Outbrain vs Start.io
Outbrain vs Start.io, compared side by side on 21 data points: what each one does, how big it is, what it has raised, the tech running each site, and what users report. We score both out of 100 on traction, team and visibility: Outbrain is on 63/100 and Start.io on 57/100.
Where each one leads
Outbrain
- our overall score: 63/100 against 57/100
- domain rating: 87/100 against 75/100
- headcount: 371 against 154
- funding raised: $394M against $4.3M
- LinkedIn following: 87,340 against 35,567
Start.io
- agent readiness: 50/100 against 38/100
- headcount growth: +2.9% against -29.7%
At a glance
| Measure | Outbrain | Start.io |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A leading technology platform that drives business results by engaging people across the open internet. | Start.io is a sell-side omnichannel advertising platform powered by real-time mobile audiences, delivering hundreds of millions of ads daily. |
| Category | Marketing, Content, Content Marketing, Content Discovery Platform | Mobile Marketing, Marketing, Advanced Targeting, Consumer Analytics |
| Sells toBusiness model | B2B | B2B |
| Offering | Software | Software |
| Founded | 2006 | 2010 |
| Headquarters | New York, United States | Tel Aviv, Israel |
| Status | Active | Active |
Size, funding and growth
| Measure | Outbrain | Start.io |
|---|---|---|
| Employees | 371 | 154 |
| Headcount growthLast 12 months | -29.7% | +2.9% |
| Total funding | $394M | $4.3M |
| Latest round | Pre-IPO | Series A |
| LinkedIn followers | 87,340 | 35,567 |
StartupHub scores
Our own 0-100 ratings. They measure company strength and site quality, not which product suits you.
| Measure | Outbrain | Start.io |
|---|---|---|
| StartupHub scoreOur 0-100 rating | 63/100 | 57/100 |
| Traction | 60/100 | 53/100 |
| Team | 90/100 | 70/100 |
| Community | 8/100 | 8/100 |
| Search visibility | 30/100 | 33/100 |
| Quality | 65/100 | 58/100 |
| Agent readinessHow well an AI agent can read and act on the site | F (38/100) | D (50/100) |
| Domain ratingLink authority, 0-100 | 87/100 | 75/100 |
Technology
Detected on each public site, so it reflects the marketing stack as well as the product.
| Measure | Outbrain | Start.io |
|---|---|---|
| Hosting | Not detected | Self Managed |
| CMS | Not detected | WordPress |
| Frameworks | Not detected | Jquery |
| Analytics | Google Tag Manager | Google Tag Manager |
Outbrain vs Start.io: common questions
Which is better, Outbrain or Start.io?
On our 0-100 score Outbrain rates higher (63/100 against 57/100). The score weights traction, team, visibility and profile completeness, so it reflects company strength rather than which product suits you. We compare the two on 21 data points above: read the rows that match what you are buying for.
How do Outbrain and Start.io compare on the numbers?
Outbrain leads on our overall score (63/100 against 57/100), domain rating (87/100 against 75/100), headcount (371 against 154), funding raised ($394M against $4.3M), LinkedIn following (87,340 against 35,567). Start.io leads on agent readiness (50/100 against 38/100), headcount growth (+2.9% against -29.7%).
Read the full Outbrain review and pricing or the Start.io review and pricing. You can also browse other Outbrain alternatives we track.