--- title: "Q1 2018 MSTI: Mobile app platforms rise to the top" description: Pixalate this week released the Q1 2018 Mobile Seller Trust Index (MSTI), which ranks the overall quality of programmatic sellers based on mobile in-app inventory. Our MSTI set a new all-time high in terms of number of sellers who qualified for the list in Q1 2018, rising 26% over 2017 averages. image: https://www.pixalate.com/hubfs/Blog_Media/Blog%20photos/msti-growth-in-mobile-sellers-(1).png --- [![pixalate-full-logo](https://www.pixalate.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Pixalate_Logos/pixalate-full-logo.jpg?width=150&height=60&name=pixalate-full-logo.jpg "pixalate-full-logo")](https://www.pixalate.com) Search **Menu** ** ** ![](https://www.pixalate.com/hubfs/Blog_Media/Blog%20photos/msti-growth-in-mobile-sellers-(1).png) [Mobile](https://www.pixalate.com/blog/topic/mobile) | [Rankings](https://www.pixalate.com/blog/topic/rankings) | 2 min read # Q1 2018 MSTI: Mobile app platforms rise to the top Written by [Pixalate](https://www.pixalate.com/blog/author/pixalate) Jun 28, 2018 3:23:19 PM Pixalate this week [released](https://www.pixalate.com/global-mobile-video-seller-trust-index-march-2018) the Q1 2018 Global Seller Trust Index (GSTI), which ranks the overall quality of programmatic sellers based on global mobile in-app inventory. Here are the top 10 sellers based on overall inventory quality in March 2018: ![march-2018-pixalate-msti-top-five-programmatic-seller-rankings-(1)](https://www.pixalate.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog_Media/Blog%20photos/march-2018-pixalate-msti-top-five-programmatic-seller-rankings-(1).png?width=800&name=march-2018-pixalate-msti-top-five-programmatic-seller-rankings-(1).png) ### **As mobile app advertising grows, so does the prevalence of app-only sellers** A recent[eMarketer report](https://content-na1.emarketer.com/mobile-time-spent-2018?ecid=dfda7bcd4b86471fba0d362c1f4a962e) on mobile trends noted: “US adults will spend an average of 3 hours, 35 minutes per day on mobile devices in 2018, an annual increase of more than 11 minutes. By 2019, mobile will surpass TV as the medium attracting the most minutes in the US.” Importantly, eMarketer added: “Apps account for over 90% of internet time on smartphones and 77% of internet time on tablets.” The Pixalate Mobile Seller Trust Index (MSTI) reflects the fact that the mobile advertising world is largely driven by apps. In fact, three of the top five sellers on our most recent MSTI base their business on exclusively in-app inventory, while six of the top 12 (50%) do so. ### **The mobile app ad ecosystem is rapidly expanding — it’s up 26% so far in 2018** The rise in mobile app advertising has created many new opportunities for buyers and sellers alike. Our MSTI set a new all-time high in terms of the total number of sellers who qualified for the list in January 2018. It set a new all-time high again in March. Overall, in Q1 2018, the total number of mobile app sellers who qualified to be ranked on the MSTI was up 26% compared to the average in 2017. This indicates that the mobile app ad ecosystem is growing at a rapid rate. ![msti-growth-in-mobile-sellers-(1)](https://www.pixalate.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog_Media/Blog%20photos/msti-growth-in-mobile-sellers-(1).png?width=600&name=msti-growth-in-mobile-sellers-(1).png) As the mobile app landscape rapidly grows, so too does the potential for ad fraud and invalid traffic (IVT). Pixalate’s Media Ratings Terminal helps our clients navigate the increasingly complex and risky app landscape by providing granular analysis that goes far beyond what you can find in an app store.  You can download the full list of top programmatic sellers[here](http://sellertrustindex.com). [![pixalate-seller-trust-indexes-cta](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2364596/fba0942f-35ec-49ac-a89d-73cfa993b4c0.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2364596/fba0942f-35ec-49ac-a89d-73cfa993b4c0) ### **About Pixalate’s Seller Trust Indexes** Pixalate’s monthly Global Seller Trust Index (GSTI), Mobile Seller Trust Index (MSTI), and Video Seller Trust Index (VSTI) are the worldwide standards in programmatic advertising quality ratings. Released monthly, the indexes evaluate and rank the quality and integrity of advertising networks and sellers across channels, platforms, and devices. Global quality ratings are based on an analysis of overall effectiveness assessing multiple factors, such as viewability, fraud, engagement, domain masking, network quality and more, in compliance with recognized industry standards.  To learn more about the methodology and to download the expanded list of top sellers, visit [http://www.pixalate.com/sellertrustindex.](https://www.pixalate.com/sellertrustindex) ### **About Pixalate** Pixalate is a cross-channel fraud intelligence company that works with brands and platforms to prevent invalid traffic and improve ad inventory quality. ### Search Blog Search ### Follow Pixalate ### Subscribe to our blog *By entering your email address and clicking Subscribe, you are agreeing to our [Terms of Use ](https://www.pixalate.com/terms)and [Privacy Policy.](https://www.pixalate.com/privacypolicy) Previous Story [← Q1 2018 GSTI: US has greater variance in programmatic seller quality](https://www.pixalate.com/blog/global-seller-trust-index-march-2018-programmatic-quality) [** ](https://www.pixalate.com/blog) Next Story [Q1 2018 VSTI: Gap between high- and low-ranking video ad sellers is getting smaller →](https://www.pixalate.com/blog/video-seller-trust-index-march-2018-programmatic-quality) ## You May Also Like These Stories on Mobile [![](https://www.pixalate.com/hubfs/Blog%20Media/2026%20Covers%20and%20Images/OpenEPG%20landing%20page%20hero%20image.png) ](https://www.pixalate.com/blog/pixalate-launches-openepg-1.0-analytics-to-bring-linear-tv-grade-measurement-verification-to-open-programmatic-ctv) [Mobile](https://www.pixalate.com/blog/topic/mobile) ### [Pixalate Launches OpenEPG™ 1.0 Analytics to Bring Linear TV-Grade Measurement & Verification to Open Programmatic CTV; 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