Understanding IAB standard banner ad sizes ensures maximum reach and compatibility across ad networks. This comprehensive guide covers display ad dimensions from Google Ads, Facebook, and programmatic platforms including desktop, mobile, and responsive formats.
Top-performing IAB standard display ad formats ranked by popularity and effectiveness.
| Ad Name | Dimensions (W×H) | IAB Name | Best Use | Performance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medium Rectangle | 300×250 px | Medium Rectangle | In-content, sidebar | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Highest CTR |
| Leaderboard | 728×90 px | Leaderboard | Top/bottom of page | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ High visibility |
| Large Rectangle | 336×280 px | Large Rectangle | In-content | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ High engagement |
| Mobile Banner | 320×50 px | Mobile Banner | Mobile top/bottom | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Mobile standard |
| Wide Skyscraper | 160×600 px | Wide Skyscraper | Sidebar | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Good visibility |
| Large Mobile Banner | 320×100 px | Large Mobile | Mobile in-content | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Mobile optimized |
| Half Page | 300×600 px | Half Page | Sidebar | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Premium placement |
| Ad Format | Dimensions | Aspect Ratio | Typical Placement | File Size Limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leaderboard | 728×90 px | 8.09:1 | Header, above fold | 150 KB |
| Super Leaderboard | 970×90 px | 10.78:1 | Header, premium sites | 200 KB |
| Billboard | 970×250 px | 3.88:1 | Header, high-impact | 200 KB |
| Medium Rectangle | 300×250 px | 1.2:1 | Sidebar, in-content | 150 KB |
| Large Rectangle | 336×280 px | 1.2:1 | In-content | 150 KB |
| Skyscraper | 120×600 px | 1:5 | Sidebar | 150 KB |
| Wide Skyscraper | 160×600 px | 1:3.75 | Sidebar | 150 KB |
| Half Page | 300×600 px | 1:2 | Sidebar, premium | 150 KB |
| Portrait | 300×1050 px | 1:3.5 | Sidebar, long-form | 200 KB |
| Ad Format | Dimensions | Device | Placement | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mobile Banner | 320×50 px | Phone | Top/bottom sticky | Most common mobile ad |
| Large Mobile Banner | 320×100 px | Phone | In-content, interstitial | Better visibility than 320×50 |
| Mobile Medium Rectangle | 300×250 px | Phone/Tablet | In-content | Same as desktop version |
| Mobile Leaderboard | 320×50 px | Phone | Header/footer | Standard mobile format |
| Full-Screen Interstitial | 320×480 px | Phone | Between page loads | High impact, use sparingly |
| Tablet Banner | 728×90 px | Tablet | Header | Desktop leaderboard size |
| Ad Type | Recommended Sizes | Format | Max File Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Responsive Display | 1200×628 px (landscape) 1200×1200 px (square) | JPG, PNG, GIF | 5 MB (150 KB recommended) |
| Gmail Ads | 650×650 px | JPG, PNG, GIF | Max 200 KB |
| Image Ads (Standard) | Multiple IAB sizes | JPG, PNG, GIF | 150 KB per ad |
| Lightbox Ads | 300×250 px initial | HTML5 | Expandable format |
| Platform | Ad Type | Recommended Size | Aspect Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feed Ad | 1200×628 px | 1.91:1 | |
| Right Column Ad | 1200×1200 px | 1:1 | |
| Story Ad | 1080×1920 px | 9:16 | |
| Feed Ad | 1080×1080 px | 1:1 | |
| Story Ad | 1080×1920 px | 9:16 | |
| Sponsored Content | 1200×627 px | 1.91:1 | |
| Twitter/X | Website Card | 1200×628 px | 1.91:1 |
If creating limited ad variations, prioritize these three sizes which cover 80% of available inventory:
336×280 Large Rectangle: Outperforms 300×250 with 20-30% better CTR in testing. Slightly larger size captures more attention. 300×600 Half Page: Premium sidebar placement, excellent for brand awareness, high viewability. 970×250 Billboard: Maximum impact header placement for brand campaigns.
With 70%+ traffic from mobile devices, prioritize mobile formats: 320×50 (standard mobile), 320×100 (large mobile), 300×250 (mobile rectangle). Ensure ads are responsive or create mobile-specific versions with larger text and clear CTAs.
Static Ads: JPG (best for photos), PNG (best for graphics with transparency), GIF (animated ads, max 30 seconds loop). Rich Media: HTML5 (interactive ads, supported by all major networks). Video: MP4, WebM (in-banner video ads).
Google Display Network: 150 KB recommended, 5 MB maximum. Facebook Ads: No strict limit but under 1 MB recommended. Programmatic Exchanges: 150-200 KB typical limit. Smaller files load faster and perform better—target under 100 KB for static ads.
Google Ads: Maximum 30 seconds animation, must stop automatically. Facebook: Animated GIFs allowed, max 30 seconds recommended. Best practice: 5-15 second animation loops with clear message in first 5 seconds. Include static frame as fallback.
Upload multiple images, headlines, descriptions, and logos. Ad network automatically combines and sizes them for available ad slots. Single campaign serves all standard sizes without creating individual banners.
Images: Minimum 600×314 px (1.91:1 landscape), 300×300 px minimum (1:1 square). Recommended: 1200×628 px landscape, 1200×1200 px square. Logos: 1200×1200 px (1:1), 1200×300 px (4:1 landscape). Headlines: Up to 5 headlines, 30 characters each. Descriptions: Up to 5 descriptions, 90 characters each.
Pros: One ad serves all sizes, saves time, machine learning optimization, automatic testing. Cons: Less creative control, some odd combinations possible, not ideal for precise brand messaging. Best Use: Direct response campaigns, testing, broad reach campaigns.
Every banner needs obvious next step. Use action verbs: "Shop Now," "Learn More," "Get Started," "Download Free." Make CTA button 20-30% of ad space. High contrast colors (orange, green, red buttons on neutral backgrounds). Test different CTAs—small changes can improve CTR 50%+.
Small banner sizes (300×250, 320×50) need concise messaging. Maximum 5-7 words primary message. Use hierarchy: largest text for main benefit, medium for supporting text, smallest for CTA. Avoid paragraphs—bullet points or short phrases only.
Include logo on all ads (typically top-left or bottom-right). Use brand colors consistently across all sizes. Maintain same fonts, style, and tone. Even if user doesn't click, repeated exposure builds brand recognition.
Text must be readable on small screens—minimum 12 px font for body, 18 px for headlines on mobile ads. Buttons need 44×44 px minimum tap target (Apple/Google guidelines). Test ads on actual mobile devices, not just desktop preview.
Supports all IAB standard sizes. Prefers responsive ads but accepts static images. Maximum 5 MB file size, 150 KB recommended. Animated GIFs must stop after 30 seconds. HTML5 supported for rich media. Avoid excessive text on images for best distribution.
Uses own ad placements, not traditional banner sizes. Create ads in Facebook Ads Manager; they'll serve across Audience Network automatically. Native ads perform best—designed to match app/site content style.
Require IAB standard sizes—custom sizes won't serve. Most common accepted sizes: 300×250, 728×90, 160×600, 300×600, 320×50, 320×100. Use 150 KB or smaller files. Third-party ad serving required for tracking.
728×90 Leaderboard, 970×90 Super Leaderboard, 970×250 Billboard. Highest viewability (90%+ users see without scrolling). Premium pricing, best for brand awareness. Use strong visual to capture immediate attention.
160×600 Wide Skyscraper, 300×600 Half Page, 300×250 Medium Rectangle. Always visible during scroll on desktop. Good for engagement campaigns. Stays in view longer than header ads.
300×250 Medium Rectangle, 336×280 Large Rectangle. Highest CTR—users actively reading content. Native ad feel, less intrusive. Works on mobile and desktop.
728×90 Leaderboard (desktop), 320×50 Mobile Banner. Lower viewability but often lower cost. Good for retargeting campaigns. Sticky footer ads increase visibility.
Banner blindness increases with text-heavy ads. Users scan, don't read. Solution: One clear benefit, one CTA. If it takes more than 2 seconds to understand, simplify.
Brand awareness ads without clear next step waste opportunities. Even awareness campaigns benefit from "Learn More" CTA. Test button vs text CTAs—buttons typically outperform 2-3x.
Large files (500 KB+) slow page loads, causing users to leave before ad displays. Many networks reject files over limits. Compress images—aim for under 100 KB. Use tools like TinyPNG before uploading.
Ad looks great on desktop but illegible on mobile. Text too small, CTA button too small to tap. Always preview on actual mobile devices. Create mobile-specific versions if necessary.
300×250 Medium Rectangle has highest CTR across industries. 728×90 Leaderboard provides best visibility. 336×280 Large Rectangle often outperforms 300×250. For mobile: 320×50 is standard, 320×100 performs better.
Minimum 3 sizes: 300×250, 728×90, 320×50. Ideal 6 sizes: add 336×280, 160×600, 300×600. More sizes = more inventory access = more impressions. Use responsive ads to serve all sizes with one campaign.
Static ads: You design each size manually. Full creative control. More work to create multiple sizes. Responsive ads: Upload assets (images, text); platform creates ads automatically. Less control but faster, serves all sizes.
Yes. Skyscraper (120×600), Wide Skyscraper (160×600), Half Page (300×600), Portrait (300×1050) are all vertical formats. Best for sidebar placements. Vertical ads stay in view during scroll.
JPG for photographic images (smallest file size). PNG for graphics with sharp edges, text, transparency. GIF for simple animations. HTML5 for interactive/rich media ads. Avoid BMP and TIFF (not supported).
Not required but recommended. Mobile users need larger text (minimum 18 px headlines) and bigger CTA buttons (44×44 px). Simpler messaging works better on small screens. At minimum, test desktop ads on mobile before launching.