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Provider Pricing Facts
Provider pricing facts: Microsoft Advertising starts at $500/mo; AdRoll offers a free plan.
Source and Freshness Note
Source and freshness note: pricing, free-plan, and feature signals are compared from public provider data and updated comparison records. Last checked May 2026.
Microsoft Advertising vs AdRoll: Honest Comparison (2026)
Microsoft Advertising
Search advertising across Bing, Yahoo, and AOL networks
AdRoll
Retargeting and cross-channel display advertising
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Quick Verdict:
Microsoft Advertising wins with 7.9/10 vs 7.8/10. Choose Microsoft Advertising for ease of use. Choose AdRoll for more features.
Microsoft Advertising wins this comparison with a score of 7.9/10 vs 7.8/10. AdRoll offers a free plan. Microsoft Advertising stands out for cPCs average 33 percent lower than Google Ads with less auction competition, while AdRoll excels at free tier allows starting retargeting with no platform fee, paying only for media. However, AdRoll leads in our detailed feature analysis (9.2 vs 7.9).
| Feature | Microsoft Advertising | AdRoll |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating | 7.9/10 | 7.8/10 |
| Ease of Use | 8.2/10 | 7.5/10 |
| Features | 7.8/10 | 8.0/10 |
| Value for Money | 8.8/10 | 7.6/10 |
| Customer Support | 7.5/10 | 7.2/10 |
| Free Plan | No | Yes ✓ |
| Starting Price | $500/mo | $36/mo |
| Feature Score | 7.9/10 | 9.2/10 |
| Top Strength | CPCs average 33 percent lower than Google Ads with less auction competition | Free tier allows starting retargeting with no platform fee, paying only for media |
| Biggest Weakness | Exclusive LinkedIn Profile Targeting for B2B audience segmentation | Dynamic ad creation automatically personalizes ads based on user browsing behavior |
| Best For | B2B companies leveraging exclusive LinkedIn targeting for professional audiences | E-commerce brands prioritizing retargeting to recover abandoned carts and visitors |
| Winner | Microsoft Advertising (7.9/10) | |
What is Microsoft Advertising?
Search advertising across Bing, Yahoo, and AOL networksMicrosoft Advertising, formerly known as Bing Ads, is a search advertising platform that enables businesses to reach audiences across the Bing search engine, Yahoo, AOL, MSN, Outlook.com, and the Microsoft Audience Network. The platform serves over 1.2 billion monthly global visitors and reaches a uniquely valuable audience — 41 percent of Bing users have household incomes over 100,000 USD, making it particularly effective for premium products and B2B services. Microsoft Advertising offers consistently lower cost-per-click rates, averaging 33 percent cheaper than Google Ads due to lower auction competition, while delivering approximately 50 percent higher click-through rates across all industries. A standout feature exclusive to Microsoft is LinkedIn Profile Targeting, which allows advertisers to target users based on LinkedIn job function, company size, and industry — a B2B targeting capability unavailable on any other search platform. The platform supports standard ad formats including search text ads, shopping campaigns, audience ads, and responsive search ads.
- +CPCs average 33 percent lower than Google Ads with less auction competition
- +Exclusive LinkedIn Profile Targeting for B2B audience segmentation
- +Higher average click-through rates compared to Google across all industries
- •B2B companies leveraging exclusive LinkedIn targeting for professional audiences
- •Advertisers seeking lower CPCs as a complement to Google Ads campaigns
- •E-commerce brands wanting to reach high-income desktop users
What is AdRoll?
Retargeting and cross-channel display advertisingAdRoll is a digital advertising platform specializing in retargeting and cross-channel marketing, designed to help e-commerce brands and growing businesses convert website visitors into customers. The platform excels at displaying personalized ads to users who have previously interacted with your website or app, using dynamic ad creation that automatically adjusts content based on browsing behavior, products viewed, and purchase funnel stage. AdRoll supports multiple ad channels from a single dashboard, including display retargeting across the web, social media advertising on Facebook and Instagram, and email marketing automation. The platform leverages machine learning algorithms that automatically refine ad placements and bidding strategies to maximize return on ad spend. Advanced audience segmentation uses over 300 types of intent signals to target or exclude users based on specific actions they have completed.
- +Free tier allows starting retargeting with no platform fee, paying only for media
- +Dynamic ad creation automatically personalizes ads based on user browsing behavior
- +Cross-channel campaigns manage display, social, and email from one platform
- •E-commerce brands prioritizing retargeting to recover abandoned carts and visitors
- •Growing businesses wanting cross-channel advertising without multiple platforms
- •Shopify and WooCommerce stores needing automated dynamic product ads
Microsoft Advertising vs AdRoll: Key Differences
Microsoft Advertising vs AdRoll: Quick Verdict
Decision Summary
Who wins in each scenario? A quick look at how Microsoft Advertising and AdRoll compare across different buyer needs.
Scores 7.9/10 vs 7.8/10
Scores 8.8/10 on value vs 7.6/10
Ease of use: 8.2/10 vs 7.5/10
Both score 7.7/10 avg on features + support
Free plan available + 7.6/10 value
Free plan available vs $500/mo
Which One Should You Choose?
Based on features, pricing, and ratings — here's when each tool is the better pick.
Choose Microsoft Advertising If
- →Ease of use matters most — Microsoft Advertising scores 8.2/10 vs 7.5/10
- →Value for money is a key factor — Microsoft Advertising delivers stronger ROI
Choose AdRoll If
- →You need a free plan to get started — AdRoll offers one, Microsoft Advertising does not
- →Budget is your priority — AdRoll starts at $36/mo vs $500/mo
Choose Microsoft Advertising if you need...
- ✓CPCs average 33 percent lower than Google Ads with less auction competition
- ✓Exclusive LinkedIn Profile Targeting for B2B audience segmentation
- ✓Higher average click-through rates compared to Google across all industries
- !CPCs average 33 percent lower than Google Ads with less auction competition
- !Exclusive LinkedIn Profile Targeting for B2B audience segmentation
Choose AdRoll if you need...
- ✓Free tier allows starting retargeting with no platform fee, paying only for media
- ✓Dynamic ad creation automatically personalizes ads based on user browsing behavior
- ✓Cross-channel campaigns manage display, social, and email from one platform
- ✓A free plan to get started
- ✓Lower starting price ($36/mo vs $500/mo)
- !Free tier allows starting retargeting with no platform fee, paying only for media
- !Dynamic ad creation automatically personalizes ads based on user browsing behavior
Our Take: Microsoft Advertising vs AdRoll
This is one of the closer matchups we've reviewed. Microsoft Advertising (7.9/10) and AdRoll (7.8/10) are separated by just 0.1 points — practically a statistical tie. Your decision should come down to workflow fit, not scores.
Where they differ: Microsoft Advertising's biggest strengths are cPCs average 33 percent lower than Google Ads with less auction competition and exclusive LinkedIn Profile Targeting for B2B audience segmentation. AdRoll, on the other hand, shines with free tier allows starting retargeting with no platform fee, paying only for media and dynamic ad creation automatically personalizes ads based on user browsing behavior. These reflect fundamentally different product priorities.
AdRoll has a free plan, giving it a lower barrier to entry. If you're not sure yet, start there.
Microsoft Advertising vs AdRoll Score Comparison
| Category | Microsoft Advertising | AdRoll |
|---|---|---|
🏆Overall Score | 7.9▲ | 7.8 |
💫Ease of Use | 8.2▲ | 7.5 |
⚙Features | 7.8 | ▲8.0 |
💰Value for Money | 8.8▲ | 7.6 |
💬Customer Support | 7.5▲ | 7.2 |
Why These Scores? Our Reasoning
Microsoft Advertising — 7.9/10- +CPCs average 33 percent lower than Google Ads with less auction competition
- +Exclusive LinkedIn Profile Targeting for B2B audience segmentation
- +Higher average click-through rates compared to Google across all industries
- -CPCs average 33 percent lower than Google Ads with less auction competition
- -Exclusive LinkedIn Profile Targeting for B2B audience segmentation
AdRoll — 7.8/10- +Free tier allows starting retargeting with no platform fee, paying only for media
- +Dynamic ad creation automatically personalizes ads based on user browsing behavior
- +Cross-channel campaigns manage display, social, and email from one platform
- -Free tier allows starting retargeting with no platform fee, paying only for media
- -Dynamic ad creation automatically personalizes ads based on user browsing behavior
Microsoft Advertising vs AdRoll Pros & Cons
Microsoft Advertising7.9/10+Strengths
- ✓CPCs average 33 percent lower than Google Ads with less auction competition
- ✓Exclusive LinkedIn Profile Targeting for B2B audience segmentation
- ✓Higher average click-through rates compared to Google across all industries
- ✓Access to a high-income audience demographic with strong purchasing power
- ✓Easy campaign import tool replicates existing Google Ads campaigns instantly
-Weaknesses
- ✗CPCs average 33 percent lower than Google Ads with less auction competition
- ✗Exclusive LinkedIn Profile Targeting for B2B audience segmentation
- ✗Higher average click-through rates compared to Google across all industries
- ✗Access to a high-income audience demographic with strong purchasing power
- ✗Easy campaign import tool replicates existing Google Ads campaigns instantly
AdRoll7.8/10+Strengths
- ✓Free tier allows starting retargeting with no platform fee, paying only for media
- ✓Dynamic ad creation automatically personalizes ads based on user browsing behavior
- ✓Cross-channel campaigns manage display, social, and email from one platform
- ✓Deep e-commerce integrations with Shopify, WooCommerce, and Magento
- ✓Multi-touch attribution reveals which channels drive actual conversions
-Weaknesses
- ✗Free tier allows starting retargeting with no platform fee, paying only for media
- ✗Dynamic ad creation automatically personalizes ads based on user browsing behavior
- ✗Cross-channel campaigns manage display, social, and email from one platform
- ✗Deep e-commerce integrations with Shopify, WooCommerce, and Magento
- ✗Multi-touch attribution reveals which channels drive actual conversions
Who Should Use Microsoft Advertising vs AdRoll?
Microsoft Advertising is ideal for
- •B2B companies leveraging exclusive LinkedIn targeting for professional audiences
- •Advertisers seeking lower CPCs as a complement to Google Ads campaigns
- •E-commerce brands wanting to reach high-income desktop users
- •Businesses in competitive industries looking to reduce acquisition costs
AdRoll is ideal for
- •E-commerce brands prioritizing retargeting to recover abandoned carts and visitors
- •Growing businesses wanting cross-channel advertising without multiple platforms
- •Shopify and WooCommerce stores needing automated dynamic product ads
- •Marketers seeking multi-touch attribution for cross-channel measurement
When NOT to Choose Microsoft Advertising or AdRoll
Knowing when a tool is the wrong fit is just as important as knowing its strengths
Skip Microsoft Advertising if...
- ✗CPCs average 33 percent lower than Google Ads with less auction competition
- ✗Exclusive LinkedIn Profile Targeting for B2B audience segmentation
- ✗Higher average click-through rates compared to Google across all industries
- ✗Access to a high-income audience demographic with strong purchasing power
- ✗Easy campaign import tool replicates existing Google Ads campaigns instantly
- ✗You need a free plan — AdRoll has one, Microsoft Advertising doesn't
Skip AdRoll if...
- ✗Free tier allows starting retargeting with no platform fee, paying only for media
- ✗Dynamic ad creation automatically personalizes ads based on user browsing behavior
- ✗Cross-channel campaigns manage display, social, and email from one platform
- ✗Deep e-commerce integrations with Shopify, WooCommerce, and Magento
- ✗Multi-touch attribution reveals which channels drive actual conversions
Microsoft Advertising vs AdRoll Decision Framework
Choose based on what matters most to you
AdRollMicrosoft AdvertisingAdRollMicrosoft AdvertisingAdRollMicrosoft Advertising vs AdRoll Pricing
| Pricing Feature | Microsoft Advertising | AdRoll |
|---|---|---|
| Free Plan | ✗ No | ✓ Yes |
| Starting Price | $500/mo | $36/mo |
| Free Trial | Not available | Not available |
| Number of Plans | 4 | 3 |
| Value Rating | 8.8/10 | 7.6/10 |
Microsoft Advertising Plans
- ✓No minimum spend
- ✓Bing, Yahoo, AOL coverage
- ✓LinkedIn targeting
- ✓Campaign import
- ✓Recommended starter spend
- ✓Search and audience ads
- ✓Basic reporting
- ✓Support included
- ✓Advanced audiences
- ✓Shopping campaigns
- ✓Remarketing
- ✓Automated bidding
- ✓Dedicated account team
- ✓Netflix partnership access
- ✓Custom solutions
- ✓Advanced analytics
AdRoll Plans
- ✓Retargeting campaigns
- ✓Pay only for media
- ✓Free creative support
- ✓AI Assistant insights
- ✓Email automation
- ✓Advanced reporting
- ✓Cross-channel campaigns
- ✓Free ad credits
- ✓Dedicated account manager
- ✓Custom solutions
- ✓Advanced attribution
- ✓Priority support
What You Get: Plan Feature Comparison
Comparing Microsoft Advertising's Small Business ($500/mo) vs AdRoll's Marketing & Ads Plus ($36/mo)
| Feature | Microsoft Advertising | AdRoll |
|---|---|---|
| Recommended starter spend | ✓ | ✗ |
| Search and audience ads | ✓ | ✗ |
| Basic reporting | ✓ | ✗ |
| Support included | ✓ | ✗ |
| Email automation | ✗ | ✓ |
| Advanced reporting | ✗ | ✓ |
| Cross-channel campaigns | ✗ | ✓ |
| Free ad credits | ✗ | ✓ |
Which Should You Choose?
Microsoft Advertising
AdRoll
Quick Buyer's Guide
Based on our analysis, here's who each tool is best suited for
Microsoft Advertising is best for:- ✓B2B companies leveraging exclusive LinkedIn targeting for professional audiences
- ✓Advertisers seeking lower CPCs as a complement to Google Ads campaigns
- ✓Users who need cPCs average 33 percent lower than Google Ads with less auction competition
AdRoll is best for:- ✓E-commerce brands prioritizing retargeting to recover abandoned carts and visitors
- ✓Growing businesses wanting cross-channel advertising without multiple platforms
- ✓Users who need free tier allows starting retargeting with no platform fee, paying only for media
- ✓Users who want a free plan to start with
Microsoft Advertising vs AdRoll: The Bottom Line
Microsoft Advertising earns the edge at 7.9/10 vs 7.8/10 — here's what that means in practice.
Microsoft Advertising is the better choice for search advertisers who want to reach the Bing audience at lower costs. AdRoll is superior for e-commerce brands that need retargeting, cross-channel ads, and marketing automation in one platform. The gap is razor-thin — AdRoll at 7.8/10 is a perfectly valid choice if its strengths align better with your needs.