{"id":3258,"date":"2008-06-24T13:27:08","date_gmt":"2008-06-24T07:57:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/?p=3258"},"modified":"2026-10-12T13:02:23","modified_gmt":"2026-10-12T07:32:23","slug":"openx-free-ad-server","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2008\/06\/openx-free-ad-server\/","title":{"rendered":"OpenX Free Ad Server Is Now Revive Adserver: How to Manage Ads Yourself (2026)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Want to sell ads directly, rotate banners and target visitors by country without paying for an ad platform? A free, self-hosted ad server can do it. In 2008 we installed <strong>OpenX<\/strong> on QuickOnlineTips (DreamHost offered it as a one-click install) mainly to geotarget a UK-only video ad campaign and collapse it for everyone else. The free OpenX software lives on today as Revive Adserver. Here&#8217;s what it does and whether you still need one in 2026.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-64410\" src=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/openx-revive-adserver-1024x538.webp\" alt=\"OpenX free ad server now Revive Adserver\" width=\"1024\" height=\"538\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/openx-revive-adserver-1024x538.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/openx-revive-adserver-300x158.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/openx-revive-adserver-150x79.webp 150w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/openx-revive-adserver-768x403.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/openx-revive-adserver.webp 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Quick answer:<\/strong> OpenX&#8217;s free open-source ad server is now called <strong>Revive Adserver<\/strong>. You can install it on your own hosting to manage direct-sold banner campaigns, rotate ads, set geotargeting and frequency caps, and give advertisers statistics. For most bloggers, AdSense or Google Ad Manager&#8217;s free tier is easier; a self-hosted ad server suits sites selling lots of direct ads.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_89 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6aeb06936cb4a\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"ez-toc-cssicon\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #1a202c;color:#1a202c\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #1a202c;color:#1a202c\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6aeb06936cb4a\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2008\/06\/openx-free-ad-server\/#What_happened_to_OpenX\" >What happened to OpenX?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2008\/06\/openx-free-ad-server\/#What_a_free_ad_server_does\" >What a free ad server does<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2008\/06\/openx-free-ad-server\/#How_to_install_Revive_Adserver\" >How to install Revive Adserver<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2008\/06\/openx-free-ad-server\/#Is_a_self-hosted_ad_server_worth_it\" >Is a self-hosted ad server worth it?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2008\/06\/openx-free-ad-server\/#Alternatives\" >Alternatives<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2008\/06\/openx-free-ad-server\/#FAQ\" >FAQ<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2008\/06\/openx-free-ad-server\/#Is_OpenX_still_free\" >Is OpenX still free?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2008\/06\/openx-free-ad-server\/#Do_I_need_an_ad_server_for_AdSense\" >Do I need an ad server for AdSense?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2008\/06\/openx-free-ad-server\/#Is_Google_Ad_Manager_free\" >Is Google Ad Manager free?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_happened_to_OpenX\"><\/span>What happened to OpenX?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>OpenX began as the open-source &#8220;phpAdsNew\/Openads&#8221; project. The company later focused on its commercial ad exchange, and the free self-hosted software was handed over and renamed <a href=\"https:\/\/www.revive-adserver.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Revive Adserver<\/a>, which remains free and open source and is now looked after by Revive Software and Services. The old openx.com download links no longer offer the free software.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_a_free_ad_server_does\"><\/span>What a free ad server does<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Zones and campaigns:<\/strong> define ad spaces on your site and assign campaigns to them.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Rotation and weighting:<\/strong> show several ads in one spot, with control over how often each appears.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Targeting:<\/strong> by country (as we did for UK visitors), device, time or page.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Frequency caps and scheduling:<\/strong> limit impressions per visitor and set start and end dates.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Reporting:<\/strong> impressions and clicks for each advertiser, with read-only advertiser logins.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Fallback ads:<\/strong> show AdSense or house ads when direct campaigns aren&#8217;t running.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_install_Revive_Adserver\"><\/span>How to install Revive Adserver<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li>Check your hosting meets the requirements (PHP and MySQL\/MariaDB) on the Revive website.<\/li>\n<li>Download the latest release and upload it to a subdomain, such as <code>ads.yoursite.com<\/code>.<\/li>\n<li>Create a database, run the web installer and follow the setup steps.<\/li>\n<li>Create websites, zones, advertisers and campaigns, then paste the generated invocation code into your site.<\/li>\n<li>Keep it updated: self-hosted ad servers are attractive targets for hackers, so apply security releases promptly.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Is_a_self-hosted_ad_server_worth_it\"><\/span>Is a self-hosted ad server worth it?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Yes<\/strong> if you sell several direct campaigns, need advertiser reports, or want full control and no third-party fees.<\/li>\n<li><strong>No<\/strong> if you only run AdSense or one or two sponsors; a plugin or Google Ad Manager is simpler.<\/li>\n<li>Remember the costs in time: updates, security, database growth and server load on busy sites.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Alternatives\"><\/span>Alternatives<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/admanager.google.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Google Ad Manager<\/a>:<\/strong> free ad server for most publishers, hosted by Google, with AdSense backfill.<\/li>\n<li><strong>WordPress ad plugins:<\/strong> such as Advanced Ads, which handle rotation and placement without a separate server.<\/li>\n<li><strong>AdSense Auto ads:<\/strong> simplest option if you don&#8217;t sell direct ads; see our guide to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2022\/12\/using-adsense-auto-ads\/\">AdSense Auto ads<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Selling ads yourself pairs well with these tips to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/09\/maximize-blog-ad-revenue\/\">maximize blog ad revenue<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"FAQ\"><\/span>FAQ<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Is_OpenX_still_free\"><\/span>Is OpenX still free?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The free self-hosted software continues as Revive Adserver, which is free and open source.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_I_need_an_ad_server_for_AdSense\"><\/span>Do I need an ad server for AdSense?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>No. AdSense serves its own ads. An ad server is useful when you sell banner space directly to advertisers.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Is_Google_Ad_Manager_free\"><\/span>Is Google Ad Manager free?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Yes for most small and medium publishers, up to generous monthly impression limits.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Want to sell ads directly, rotate banners and target visitors by country without paying for an ad platform? A free,&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":64410,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[43,6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3258","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-advertising","category-blogging"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3258","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3258"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3258\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":64413,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3258\/revisions\/64413"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/64410"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3258"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3258"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3258"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}