What's the Difference Between CTV and OTT?
OTT (over-the-top) describes how video is delivered: over the internet, without a cable or satellite provider. CTV (connected TV) describes where it's watched: on a television connected to the internet, through a smart TV, streaming stick or game console.
So a show streamed through an app on a smart TV is both. The same show on a phone is OTT but not CTV. That's the distinction IAB Tech Lab uses: OTT is the delivery method, CTV is the device, and people use "streaming" for either one.
If you only remember one line: OTT is the pipe, CTV is the screen.
CTV and OTT Side by Side
| OTT | CTV | |
|---|---|---|
| What it describes | How video is delivered | The screen it's watched on |
| Stands for | Over-the-top | Connected TV |
| Where ads can appear | TVs, phones, tablets, computers | Internet-connected TVs |
| Typical devices | Any device with a streaming app | Smart TVs, streaming sticks and boxes, game consoles |
| Viewing setting | Could be the couch or a phone on a train | Usually the living room |
| Sound | Depends on the device | Mostly on |
The IAB's digital video glossary defines OTT video as video sent over the internet, outside the closed networks of telecom and cable companies. It defines connected TV as a TV set linked to the internet, either through a separate device or built-in capability.
Four Examples That Make It Click
The fastest way to sort this out is to look at what someone is actually doing.
| What the viewer is doing | OTT? | CTV? |
|---|---|---|
| Watching a streaming app on a smart TV | Yes | Yes |
| Watching a streaming app through a game console on the TV | Yes | Yes |
| Watching the same app on a phone | Yes | No |
| Watching a cable channel through a cable box | No | No |
That last row has a wrinkle. A smart TV tuned to cable is still a connected device, but the ad on it is a linear TV ad, not a CTV ad. What matters is how the ad reached the screen, as well as the screen itself.
Why People Use the Terms Interchangeably
Because most of the time they're describing the same ad.
Amazon Ads says most OTT viewing happens on connected TVs, even though phones, tablets and consoles can all play it. IAB Tech Lab says the industry has settled on CTV as the commercial term, with OTT as the delivery behind it. That's why you'll often see the two written as one thing: CTV/OTT.
The terms still aren't used consistently. A September 2026 IAB paper on classifying video advertising points out that CTV can mean any video on an internet-connected TV to one team, and only inventory sold through streaming apps to another. Two people can both say they're buying CTV and be buying different things.
So don't stop at the label. Ask what you're getting.
The Related Terms You'll See
These show up in the same media plans. Most of them describe how content is paid for or packaged, which is a separate question from delivery and device.
| Term | What it means | Can it carry ads? |
|---|---|---|
| Streaming TV | A plain-English name for the same thing, used for OTT and CTV alike | Yes |
| Linear TV | Scheduled programming through broadcast, cable or satellite | Yes |
| AVOD | Streaming that's free or cheaper in exchange for ads | Yes |
| SVOD | Subscription streaming with no ads | No |
| FAST | Linear-style channels delivered over the internet | Yes |
The AVOD, SVOD and FAST definitions follow Roku's overview for advertisers.
Why the Difference Matters for Your Ad
For a media buyer, this is mostly vocabulary. For the person making the ad, it's a real fork, because a TV across the room and a phone in your hand are different jobs.
Here's what changes when "OTT" lands on a TV rather than a phone:
- Sound. The IAB paper describes CTV as mostly sound-on by default, while sound on mobile and desktop streaming is largely up to the user. A spot written for the ear works on a TV. On a muted phone, it needs to make sense without the voiceover.
- QR codes. A QR code on a TV makes sense, because the viewer has a phone in their hand. A QR code on a phone doesn't, because they can't scan the screen they're holding. If your OTT buy reaches both, give people a next step that works on both, like a short URL they can remember.
- Text size. Copy that reads fine on a phone can be too small from across the room, so size it for the TV.
- Who's watching. A TV is often watched by a couple or a family. A phone is usually one person.
- Specs. CTV platforms want 16:9 landscape files built to their own specs, and some reject a spot that's a second too long. A vertical social ad won't fill a TV.
The buy decides which of these you have to plan for. A CTV-only buy can be written for the couch, with sound and a QR code. A broad OTT buy needs a spot that survives both.
What to Ask Before You Buy
Whether a plan says CTV, OTT or streaming, these questions tell you what you're really buying.
- What share of impressions will run on TV screens? This is the question that matters most. If you don't get a device split, you don't know what you bought.
- Which apps and channels will the ads run on? Ask for a list, so you can see what your ad will sit next to.
- Can the ad be skipped? Amazon describes its streaming TV ads as full-screen and non-skippable. YouTube's in-stream ads can have a skip button at five seconds, which changes how you open the ad.
- What lengths and specs do you need? Get this before you edit. Exact :15 and :30 cuts save rework.
- How will we measure it? There's no click on a TV, so agree on this before launch, not after.
How to Measure CTV and OTT Ads
There's no link to tap on a TV, so your usual Meta attribution won't tell the full story.
Match the measurement to the job:
- Response spots can be judged on QR scans, visits to a dedicated URL and offer codes.
- Awareness spots are better judged on what happens around them, like branded search and how your other channels perform while TV is running.
- Platform metrics tell you whether people saw the ad. Amazon's guides point to completion rate, brand reach and brand lift. They're useful for checking delivery, but they aren't sales.
If you already run Meta, your account is a good baseline. Note your CPM, CPA and branded search before TV starts, so you've got something to compare against. Our Meta ads statistics show what those numbers look like across accounts.
Where to Start If You're New to This
Most brands spending on Meta already have the raw material for TV. Your account has been testing angles, hooks and offers for months, and your best TV ad is probably already running on Meta.
Start with the concepts carrying spend, then rebuild them for a TV: landscape, sound on, the brand early and a next step people can remember. If you want to see what that looks like, here are 9 CTV ad examples we've made.
How We Make CTV Ads at Biddyco
Biddyco is a CTV and YouTube creative agency. Our US-based senior team also works across 100+ accounts spending $20M+ a month on Meta, so we start from what's already working on social and rebuild it for the big screen.
We write for sound, deliver to each platform's specs, and aim for one round of feedback. If you're comparing partners, our buyer's guide to hiring a CTV creative agency covers what to ask. Or book an intro call to talk through your account.
The Bottom Line
OTT is how the video gets there. CTV is the TV it plays on. Most OTT viewing happens on TVs, which is why the words blur together, but a phone and a living room still need different ads.
Ask for the device split, then make the ad for the screen you actually bought.
FAQ
Is CTV the same as OTT?
No, but they overlap. OTT describes how video is delivered, over the internet instead of cable or satellite. CTV describes the internet-connected TV it's watched on. A streaming app on a smart TV is both. The same app on a phone is OTT only.
Is Hulu OTT or CTV?
It depends on the screen. Hulu is an OTT service because it's delivered over the internet. When someone watches it on a smart TV or through a streaming stick, it's also CTV. When they watch it on a phone or laptop, it isn't.
Is YouTube CTV or OTT?
YouTube is delivered over the internet, so it's OTT by the plain definition, and it counts as CTV when it's watched on a TV. Plenty of YouTube viewing happens on TVs, but its ads have their own rules, most importantly the skip button.
Which is better for advertising, CTV or OTT?
They aren't competing options, since one describes delivery and the other the device. The useful question is how much of your budget should run on TV screens. If you want sound-on viewing on the biggest screen in the house, ask for CTV specifically and check the device split.
Is a smart TV the same as CTV?
A smart TV is one kind of connected TV. A regular TV with a streaming stick or game console plugged in also counts, because it's connected to the internet too.
Can I use the same ad for CTV and OTT?
You can if it works on both screens. A landscape spot with clear audio, large text and a next step that doesn't depend on scanning a code can run on both. If the buy is mostly TV, make it for the TV. Vertical social ads need rebuilding before they can run on a TV.
