Net-30 and Net-60 payment terms are standard in advertising. Publishers accept them as "just how the industry works." But have you ever thought about whats actually happening to your money during those 30-60 days?

The Standard Arrangement

Heres how typical ad network payments work:

Day 1-30: You send traffic, network collects from advertisers
Day 30: Month closes, network calculates what you earned
Day 30-60: "Processing period" before payment
Day 60+: Maybe you get paid (if you hit minimum threshold)

During this entire time, the network has your money.

The Float Game

In finance, "float" is money in transit - technically belonging to one party but held by another. Ad networks have mastered the float game:

Where Your Money Actually Is

Advertiser pays network: Often Net-0 to Net-15 (immediate or fast)
Network pays publisher: Net-30 to Net-60 (slow)
The gap: Network holds funds for 15-60 days

What Networks Do With Float

Earn interest in bank accounts
Use as working capital for operations
Fund expansion without taking loans
Cover cash flow gaps from slow-paying advertisers

The Math Nobody Shows You

Lets say a network processes $10 million monthly in publisher payments:

At Net-30

Average float: ~$5 million (half-month average)
At 5% annual return: $250,000/year in interest
Plus operational flexibility value

At Net-60

Average float: ~$10 million
At 5% annual return: $500,000/year in interest
Double the working capital benefit

This is free financing provided by publishers.

Why Publishers Accept This

Industry Normalization

"Everyone does it" - so publishers dont question it. When every option is Net-30+, theres no alternative to compare against.

Power Imbalance

Networks have leverage. Publishers need demand. Complaining about payment terms risks losing access.

Hidden in Complexity

Between minimum thresholds, verification periods, and payment processing, the actual delay is obscured.

No Transparency

Publishers dont see when advertisers paid. They cant prove the network is profiting from the delay.

The Ripple Effects

For Small Publishers

Cash flow problems - expenses are immediate, revenue is delayed
Minimum thresholds mean even longer effective delays
May need loans to bridge gaps (paying interest on their own money)

For the Ecosystem

Barrier to entry for new publishers
Advantage to well-capitalized players
Normalized exploitation becomes "standard"

Justifications Networks Give

"We Need Time for Fraud Verification"

Reality: Most fraud detection happens in real-time or within hours. 30-60 days isnt about verification - its about float.

"Advertiser Payment Timing"

Reality: Most advertisers pay faster than publishers receive. The gap is profit, not necessity.

"Processing Complexity"

Reality: Banks settle in 1-3 days. Crypto settles in minutes. 30-60 days is a choice, not a technical requirement.

What Alternatives Look Like

Faster Payment Terms

Some networks offer Net-7 or Net-15. Its possible - they just make less on float.

Real-Time Settlement

Blockchain-based systems can settle as traffic is verified. No float, no delay, no free financing.

Escrow Models

Advertiser funds held in escrow, released to publisher upon verification. Network never holds the money.

Questions to Ask Your Network

When do advertisers pay you for my traffic?
Why is there a gap between receiving and paying?
What happens to funds during the "processing period"?
Can I get faster payment terms? What would it cost?

The answers (or non-answers) tell you a lot about whether youre a partner or a source of free capital.

The Bigger Picture

Net-30/60 terms arent evil - theyre business. But publishers should understand what theyre agreeing to. Youre not just waiting for payment processing. Youre providing interest-free financing to companies that could pay you faster but choose not to.

In an industry that talks endlessly about transparency, payment terms remain one of the least discussed forms of value extraction. Maybe its time that changed.

Net-30 and Net-60 Payments: How Publishers Unknowingly Finance Ad Networks