aren't clear.

Disney Banner Network - Claims a 1:1 ratio for sites related to the Disney entertainment category.

Drip Banner Exchange - New Zealand sites only. 1.5:2 ratio.

Exit Exchange - Pop-under traffic exchange. Two tier plan to earn more impressions. International publishers OK.

Financial Ad Trader - 2:1 ratio for finance-related sites. Additional impressions can be purchased at rates from $2.75-$9 CPM (depending on the number of impressions.) Also features free finance-related content feeds, with which more banner exchange impressions can be earned.

Free Banners - 2:1 Ratio.

Fun Page Exchange - Oriented to arcade and humor sites. Exchange credits are based on clickthroughs rather than impressions, with a 5:4 ratio. Some email newsletter placements OK. They also offer a CPC payment system.

Go Pop Up - Pop exchange. Seems defunct, and referring visitors to Clicksor.

HitExchange - Variable ratio, depending on click-throughs. Three different banner sizes. Targeting and filtering by site category. Additional impressions available for purchase.

LinkBuddies - 2:1 Ratio. Claims 30,000 member sites. Category and time/day-of-week targeting. Three different banner sizes available.

New Zealand's Information Network - For sites targeted to New Zealand audiences.

NZ Ads - 2:1 Ratio exchange for sites related to New Zealand.

Patriot Publisher Network - Claims a 1:1 ratio, with participants divided into topic categories. They also offer some type of system for optimizing Amazon product listings.

Pop Advert - 1:1 Ratio traffic exchange, using reciprocal popups, rather than banners.

Racing Sites Banner Exchange - 468x60 Banners only. 2000 free impressions for joining. Oriented to Nascar stack car racing related sites.

Romance Net - Offers a CPM ad network and a 4:5 ratio banner exchange network for dating/romance sites. Somewhat oriented to "foreign brides" type of content. Based in Canada, but international publishers OK.

UK Banners - 10:8 ratio exchange for sites directed to a UK audience. Additional impressions can be bought starting at UK40p CPM (per thousand.) They can automatically generate a standard banner for you when you sign up.