Google scraps unified pricing rules in Ad Manager after antitrust pressure

Google has removed its long-standing unified pricing rules in Google Ad Manager, once again allowing publishers to set different price floors for Google demand versus other programmatic buyers.

What changed. Publishers can now set bidder-specific floor prices in Ad Manager. For example, one buyer can be required to bid at least $5 while others compete at a lower $2 floor. Google has also rebranded “unified pricing rules” as simply “pricing rules.”

The backstory. Before 2019, publishers often set higher floors for Google to counterbalance its data advantage. That flexibility disappeared when Google mandated uniform pricing across exchanges — a move later scrutinized by regulators in both the U.S. and Europe.

Why we care. Bidder-specific pricing rules change how auctions clear and how competitive different demand sources are inside Google Ad Manager. As publishers regain the ability to set higher floors for certain buyers, advertisers may see shifts in win rates, CPMs, and available inventory depending on their buying setup. Over time, this could reshape pricing dynamics and push advertisers to reassess bidding strategies and diversification across exchanges.

Regulatory pressure: The rollback follows major antitrust actions against Google’s ad tech business. In the U.S., Google was found guilty of anti-competitive behavior, prompting proposed remedies that included ending unified pricing. In Europe, the European Commission fined Google €2.95 billion ($3.45 billion) and ordered the company to end self-preferencing practices across the ad tech supply chain.

What Google says: Google said the change will make it easier for publishers and advertisers to use competing ad tech providers while minimizing disruption. The company framed the update as part of broader near-term product changes across display, video, and app ads.

Industry reaction. Jason Kint, CEO of Digital Content Next, called the move a meaningful — if limited — win for publishers, noting that unified pricing often lowered yield and that this change offers immediate, tangible relief. He also suggested the update may be designed to show regulatory compliance and head off stronger remedies, including potential divestitures.

The bottom line. After more than six years, publishers are regaining pricing control inside Google Ad Manager — a shift driven less by product strategy and more by mounting antitrust pressure on Google’s ad tech empire.