app-ads.txt — Authorized Digital Sellers
ads.txt stands for “Authorized Digital Sellers”. app-ads.txt brings the same idea to apps: a public list of who may sell your ad inventory.
The problem it solves
In programmatic advertising, an impression can pass through several companies before it reaches a buyer. Without a public list, anyone could claim to sell “ads in your app”. app-ads.txt lets a buyer check the claim against a file only you can publish — on your developer website.
How verification works
- A bid request names the app (store ID) and the seller account.
- The buyer looks up the app’s developer website in the store listing.
- It reads https://developer-site/app-ads.txt and looks for a line with that ad system and seller account.
- With sellers.json from the ad system, it confirms who the seller account belongs to.
What this means for you
- List every network and reseller that actually sells your inventory — and nothing else.
- Keep the file current: removed partners should leave, new ones should be added.
- Mark your own accounts DIRECT and partners’ accounts RESELLER.
FAQ
What does “authorized digital sellers” mean?
It is what “ads.txt” stands for: the companies a publisher authorizes to sell its digital ad inventory.