Cross-media campaign management platform covering planning, activation, optimization, and financial workflows
Strata, operated by FreeWheel (a Comcast company), is an enterprise media planning and buying platform used by agencies managing complex cross-channel campaigns. It covers the full media management lifecycle: planning, activation, optimization, billing, and financial reconciliation. In January 2026, FreeWheel appointed Don Amboyer as General Manager of Strata to reinforce focus on media management software. Pricing is enterprise-only and requires a custom quote. Strata holds a 3.5/5 rating on G2 from a small number of FreeWheel product reviews.
Key Features
Cross-Media Campaign Planning & Activation
- Integrated planning tools for TV, cable, digital, radio, and cross-platform campaigns
- Campaign workflow management from planning through trafficking and activation
- Order and approval management with automated processing
- OneStrata Digital for unified digital campaign workflows
- Direct integration with FreeWheel DSP for digital buying execution
Financial Management & Reconciliation
- Financial Bridge for accounting system integrations
- Automated billing and invoicing processes
- Campaign tracking and vendor invoice reconciliation
- Financial reporting and analytics for agency billing workflows
IO Management & Workflow
- Complete insertion order lifecycle management
- Customizable approval workflows with audit trails
- Team collaboration and campaign status tracking
- Notifications and milestone management
Reporting & Performance Analytics
- Real-time campaign performance monitoring
- Custom reporting and dashboard creation
- Cross-campaign performance comparison
- Data enablement for downstream analytics
Business Impact
- Broadly adopted by US media agencies for TV buying and campaign management
- Reduces manual effort in billing and reconciliation workflows
- OneStrata Digital and FreeWheel DSP integration streamlines cross-platform buying
- VideoAmp measurement integration for alternative currency reporting
Pricing
Strata pricing is enterprise-only and requires a custom quote. Pricing is not publicly available. It is widely noted as a premium-priced platform with significant licensing costs. Contact Strata/FreeWheel sales for pricing based on your agency’s size and usage requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Strata cost? Strata pricing is not publicly listed. It is an enterprise product with custom pricing based on agency size, volume, and required modules. It is widely considered a premium-priced product. Contact FreeWheel sales for a quote.
Is there a free trial for Strata? No free trial is publicly offered. Strata is an enterprise platform typically sold through a sales-led process with demos and custom contracts.
How does Strata compare to Bionic? Bionic is a subscription-based media planning and buying platform starting at $199/user/month, aimed at mid-sized agencies and in-house teams. Strata is an enterprise platform with custom pricing, traditionally stronger in broadcast TV buying workflows and financial reconciliation. Bionic has more transparent pricing and modern AI features through its Jaime assistant; Strata is more deeply entrenched in agencies with heavy TV and reconciliation needs.
How does Strata compare to Mediaocean? Mediaocean is another major enterprise media management platform with strong financial and billing integrations for holding-company agencies. Both Strata and Mediaocean target large agencies, but Mediaocean is often preferred for global multi-market operations while Strata has historically been dominant in US local and national TV buying.
Does Strata support digital media buying? Yes. OneStrata Digital provides workflows for digital campaign management and integrates directly with the FreeWheel DSP for programmatic buying. The platform supports cross-media campaigns spanning traditional TV and digital channels.
What is the FreeWheel DSP integration? In July 2025, FreeWheel announced integration between OneStrata Digital and the FreeWheel DSP, allowing agencies to manage digital campaign execution directly within the Strata platform and access FreeWheel’s programmatic inventory.
Who uses Strata? Strata is used primarily by US media agencies — particularly those with significant broadcast TV buying workflows. It is described by reviewers as nearly universally used within its target market of TV-buying agencies.
User Reviews & Social Proof
Strata has limited public reviews. FreeWheel products hold a 3.5/5 rating on G2.
“FreeWheel (Strata) is almost universally used, and the support is very helpful and responsive.” — G2 reviewer
“This program has some very useful tools, if you have years to figure out how to use them.” — G2 reviewer
“This is a product you need to be effective as a media buying service.” — G2 reviewer
Reviews note Strata’s ubiquity in the TV buying space alongside its complexity and steep learning curve.
Strata vs Alternatives
Strata vs Bionic
Bionic offers a modern, subscription-priced platform with AI-powered planning and more accessible onboarding. Strata is the legacy enterprise choice for agencies with deep broadcast TV operations and complex financial reconciliation needs. Bionic’s transparent per-user pricing contrasts with Strata’s opaque enterprise contracts.
Strata vs Mediaocean
Mediaocean is the dominant enterprise platform for global media management, used widely by large holding-company agencies. Both Strata and Mediaocean handle complex billing and IO workflows; Mediaocean has stronger global and multi-market capabilities while Strata is more deeply rooted in the US broadcast TV market.
Strata vs GaleForce Media
GaleForce Media is a subscription-based platform targeting smaller to mid-sized agencies with TV, radio, and digital buying. It is positioned as significantly more affordable than Strata and easier to learn, though with fewer enterprise capabilities.
Strata vs Advantage
Advantage is an agency management platform covering media buying alongside accounting, project management, and production. Strata specializes more narrowly in media buying and financial management without the full agency ERP scope of Advantage.
Recent Updates (2025–2026)
- January 2026: FreeWheel appointed Don Amboyer as General Manager of Strata, reinforcing focus on media management software development
- July 2025: Announced integration between OneStrata Digital and the FreeWheel DSP for streamlined digital buying workflows
- March 2025: Integrated VideoAmp measurement for alternative currency campaign reporting
- Ongoing: Continued development of Financial Bridge integrations and cross-media planning capabilities
Explore More Media Planning Tools
- Halliard — Modern media planning platform with real-time collaboration and campaign analytics
- Bionic — Subscription-based media planning and buying with Jaime AI assistant and transparent pricing
- Mediaocean — Enterprise omnichannel advertising platform for large agency operations
- GaleForce Media — Affordable TV, radio, and digital planning platform with AI-powered recommendations
- BluHorn — Entry-level media buying platform with TV/radio workflows and Nielsen integrations
- Advantage — Full agency management platform including media buying, accounting, and production