We publish the price of every Sponsored spot on BestAdAgency because hidden pricing hurts both sides. Advertisers can’t tell if they’re getting a fair deal, and readers can’t tell who paid to be there. Public ad pricing fixes both: anyone can see what a spot costs, who holds it, and what it takes to win it.
I’m Mohammed Jamil, and I own BestAdAgency through my agency, Exclusiva Inc. I run an agency, so I’ve seen how directory placement is usually sold from the buyer’s side. This is the case for doing it differently.
How do most directories sell placement?
At most directories, the path to a paid listing looks like this:
- You find an “Advertise with us” or “Get featured” link.
- You fill out a form.
- Someone emails you a media kit, or asks to book a call.
- On the call, you get a quote, often with a package, a minimum term and a discount if you sign today.
You never see what anyone else paid. You don’t know if the company above you paid more, less or nothing at all. And as a reader, you often can’t tell where the editorial list ends and the paid placement begins.
I’m not saying anyone is doing something wrong. Sales calls exist because they work for the seller. But the buyer is guessing, and the reader is guessing too.
What does BestAdAgency do instead?
Every Sponsored spot on BestAdAgency has a public price. Here’s what that looks like on the site:
- On every ranking. The comparison table has a “Sponsor rank” column showing the price of positions #1, #2 and #3. The open spot box above the list shows a button like “Claim #1 · $1/mo.”
- On the Get listed page. The open spots table lists rankings with their monthly search volume and the price of each position. Prices are per 30 days.
- On the live bid board. The board ranks every active Sponsored spot across all rankings by bid, with Live, Today and All-time tabs. The button tells you exactly what #1 on the board costs: “Claim #1 on the board for $X.”
During launch, every open spot starts at $1. To take a held spot, you pay $1 more than the current holder. No call, no media kit, no package. You pick a list, enter a bid, pay through Stripe, and the spot goes live the minute you pay.
Why does public pricing help advertisers?
Three reasons.
You know the price is fair. When the price is the same for everyone and visible to everyone, nobody gets a better deal behind closed doors. The only way to pay less is for nobody to want the spot.
You don’t waste time. Every agency owner I know hates the “book a call to see pricing” step when they’re the buyer. Most of us do it to our own prospects anyway. On BestAdAgency you see the price in a second and decide.
You can measure it. Each spot includes a monthly report of impressions and clicks. You know what you paid and what you got, and you can decide whether to bid again.
Why does public pricing help readers?
Readers benefit even more, in my view.
When placement prices are hidden, readers have to assume anything near the top might be paid. That makes the whole list less useful. When prices are public and spots are labeled, the reader can see the line clearly: these three spots are paid, here’s what they cost, and below them is a ranking scored by a published methodology.
The Sponsored spot rules say the rules exist so readers can tell paid placements from editorial picks, prices stay public, and every company has the same chance to take a spot. Public pricing is what makes the third part true. A spot that goes to whoever pays $1 more is open to a five-person agency and a five-hundred-person one on the same terms.
Doesn’t public pricing make it easy for competitors to outbid you?
Yes. That’s the trade.
If you hold #1 above Best Amazon PPC Agencies and a competitor wants it, they can take it for $1 more. You get an email right away, your unused days are refunded pro rata, and you can take it back for $1 more than they paid.
Some advertisers will find that uncomfortable. I think it’s the honest version of what already happens. At most directories, a competitor can also buy a better position, you just don’t find out what they paid or when. Here you see it and can respond.
Where did this idea come from?
From outbid.lol. Jonathan Wilke launched it on August 19, 2026 as a public leaderboard where you claim #1 by paying for it. Its about page puts it simply: rank is what you pay.
I liked how honest that was. Nobody pretends the leaderboard is anything other than a bid. But for a directory that people use to hire partners, the editorial ranking has to stay earned. So BestAdAgency splits the two. The editorial order is scored. The bidding happens in three labeled spots above it, with the prices in public.
What does public pricing not change?
It doesn’t change the editorial ranking. A Sponsored spot never changes a company’s score, rank, reviews or ratings. Affiliate links are marked rel=”sponsored” and never affect order. Payment for matched leads doesn’t change who is picked.
It also doesn’t change the ownership rule. Exclusiva Inc owns the site and is shown first on agency lists, labeled “Owner of this site.” The site states that this placement is not based on scoring; every other agency is ranked by the published methodology. Exclusiva can never hold a Sponsored spot on a list where it is ranked. On the live board, any spot that links to my own products carries an “Owner” label. The disclosure page has the full wording.
Will prices stay at $1?
During launch, every open spot starts at $1. The Get listed page says starting prices scale with each list’s monthly searches and cost per click (Semrush, US). So a list with more searches and more expensive clicks will have a higher opening price later.
What won’t change is that the price is public. Whatever a spot costs, you’ll see it on the page before you pay, and so will everyone else.
FAQ
Why not use a media kit like most directories?
A media kit hides prices and makes every buyer negotiate. Public prices let anyone see what a spot costs and take it on the same terms.
Can I see what other companies paid?
Yes. The live bid board shows every active Sponsored spot ranked by bid, and each ranking shows the price to take each position.
Does paying more improve my ranking?
No. Payment buys a labeled spot above the list. It never changes a company’s editorial score or position.
What does a spot cost right now?
During launch, every open spot starts at $1 for 30 days. A held spot costs $1 more than the current holder paid.
Is there a sales call?
No. You pick a list, enter a bid, pay through Stripe, and the spot goes live the minute you pay.
See every price in one place
The live bid board shows every active Sponsored spot across all 235 rankings, ranked by bid, with the price to take #1 on the button.
